Section 7-4-20 of the Cherry Hills Village code deals with trees and limbs in public right-of-way. The code reads: “It shall be the duty of the owner of any property adjacent to the public right-of-way to remove any trees or limbs located in or above the public right-of-way when such trees or limbs constitute a danger to public safety…trees and limbs which hinder visibility or which may otherwise affect the public health, safety and welfare of the community.
“The city does not own the trees within the right-of-way. Instead, they are the responsibility of the homeowner. If you receive a notice from Code Enforcement, it is your responsibility to have the trees on your property and within the right-of-way trimmed.”
If the tree you want to remove is small, tackle it yourself. Water the ground around the tree the day prior to soften the soil. Then plan to dig 6” deep per every 1” of tree trunk to encircle the entire root system. You may be able to wiggle the root ball loose from the ground by tipping and twisting it. If the roots are intact you can transplant the tree.
Low-impact tree removal is the goal when removing mature trees like those cultivated in Cherry Hills Village for more than a century. Take into consideration the tree’s height, width and the direction in which it leans. Knowing where a limb can fall will prevent 99 percent of potential damage.