Yuma, AZ Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Roadway clearance
- 12 feet minimum
- Sidewalk clearance
- 7 feet minimum
- Pruning standard
- ANSI A300
- Tree-topping
- Banned outright
- Penalty
- Class 3 misdemeanor
- New parkway tree
- Free encroachment permit required
Summary
Yuma requires street trees to be pruned for at least 12 feet of clearance over roadways and 7 feet over sidewalks under City Code § 137-04(H). Property owners along the adjacent parkway handle routine tree maintenance, and the city can prune or remove an obstructing tree at the owner's expense if a hazard persists after notice.
(G) Property owners shall not allow a tree, or other plant growing on private property or within the adjacent parkway to obstruct or interfere with pedestrians or the view of drivers, thereby creating a hazard. If an obstruction persists, the City shall notify the property owner to prune or remove the tree or plant. If the owner fails to comply with the notice, the City may undertake the necessary work and charge the cost to the property owner. (H) Street trees shall be pruned and maintained to allow for minimum of 12 feet of clearance over any roadway and seven feet of clearance over any sidewalk.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-74: Current through May 20, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 137-04 governs municipal tree maintenance citywide: municipal trees, shrubs and cacti include everything on public property that the city or an adjacent private owner maintains, spanning rights-of-way, parks and retention basins. 05 must keep the landscaped area next to their lot in the right-of-way maintained. Officers of the Police, Fire, Community Development and Public Works Departments, along with Parks and Recreation, can all issue notices to comply and citations under this chapter. The maintenance standard follows ANSI A300 for tree care, shrub and other woody plant management, and § 137-04(C) bans tree-topping outright.
Under § 137-04(H), street trees must be pruned to keep at least 12 feet of clearance over any roadway and 7 feet over any sidewalk. If a tree on private property or in the parkway obstructs pedestrians or blocks a driver's view and becomes a hazard, § 137-04(G) lets the city notify the owner to prune or remove it; if the owner does not comply, the city can do the work itself and bill the owner for the cost. Anyone planting a new tree in the parkway needs a free encroachment permit from the Engineering Department and free blue-staking before digging, under § 137-04(F).
Violations & Fines
Damaging, cutting, tree-topping, or otherwise violating § 137-04's maintenance standards, including failing to maintain the 12-foot roadway and 7-foot sidewalk clearance after notice, is a class 3 misdemeanor under § 137-99, punished as provided in § 10-99 of the code; fines collected go into the city's Municipal Tree Fund rather than the general fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much clearance does a street tree need over the sidewalk and road in Yuma?
Who is responsible for trimming the tree in front of my house?
Can the city remove a tree from my property without asking?
What is the penalty for violating Yuma's tree ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yuma
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