Why the City Trims Trees and How It Benefits Everyone

Published on August 13, 2025

You might notice City crews in your neighborhood trimming trees along the street this time of year. This work is essential for safety, accessibility, and the long-term health of our urban canopy. The City of Powell is required to maintain 14 feet of clearance over all roadways. This clearance allows school buses, delivery trucks, snowplows, and other large vehicles to travel without damaging their vehicles or the trees themselves.

Stepping up our efforts
Recently, the City has increased its tree trimming work to address more streets and improve roadway safety. By dedicating more time and resources to this task, we’re able to protect public infrastructure, maintain healthy trees, and ensure our community remains accessible year-round.

How the work gets done
We don’t have a dedicated forestry department, so our public service team trims trees as time permits, focusing on one street at a time until it’s complete before moving to the next. Our staff receives professional training in proper tree care, always trimming with the long-term health of the tree in mind.

Safety first
Before trimming begins, staff will place temporary “No Parking” signs in the work area to keep vehicles out of the path of falling branches. When trimming a City street tree, crews will address all sides of the tree, remove any deadwood, and encourage healthy growth.

What’s yours, what’s ours
The City trims only trees in the public right of way (area between the sidewalk and road). We cannot trim trees on private property unless they’re obstructing the roadway. Residents are encouraged to hire a professional tree service for private trees and to help keep sidewalks clear and passable.

Tree trimming is more than maintenance — it’s about protecting public safety, preserving the health of our urban canopy, and making sure our streets stay open and welcoming for everyone.