Frequently Asked Questions
What is a city tree?
Aurora’s Forestry Division cares for nearly 35,000 city street trees as a free service to residents. City-owned trees are deciduous (leaf-dropping) trees that are most often planted in front of single-family homes in public right-of-way easements. Public right-of-way easements are generally within five feet of sidewalks or in planting strips between sidewalks and streets.
Do you have a city tree?
Check our city tree map or visit the Property Information web page to view property information. When you enter your address, the city trees in the inventory will be listed under “My Property.” If you find a possible error in our inventory, please let us know.
Free trees? What?
Yep, we plant trees for free! Our trees must be planted in the public right-of-way easement, which is generally within five feet of sidewalks or in planting strips between sidewalks and streets. If you are interested in receiving a free city tree, please contact us.
When will my city tree be pruned?
To see when our crew will be in your neighborhood for scheduled maintenance, check the Grid Pruning Map. If you believe that a city tree requires attention ahead of the schedule, you may call to request an inspection. Tree maintenance will only be provided ahead of schedule if a tree poses a significant risk to public safety.
May I prune my city tree?
Limited maintenance is allowed, but it is still illegal to damage, kill or remove a city-owned tree, whether intentionally or accidentally. Additionally, residents are not allowed to use chainsaws to prune city trees. Residents may only prune limbs that are smaller than 4 inches in diameter and nothing above 15 feet. Visit our guide on Proper Tree Pruning & Street Tree Info for help on pruning.
May I hire someone to prune my city tree?
Residents may hire a private arborist to perform city tree maintenance at their own expense. Only arborists licensed in the city of Aurora may work on city trees and a permit must be obtained from the Forestry Division prior to beginning work. Visit our list of licensed arborists here.
Removing a city tree
It is illegal for residents to remove city trees. If you think your city tree needs to be removed, please call to request a tree inspection. Only trees that are dead, in very poor condition or health, or pose a risk to public safety will be removed.
Will you inspect my private tree?
We inspect private trees free of charge and also provide a recommended course for treatment, if necessary. We do not offer inspections for large numbers of private trees at commercial properties such as apartment complexes, business parks, or private golf courses.
Removing a private tree
In most cases, residents may remove private/non-city trees from their property. In some areas, however, your Home Owners Association may have certain requirements regarding trees. Also, some properties may have a site plan registered with the city that outlines approved landscaping. When a site plan is associated with your property, there may be policies for tree mitigation or replacement if trees are removed. If you are uncertain about removing trees from your property, please contact us.
Assistance for private tree maintenance
Unfortunately, the city of Aurora does not offer any assistance programs for private tree removal or pruning. To keep your costs low, we recommend getting at least three different quotes from licensed arborists.
Neighbor’s private tree an issue?
Residents are allowed to trim back branches that overhang their property line, but you may be held responsible for killing or damaging a neighbor's tree if done improperly. The Forestry Division can offer consultation and pruning tips, but we cannot assist with any private tree work. If you feel that a neighbor's private tree is dead or poses a safety hazard, please contact Code Enforcement at 303.739.7000.
Sewer issues
While tree roots cannot break your line on their own, they can take advantage of any existing breaks. For this reason, the Forestry Division will not remove city trees for this issue, nor will we reimburse for any expenses related to sewer lines.
The Emergency Grant/Loan Repair Program through the Community Development Division offers financial assistance for urgent sewer line repairs to homeowners who meet its qualifications. If you cannot replace or repair your line, we recommend cleaning the line and using products like RootX to mitigate the problem.
Tree roots lifting concrete
If a city sidewalk is being lifted, please contact the city’s Streets Services Division at 303.326.8200 for repair. If city tree roots are lifting your driveway or private walkway, please contact the Forestry Division to determine if root removal is possible. Please note that the city is not responsible for either repairing or replacing concrete on private property.