The City receives a number of complaints concerning trees and hedges growing over the sidewalks and lane ways, obstructing street signs, and interfering with sight lines at intersections. The following information taken from the relevant City Bylaws is meant as a guideline for property owners and renters.

Properties next to sidewalks and/or lanes

Trees or shrubs growing on private property and next to City boulevards, sidewalks, curbs, or lanes must be properly trimmed. Branches projecting over a sidewalk must be at least 225 cm (7.5 ft) high. Branches projecting over a roadway or lane must be at least 412 cm (13.5 ft) high. These height restrictions allow for safe and adequate sight lines.

Properties next to street signs (stop signs, yield signs, etc.)

If a street sign is located adjacent to your property, you are responsible to trim any or all hedges and trees so they will not interfere with the visibility of the sign. This includes trees and hedges that are on your property or on the bordering boulevard (between your property line and the back of sidewalk).

Elm Trees

Elm trees require special attention, as they should only be pruned from October 1 to March 31. The trimmed branches must be disposed of immediately at the Waste Management Facility to help reduce the chance of attracting the beetle that carries Dutch Elm disease. Please notify The City of Red Deer's scale operator upon arrival at the Waste Management Facility so that all Elm branches can be buried in the landfill instead of being placed in the compost pile.

Properties located on corner sites and at intersections

Residents on a corner site must not assemble, place, or allow any building, fence hedge, tree, or vegetation to grow higher than 90 cm (3 ft) within a set area.

To determine the set area where the 90 cm (3 ft) height restriction is enforced

• start at the corner of the property and measure 4.5 m (14.8 ft) along both property lines away from the property corner
• connect the two points to form a triangle
• this area inside the triangle is where the height restriction is enforced.

This triangle will also be enforced in older areas of the city where a lane meets a lane (with no corner cut-off).

On a lot that is located next to a lane/street intersection, restrictions will be placed on the lot corner closest to the intersection. This restricted area is determined by a triangle created by measuring 3 m (9.8 ft) each direction from the property corner.

For more information, please call the Engineering Services department Customer Service Section at 403-342-8161.