Hazardous Trees

Sometimes storm damage or rotting inside the trunk will cause a tree to become a health or safety hazard.  Tree hazards include:

1. A tree branch that has downed or is leaning on a power line;
2. A hollow, dead or split tree that is a threat to a road, neighbors, a house or sidewalk;
3. A tree that is causing a right-of-way obstruction to traffic.

If you have tree branches on or near power lines you can contact Xcel Energy at 651-282-1300 or City Forestry staff. City crews are prohibited from working on trees within ten feet of a power line but they will work with the utility company to resolve the problem. If you believe your tree or a neighbor’s tree is a health hazard, a City tree inspector will come out and examine the tree. If it is determined that the tree is a health hazard, the property owner will be notified to remove the tree. The owner can choose to have a City contractor remove the tree and have the cost assessed to their property taxes over three years.

Diagnosing Diseased Trees

If you believe your yard tree, boulevard tree or a neighbor’s tree is diseased, a licensed Richfield tree inspector will examine the tree free of charge. If the tree has Oak Wilt or Dutch Elm disease, it will need to be removed to protect the Richfield tree population.  If the tree is on private property, the owner will have 20 days to remove the tree, or may choose to have a City contractor remove it. The cost of the using the City contractor can be assessed to your property taxes.

Keeping Our Trees Trim

Each year, the City trims 1,000 to 2,000 of the 12,000 boulevard trees in Richfield. That means it takes several years to trim all the boulevard trees. Residents often call to request that their boulevard tree be trimmed, especially after a storm. The Richfield Forestry staff reviews the requests on a case-by-case basis. If a tree is a safety hazard, it will be trimmed immediately. If the need is less critical, the trimming may need to wait until the scheduled rotation for routine maintenance in your neighborhood.

Planting New Trees

The City plants at least 140 new trees each year on the boulevards. If you would like a new boulevard tree and are willing to care for it, call the Forestry Division.  Replacement tree varieties include Sugar Maple, Norway Maple, American Linden, Marshall’s Seedless Ash, Summit Ash and Hackberry.

Wood Chips

Branches and limbs from tree work are ground into wood chips and stored at the City’s maintenance garage at 7700 Pillsbury Avenue. The wood chips are free to any resident who is willing to load them and haul them away.

Have a Tree Question? Give Us a Call!

Residents can receive free advice and inspection year-round of yard trees and boulevard trees. Whether it’s tree diseases, insect problems, planting, pruning or trimming, the Forestry staff is available to discuss your problem.  Call 612-861-9170, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to set up an appointment.

You may also request a free copy of the above information in brochure form.