Tree on a City’s Tree Belt

[climbingmonkey24]

Customer wants me to prune this tree but it appears it could belong to the town with how close it is to street yea? I’m not sure what is considered the tree belt for the town this is. No sidewalk, that’s part of his front lawn. Power lines going overhead directly over it.

I do know I did research and anyone who wants to trim or remove a tree on tree belt need a permit.

The problem is this customer has the attitude of fuck the town I want you to trim my tree.

How can I be sure if he does follow through and checks with the town and does things the right way? Somebody could easily say they did and really didn’t.

 

[treegongfu]

Here the forestry department will provide the HO with something in writing.

 

[Boomslang]

YOU should call the city and get the info.

 

[climbingmonkey24]

I wasn’t sure whether I should be spending my time calling around trying to figure it out or if it should be the HO responsibility but maybe that would just be better for me to call myself.

 

[Boomslang]

I wasn’t sure whether I should be spending my time calling around trying to figure it out or if it should be the HO responsibility but maybe that would just be better for me to call myself.

It definitely would be better if you call. That way you'll be prepared with all the information if this happens again. Plus, it's never a bad thing to have the city forester in your contacts.

 

[Reach]

if in doubt, you should make the call. You might also have something in your contract requiring the customer to handle permits, fees, etc.

 

[oldoakman]

Call the city yourself. I get those calls all the time. Here the ROW is different and no sidewalks as well. Most of the time I can get close but if the edge is really a question I get the engineering department surveyors to locate and confirm the ROW boundary

 

[ATH]

Agree with all the "you need to call" suggestions. However, If there is a circumstance where does necessary that the landowner make the contact, make sure you have a contract with them that makes them responsible for that. I would also add something into that contract that if they do get the permits you need to see the permits before work has started. I would also make them responsible for your fines and the time you have to spend dealing with them if they are negligent in something they are required to do by law. But I got to think that is a odd circumstance where the city will not work directly with you so that everybody is doing what they are supposed to be doing.

If there is a permit fee involved in the homeowner doesn't want to deal with that you can either just hide that in your quote, or find a new client... Some people just aren't worth dealing with.

 

[Boomslang]

Every municipality is different, but around here only city workers or contractors for the city can perform work on public trees. There's a fine for everyone else even so much as pruning off a small dead branch. Our company has developed enough of a solid reputation and rapport with the city forester that we've been given
the green light to conduct light pruning on city trees without permission. We're one of only two companies with such freedom. So it's definitely worth getting in the good graces of the forestry department.