City Requests That Residents Trim Trees to Ensure Safety

As a property owner, it's good to know your responsibilities when you have trees and shrubs along city streets.

The City of Walla Walla's Parks and Recreation Department has received concerns from citizens regarding road sign and sidewalk obstructions caused by vegetation.

According to the City, these issues can be solved if residents and property owners trim the trees, bushes, and shrubs in their yards to prevent vegetation from spilling out into public spaces.

The City posted a reminders of what the current regulations require:

Sidewalks are required to have clear, unobstructed access at all times, so please trim trees and other vegetation in your yard to allow for eight feet of clearance above sidewalks. Sight lines within 15 feet of an intersection with a yield sign or stop sign need to be kept clear. This ensures that oncoming traffic can see the yield/stop sign as they approach it. Intersections with no yield or stop signs require 50 feet of unobstructed view.

These regulations apply to trees and other vegetation that reside on your personal property, and there are additional considerations for right-of-way trees. Trees in right-of-way areas refer to those that are between the road and the sidewalk. Handling right-of-way trees requires a permit, so make sure you take the right steps before you trim, plant, or remove such trees. You can get a permit by calling 509-527-4527 or visiting bit.ly/StreetTreesWW .

For more information, or if you have questions regarding further regulations, please contact Code Enforcement Officer Tim Bennett at tbennett@wallawallawa.gov .

It's always good to know what your responsibility is before you start hacking your trees and shrubs down - reach out to the Walla Walla Parks and Recreation Department for more details.