Tree permits and rules around Huntsville

Three layers can touch a tree job here: the city, the utility, and the State of Alabama. Here's what each publishes that we could read and cite, and where you'll need to ask.

City of Huntsville

• Public trees: the Urban Forestry and Horticulture division manages the public trees in the city and guides the Huntsville Tree Commission.
• Right-of-way removals: anyone who wants the City to remove a tree in the public right-of-way applies for a tree removal permit through the City arborist's office.
• Hazard checks: for trees on City property or in the right-of-way, the arborist evaluates likely hazards using up to four ANSI-recommended assessment levels. Residents can report a suspect tree through SeeClickFix or Huntsville Connect.
• Utility lines: the division first works with Huntsville Utilities to decide whether the City or the utility handles line clearance.
• Contact: Landscape Management office, 256-564-8030, 3242 Leeman Ferry Rd. SW, weekdays 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Trees on private lots: the City's Trees page points to the city's tree ordinance on Municode, but we couldn't read the ordinance in a form we could cite, and we found no published rule on removing a tree from your own lot. Ask the City before work starts.

Madison, Owens Cross Roads and the county

Madison and Owens Cross Roads are separate cities, and Harvest, Hazel Green and Meridianville are unincorporated communities in Madison County. We didn't find tree rules published by any of them in a citable form, so ask the city, or Madison County for the unincorporated areas.

State of Alabama: the tree surgery permit

• What the law covers: the Professional Services Law (Code of Alabama, Title 2, Chapter 28) defines "tree surgery work" as receiving fees for tree surgery, including cavity filling or repair, bracing, cabling and wound treatment. Pruning, feeding, budding and grafting are excluded.
• The permit: before doing that work, or soliciting it, a person must get an annual permit from the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries. Working without one is a misdemeanor under section 2-28-11.
• How it's issued: the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries issues Horticulture Professional Services Licenses to businesses that engage in tree surgery. The business needs a certified operator who passed the exam, the license costs $175 a year, and it runs from October 1 to September 30.
• Removal-only work: the statute's definition doesn't mention removal. If you want to know whether a removal contractor needs the permit, ask the Department.

Utility lines and digging

• Overhead lines: OSHA guidance keeps ladders and aerial lifts at least 10 feet from power lines; when that's not possible, the utility should be contacted to de-energize and ground the lines. Huntsville Utilities' outage line is 256-53-LIGHT.
• Underground lines: for stump grinding, root removal or any other excavation, put in an Alabama 811 locate request a minimum of 2 to 10 working days ahead. See stump grinding.