Who must care for the tree between my sidewalk and the street?

Under city ordinance, adjacent property owners are responsible for caring for trees in the public right-of-way. That generally means the owner, not the city, deals with routine upkeep.

Can I just cut down a boulevard tree that I maintain?

Do not assume so. City code is reported to bar anyone from cutting or removing a city-owned tree without the city forester's authorization, and a permit is reported to be needed to remove a tree in the right-of-way. Call the city first.

Can the city make me trim a tree on my own lot?

Yes, in some cases. Omaha sent limb-trim orders to about 1,700 property owners in 2023, and the city can order trimming at the owner's expense when a tree could affect public safety.

Start with the City of Omaha's Forestry and Parks code enforcement staff. Parks inspectors who enforce the tree code are certified arborists, which makes them a good first call.

Who Is Responsible for Omaha Boulevard Trees?

Call (531) 227-5581

The strip of grass between the sidewalk and the curb often holds the biggest, oldest tree on the block, and it is the one homeowners are most unsure about. In Omaha the answer has two halves, and they do not point the same direction.

Half one: you maintain it

According to local news coverage of a 2024 dispute over a city trim order, Omaha ordinance puts the duty to care for right-of-way trees on the adjacent property owner. If a boulevard tree drops limbs onto the sidewalk, blocks a street sign, or hangs over the road, the city’s position is that it is generally your job to deal with it, even though you do not own the land under it.

Half two: the city still has a say

City code is reported to say that nobody may damage, cut, transplant, or remove a tree belonging to the city unless the city forester authorizes it. Separately, a local relocation guide says a permit is required before planting or removing a tree in a city right-of-way or park. We could not retrieve the code text itself, so treat both as a strong reason to call before you cut, not as a final legal reading.

In plain terms: you may be the one on the hook for trimming and upkeep, but removing the tree is likely a decision to run past the city. A tree service that offers to take it down the same day without asking about authorization is skipping a step.

The city can order work on private trees too

This is not only about boulevards. Omaha’s Parks code enforcement team includes four inspectors who are licensed certified arborists, and they enforce the city’s nuisance and tree sections. In 2023 the city sent limb-trim orders to about 1,700 property owners, and about 730 more had been mailed by April 2024. Inspectors answered roughly 2,700 public calls in 2023.

If an inspector decides a tree is worth keeping for now, the city may order trimming to postpone removal for at least a year, at the owner’s expense. If you get a notice, do not ignore it; call the number on it and ask what specifically is required and by when.

A tree entirely on your own lot

We did not find an Omaha permit requirement for removing a tree that sits fully on private residential land, but that comes from third-party sources that disagree with each other on details. Confirm with the city. Also check your HOA covenants before removing front-yard or highly visible trees; HOA rules are separate from city rules.

Before you call a tree service

Check your plat or measure from the sidewalk and property line, so you know whether the tree is in the right-of-way.
Call the city and ask who authorizes removal and whether a permit is needed.
Ask any tree service who applies for the permit and whether it is in the written estimate.
If the tree is near a power line, read our OPPD guide first.

Want help finding a local tree service? Call (531) 227-5581 or send a request below.