Wausau, WI Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Street clearance
- 14 feet minimum over a public street
- Sidewalk clearance
- 10 feet minimum over a public sidewalk
- Applies to
- Public and private property trees alike
- Waiver available
- City Forester may waive for new plantings
- Noncompliance cost
- Charged to property as special assessment
Summary
Wausau requires branches overhanging a public street to be trimmed to a 14-foot clearance and branches over a public sidewalk to a 10-foot clearance, and the rule applies to trees on public or private property alike. Municipal Code § 12.56.150(b) also lets the City Forester waive the rule for newly planted trees that pose no hazard.
(b)Trimming:(1)All trees and shrubs, on public or private property, which have branches overhanging a public street, shall have said branches trimmed to a clearance height of 14 feet; all trees and shrubs, on public or private property, which have branches overhanging a public sidewalk, shall have said branches trimmed to a clearance height of ten feet. The City forester may waive the provisions of this section for newly planted trees if he determines they do not interfere with public travel, obstruct the light of any street light, or endanger public safety. Any tree or shrub not trimmed as herein provided shall be subject to the provisions of section 12.56.110.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
56, sets specific clearance heights rather than leaving trimming to discretion: any tree or shrub, whether on public or private property, with branches hanging over a public street must be trimmed to 14 feet of clearance, and any tree or shrub with branches over a public sidewalk must be trimmed to 10 feet. The City Forester can waive this requirement for newly planted trees if satisfied they do not interfere with public travel, block streetlight illumination, or endanger public safety. 150(b)(2). Because the section is not limited to City-owned trees, a homeowner whose private tree overhangs a City street or sidewalk is directly on the hook for clearance, not just the City Forester acting on municipal land.
070 and must follow the arboricultural specifications set in that permit; work performed for a utility is billed to that utility at the City's standard rate.
Violations & Fines
A tree or shrub not trimmed to the required 14-foot street or 10-foot sidewalk clearance is treated as an abatable public nuisance under § 12.56.110: on private premises, the City Forester gives the owner or tenant written notice and 30 days to trim or remove it, and if the owner fails to comply the City Forester does the work and charges the cost against the property as a special assessment under Wis. Stat. § 66.0627. No damages are owed to an owner for the removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high must tree branches be trimmed over a Wausau street?
Does the sidewalk clearance rule apply to trees on my own property in Wausau?
What happens if I don't trim my overhanging tree in Wausau?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wausau
Compare Wausau to another location·View the Wisconsin landscaping rules overview
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Tree Trimming in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Marathon County handle tree trimming.