Tree Root Pruning Permit Los Angeles

Your trees are beautiful. They’re also destroying your sidewalk.

In Los Angeles, the number one reason sidewalks are cracked, crumbling and suffering from failure is tree roots. 

 

Los Angeles’ early city planners allowed the installation of those bucolic, fast-growing trees to adorn city streets. Now those decisions are coming back to haunt property owners as the roots tear apart the sidewalks, leading to trip hazards and worse – trip and fall lawsuits. 

 

Want to fix your sidewalk? The first step is getting those tree roots pruned so they no longer cause a problem. And that, my friends, takes a permit. 

 

Who is responsible for pruning trees in Los Angeles?

 

The city’s Urban Forestry Division is in charge of maintaining trees planted in the public right of way. Even if you planted that tree in the public right of way, that tree now falls under the jurisdiction of the city. 

 

What is the public right of way, you ask? You know that strip of trees (or sometimes dirt) next to the sidewalk? That’s in the public right of way. Also:

 

• City streets and lanes

• Alleys

• Parkways

• Sidewalks

• Public easements and unimproved streets

 

(FYI: If your tree is growing into power lines, the LA Department of Water and Power will trim them. You can call them to request this service and they will likely come out to do the work.)

 

Why do I need to prune the roots of my trees to fix my sidewalk?

 

If you replace your sidewalk, but keep the offending roots as is, you’re going to have the same problem all over again – cracked concrete.

The reason tree roots are pruned when replacing sidewalk is so that there is a flat surface for the new concrete to be poured over.

Not every tree can be root pruned. Before you can prune your tree roots, you must have the tree evaluated by the Urban Forestry Unit. If a tree cannot be safely root pruned, it may be removed and replaced. 

There are many reasons why a tree’s roots cannot be pruned, including:

• Tree condition: Trees in poor health should not be root pruned.

• Number of roots cut: The more roots are cut, the more it stresses out the tree.

• Root Size: The bigger the tree roots, the greater the stress on the tree.

• Tree Age: Older trees are less tolerant of root pruning.

• Leaning trees: DO NOT root prune leaning trees. That’s just a no-go. 

What permit do I need to prune my tree roots?

You will need a Tree Root Prune Permit from Los Angeles’ Urban Forestry Division. 

A Tree Root Prune Permit is free. However, if you need or want to remove the tree, that will be a different permit and can cost up to $3000 or more, depending on the variety of tree and whether or not it is protected. 

If you want to plant a tree on a public right of way, and there’s already a tree well there, you can get a no-cost Tree Planting Permit from the StreetsLA Urban Forestry Division. 

What permit do I need to fix my sidewalk in Los Angeles?

You will need an A-Permit issued by the Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering. This permit ensure that sidewalks conform with city, state and federal building guidelines. 

How much does an A-Permit cost if a tree is damaging my sidewalk?

If a city tree has damaged your sidewalk, you do NOT need to pay a permit fee for an A-Permit. The city DOES require a picture of the damaged area, so they can waive the fees. 

How do I get the permits to fix my sidewalk in Los Angeles?

As you can probably tell, getting a permit to fix your tree-damaged sidewalk is not a walk in the park. 

You can use the city’s portal to apply for an A-Permit. You will have to go to the StreetsLA site to get the root pruning permit. However, most property owners get so frustrated by the process that they end up hiring a permit expeditor to get the work done. 

Professional permit expeditors may as well have a doctorate in pulling permits in Los Angeles. They know exactly what city engineers require in the application and blueprints and the expeditor will work with your contractor to ensure that all your ducks are in a line. 

Ready to let us pull that permit for you? Give us a call today for a free estimate.