Regulations on Street Trees

Residents are required to maintain trees within their property Right Of Way. This includes proper water usage, pruning, and removal of any obstructions for vehicles and sidewalk users. As outlined in West Valley City Municipal Code, the City has the right to prune and remove a tree within violation of said code.  

19-3-101 Obstructions Prohibited

All encroachments, obstructions, or placement of items within any Highway, Sidewalk, Parkstrip, curb, gutter, Right-of-Way, or other public property not permitted in accordance with a Right-of-Way permit or expressly permitted by other applicable ordinances, statutes, or the City Engineering Standards are hereby prohibited, including but not limited to the following:

(6) Permitting any object, including but not limited to tree limbs, to hang less than 14 feet above any roadway or seven feet above any Sidewalk;

19-3-102 Removal of Obstructions

The (Public Works) Department shall have full authority to remove or cause to be removed any obstruction in violation of Section 19-3-101 with no prior notice and shall not be liable to any person with an interest in property removed for damage to or destruction of said property.

19-4-101 Maintenance and Care of Street Trees

(1) The property owner abutting any street tree shall care for, maintain, and water said street trees and shall notify the Department of any blight, disease, or damage to said street trees.

(2) The Department shall have authority to remove, trim or prune any street tree without prior notice to the abutting property owner.

(3) No person shall dig up, cut down, or otherwise injure or destroy any street trees planted in any City Right-of-Way, without a permit.

19-4-102 Prohibited Street Trees

(1) It shall be unlawful to plant, maintain, or allow to remain on private property or in an abutting Parkstrip or other landscaped area any tree, tree stump, shrub, vine, or other plant that is causing or is capable of damaging public Sidewalks or streets. Any such tree, tree stump, shrub, vine, or other plant may be removed by the Department without prior notice.

(2) It shall be unlawful for any person, including property owners, tenants, agents, contractors, or employees, to plant or maintain on or within five feet of a City Right-of-Way, any of the following:

  • All species of Birch
  • All species of Cottonwood
  • All species of Mulberry
  • All species of Poplar
  • All species of Willow
  • All varieties of bearing fruit or nut trees
  • All upright-growing conifers
  • Balm of Gilead
  • Black Locust
  • Boxelder
  • Catalpa
  • Chinese Date
  • Gambel Oak
  • May Day Tree
  • Russian Olive
  • Saskatoon Serviceberry
  • Siberian Elm
  • Silver Maple
  • Silk Tree