Kirkland inventoried more than 50,000 public trees along streets and in parks in 2023 and 2024. If one of them stands by your sidewalk, it is yours to live with and partly yours to look after. Here is who does what.
Is it a public tree?
Planting strips, the edge of the street and parks are usually city right-of-way. The quickest check is Kirkland Maps with the “Trees” layer turned on. If the map is unclear, call 425-587-3600 before anyone touches the tree.
Who does the work
| The tree threatens… | Who is responsible | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Your house, your parked car, your driveway | You, the adjacent owner | You submit a Public Tree Pruning or Removal Permit and hire the contractor |
| The street, sidewalk, pedestrians, passing cars | City of Kirkland | You still submit the permit; the city schedules the work by priority |
| Imminent: actively falling or badly damaged | City | Call 425-587-3600 (Public Works emergencies: 425-587-3900) |
The city also takes on trees causing major damage to public infrastructure, like sidewalks or utilities, when that can’t be fixed by root pruning, beveling or sidewalk repair.
What you can do without a permit
Minor pruning only: branches under 1.5 inches in diameter, removing less than 15% of the canopy. Anything more, including lifting the crown over a driveway or cutting roots for a new walkway, needs the public permit.
Removal is for hazards
The city only approves removing a public tree when it is a hazard or nuisance that normal maintenance can’t fix. “It drops leaves” or “it shades my garden” won’t qualify. A cracked trunk, decay or serious sidewalk heave might, backed by an arborist report.
Roots, sidewalks and sewer lines
Older Norkirk, Market and Highlands streets have big planting-strip trees whose roots lift sidewalks. Don’t cut those roots yourself: root cutting on a public tree is pruning and needs the permit, and cutting big roots can make the tree unstable. An arborist can tell you which roots can safely go.
Street tree over your roof? We can file the public tree permit and do the work.
(425) 000-0000Common questions
How do I find out if the tree in front of my house is a city tree?
Open Kirkland Maps and turn on the Trees layer, or call Planning and Building at 425-587-3600. Planting strips between the sidewalk and the street are usually right-of-way, but property lines vary, so check.
Will the city remove a dangerous street tree for free?
If it threatens public property, such as the road, the sidewalk or parked and passing cars, the city schedules the work by priority. If the hazard is to your private property, you submit the permit and hire the contractor.
Can I trim street tree branches hanging over my driveway?
Minor pruning, branches under 1.5 inches and less than 15% of the canopy, needs no permit. Anything bigger needs a Public Tree Pruning or Removal Permit. The city does not prune branches overhanging private property for you.