Frequently Asked Questions

Public trees- These are trees managed by the City’s Department of Public Works. These trees are located on public property, include trees in parks and “street trees” in the right-of-way (the lawn area between the sidewalk and the curb). All work on public trees must be done by the City or with a permit from the Engineering Department.

For the purposes of tree trimming, the City of Royal Oak is divided into 8 sections with the goal of completing one section every year. This systematic approach to trimming & elevating will be more efficient than responding to individual tree trimming requests. Trimming will consist of elevation and crown thinning (removing 1.5” diameter deadwood and larger). Please refer to the block trimming map. 

While general trimming of street trees will be handled through the city’s block trimming program, requests for inspections will be taken if there is a case for removal. If you feel a city tree is dangerous and needs to be removed, please contact the Department of Public Works at (248) 246-3300 M-F 7:30am to 4:00pm. An ISA Certified Arborist will examine the public tree and will assess where it falls on our risk factor scale. There are 3 levels of risk: low, moderate, and high which will determine the urgency of the tree’s removal. 

If you see a broken/cracked branch or a branch that is hanging from a public tree and could cause injury, please call DPS during office hours (248) 246-3300 M-F 7:30am to 4:00pm or the Police Department after hours (248) 246-3500. 

In the event of a storm the city will send a crew out to chip branches that have fallen from public trees. Branches that have fallen from trees on private property are the responsibility of the homeowner. While yard waste collection is in season (April-mid December) private property branches that are less than 4ft long and between 2-5 inches in diameter can be bundled and set out for collection on your trash day. For larger branches on private property the homeowner may need the services of a chipping company. The City of Royal Oak contracts with JH Hart Urban Forestry which provides chipping services. They can be contacted at (586) 795-5581 for rates. 

If a tree or large branch has fallen and is blocking the road or sidewalk, please call DPW during office hours (248) 246-3300 M-F 7:30am to 4:00pm or the Police Department after hours (248) 246-3500.

In most cases it would be considered a private matter and would need to be resolved between neighbors but if the tree overgrowth presents a risk to public spaces, then the city can intervene. 

• Ordinance 710-8. Every owner of any tree, shrub or plant overhanging the streets or highways within the City of Royal Oak shall turn the branches so that such branches shall not obstruct the light from any street lamp or obstruct the view of any street intersection and so that there shall be a clear space of eight feet above the surface of the street or highway. Said owner or owners shall remove all dead, diseased or dangerous trees or broken or decayed limbs which constitute a menace to the safety of the public. 
  1. To report a concern about a tree on private property with overhanging limbs you may call and leave a message on the 24-hour Code Enforcement hotline (248) 246-3238.
• Ordinance 710-20. Trees of all species and varieties of elm infected with a fungus Ceratostomella ulmi (Dutch elm disease) are hereby declared to be a public nuisance and must be eradicated and burned within a thirty-day period following the discovery of such infection.
  1. The Department of Public Service annually inspects all elm trees on private property and will require the property owner to remove the tree if it infected with the (Dutch Elm Disease) Fungus. 

All work on public trees must be done or approved by the city. To prune a tree on public property, the property owner must obtain a right-of-way permit from the Engineering Department. Only an insured tree company is qualified to perform work. 

If a tree was removed from your right-of-way, or if you have an open space in the right-of-way adjacent to your property, you may request a FREE street tree to be planted in the right-of-way near your home. Visit romi.gov/tree-program for more information. Please note that the city’s arborist will choose the type of trees best suited for each space.

Homeowners may hire a private company to plant a tree in the right-of-way provided they obtain a right-of-way permit from the city in advance.  The city’s arborist will work with the property owner to confirm the type of tree desired is compatible with our desired urban forestry plan.