Urban Forestry.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Does the City trim or remove trees?
The City of Hamilton does trim and remove trees located in public rights-of-way, city parks, and green spaces owned by the City if power lines are involved. The City does not trim or remove trees on private property or in the public rights-of-way where no power lines are located. The City will not remove dead trees, but the arborist will inspect the trees in question for residents
Can the City of Hamilton Municipal Arborist look at trees in my yard?
The Municipal Arborist will review trees on private property by appointment only. Inquiries should be directed to 513-785-7556 or dave.bienemann@hamilton-oh.gov. You can also submit a request using MyHamilton (311).
Can the City of Hamilton Municipal Arborist check my ash tree(s) for the presence of Emerald Ash Borer?
The Municipal Arborist will inspect ash trees on private property by appointment only. Inquiries should be directed to 513-785-7556 or dave.bienemann@hamilton-oh.gov. You can also submit a request using MyHamilton (311).
Who do I call for a tree limb on the power lines?
The Municipal Arborist will review tree limbs on power lines during non-emergency situations. Please call 513-785-7556 or email dave.bienemann@hamilton-oh.gov. You can also submit a request using MyHamilton (311). If you have lost power due to a downed power line or other hazardous situation, or are experiencing flickering lights, voltage problems, smoking or sparking from the power lines, contact the City’s Emergency Utility Service immediately at 513-785-7555 – available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your safety is important to us. Stay away from all power lines. Assume they are live and dangerous.
For more information on downed power lines, please refer to this safety PDF.
What is the procedure for planting a tree in the tree lawn area (the green space between the sidewalk and curb or edge of street pavement)?
Residents looking to plant a tree in their public right-of-way must receive a planting permit from the City’s Municipal Arborist for the approved planting site. There are situations where a tree can’t be planted in the public right-of-way due to space requirements, underground utilities, visibility of intersections and engineering clearance requirements. For more information on approved street trees for planting, please refer to Hamilton’s Landscape Guide for Businesses, Developers, and Home Owners.
You can request an Adopt-A-Tree form from the City of Hamilton Municipal Arborist by calling 513-785-7556 or by emailing dave.bienemann@hamilton-oh.gov. Once the form is filled out and returned, the Municipal Arborist will review the species selection and planting site. The permit will be approved or not approved based on the planting site and surrounding public infrastructure.
What size of tree can I plant in the tree lawn?
City Ordinance Chapter 915, Comprehensive Tree and Planting Plan, states that the tree lawn area must have a minimum width of 4 feet to plant a small tree (< 25 feet tall at maturity), a minimum width 6 feet to plant a medium tree (25-40 feet tall at maturity), and a minimum width of 8 feet to plant a large tree (> 40 feet tall at maturity). Additionally, street trees must have a diameter of at least 1.75 inches when planted.
The approved list of street tree species is also provided in C.O. Chapter 915.
Why is the City trimming the trees in the subdivision?
The City does not trim or remove trees on private property or in the public rights-of-way where no power lines are located. However, the City of Hamilton will train residents on how to prune smaller trees to remove dead or diseased branches, crossing branches, and/or branches that impact pedestrian or motor vehicle visibility. Proper pruning is encouraged to promote good tree form and structure, which ultimately results in a stronger, healthier, and more storm resistant mature tree.
Why does the City plant trees under the power lines knowing they will need to be trimmed later?
The City plants utility compatible trees under or adjacent to power lines. High voltage power lines are 40 feet above the ground and so utility compatible trees grow no more than 25 feet tall. They also do not require trimming. Utility compatible trees species include Ivory Silk Lilac, Serviceberry, Crab Apple, Hawthorn, Flowering Cherry, Hedge Maple, Tartarian Maple, Redbud, Star Magnolia, and Kousa Dogwood.
What are the brown and/or green bags at the base of trees?
Treegator® bags are for watering newly planted trees. Each Treegator® bag holds approximately 20 gallons of water. Refer to the section titled “Watering” on page 12 of the City of Hamilton’s Landscape Guide.
Trees are growing in my lines. Who do I contact?
The Municipal Arborist will review tree limbs on power lines for non-emergency services. Please contact the City’s Electric Department at 513-785-7550 or contact the City’s Emergency Utility Service at 513-785-7555.
Will the City clear phone and cable wires?
Communication Wires. Tree(s) interfering with telephone, cable TV or fiber optic wires. Hamilton Utilities does not prune and/or remove trees for communication wires (telephone, cable TV or fiber optic) due to liability.
Will the City tell my neighbor to trim and remove their tree impacting my property?
Private Property Disputes. The City of Hamilton has no jurisdiction between property owners and/or occupants regarding tree(s) and/or brush located on private property.
What wire is my tree in and will the City trim it?
Hamilton Utilities has easement rights to trim, cut, remove, or control any vegetation pm and/or off the right-of-way. Any additional work on these trees would be the responsibility of the property and/or occupant. Hamilton Utilities gets a minimum of 10 feet of clearance on the high voltage primary conductors from 7 thousand kilovolts to 23 thousand kilovolts. The National Electric Safety Code (NESC) requires 1 foot of clearance for every thousand kilovolts which is the US National Standard.
The next step is to make proper prunes to a lateral branch of back to the main trunk or stem if no laterals exist. In many instances, we have to prune back to the main trunk because there are no existing laterals. Line clearance pruning is not the same as pruning a tree in your yard or in a park. The tree roots that provide support to the tree in your yard have not been impacted. The tree is not going to fall over unless there is a major weather event.
Whose responsibility is it to maintain the utility easement? Who has ownership over utility easement and utility easement trees?
Utility easements are areas of a property dedicated for utilities to deliver services such as electricity, gas, water, sanitary sewer, telephone, internet, and cable. The land belongs to the homeowner to maintain (including any trees and/or brush), but utilities can access easements to perform routine maintenance, construct improvement projects, and repair utility line during emergencies.
“Per Codified Ordinance 915.05, it is the responsibility of the property owner and/ or occupant to maintain tree(s) located in the public right-of-way (including pruning, removal, and stump grinding).”
How long will it be until my trees are trimmed once I am on the utility line clearance schedule?
Once a resident has received a blue door card stating the Hamilton Utilities line clearance contractor will return to prune or remove a designated tree, residents can expect a time frame of around 4-5 weeks depending on the severity of the job. Other issues arise which may take precedence over scheduled line clearances (E.g. a thunderstorm causing a city-wide outage must be resolved before scheduled service wire clearances can commence).
Whose responsibility is it to maintain the alleyways?
The City only maintains pavement in public alleyways; all vegetation extending into alleyways (including trees, brush, shrubs, etc.) is the resident’s responsibility to maintain and prune. The City will only remove storm damage affecting accessibility to public alleyways.
Who do I contact for questions pertaining to alleyway clearance not related to tree-in-wire issues?
Hamilton Public Works Department (513) 785-7206