When a Kirkland tree can only come down as a hazard or nuisance, the arborist report is the application. Kirkland publishes exactly what it wants in a report, and turns down ones that don’t follow it. Kirkland Sentinel Tree Care works with qualified arborists who write to the city’s guide, so the permit isn’t sent back for corrections.
What a hazard report must contain
1. Observations: the facts.
- species, DBH, health and structure
- defects: dead or broken parts, weak unions, cracks, cankers, decay indicators, root-plate movement, soil cracks, grade changes, lean, poor taper
- targets: what the tree or part would hit if it failed
- for nuisance trees, photos of the property damage
2. Discussion: the arborist’s assessment.
- risk assessed with the ISA TRAQ method, over a normal time frame of 1 to 5 years
- how the tree meets the hazard definition in KZC 95.10(15)(b)
- an overall risk rating with matching mitigation:
| Overall risk | Expected recommendation |
|---|---|
| No target | Routine pruning or maintenance |
| Low / Moderate | Measures to reduce risk |
| High / Extreme, and pruning or moving the target won’t fix it | Removal as a hazard tree, with replacement species |
3. Recommendations: proper arboricultural practice, considering pruning, cabling, mulching, irrigation, treatments, monitoring or a Level 3 assessment before removal.
What the city rejects
- An ISA Tree Hazard Evaluation Form on its own
- An invoice or a bid for tree work
- Reports for development projects written without reviewing the current site plans
Level 3 (advanced) assessments
When decay can’t be judged from the outside, the city may ask for more: resistance drilling, sonic tomography, core sampling, an aerial (climbing) inspection, or a root-crown excavation by hand or air spade. These measure how much sound wood is left, which often decides whether a big tree stays or goes.
Reports for building projects
Development projects need a different report: a tree inventory and Tree Retention Plan under KZC 95.30, with tagged trees, critical root zones, tree protection zones, viability ratings and tree density credits. See tree retention plans.
Need a report the city will accept the first time? Ask about an assessment.
(425) 000-0000Common questions
Who can write an arborist report for the City of Kirkland?
A Qualified Professional Arborist holding at least two of the credentials the city lists in its Guide to Arborist Reports. For hazard assessments, the arborist must hold the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ).
Will the city accept a tree company's estimate as an arborist report?
No. Kirkland states that an invoice or bid for tree work is not an arborist report, and that an ISA Tree Hazard Evaluation Form alone is not enough, because it has no conclusions or recommendations.
How much does an arborist report cost?
For one or two trees on a home lot, often $300 to $800. Development tree inventories with many trees, tags and protection zones cost more. Advanced Level 3 testing, such as resistance drilling, adds to the cost.