PRUNING OR REMOVING TREES IN PUBLIC HIGHWAYS OR PUBLIC PLACES.
Madison General Ordinances § 23.21
in effect23.21 - PRUNING OR REMOVING TREES IN PUBLIC HIGHWAYS OR PUBLIC PLACES.
(1) No person, corporation, or association shall plant, cut, prune, or remove any living tree or shrub in a public highway in the City of Madison, or cut, disturb or interfere in any way with the roots of any tree, to the extent of causing serious injury to such tree, in such public highway, or spray any such trees or shrubs with any chemical or insecticides without written permit of the Board of Public Works. (Am. by ORD-25-00063, 9-25-25)
(2) Nothing herein shall be construed as preventing the City Engineer or Superintendent of Streets, Sewers, and Sanitation (Superintendent of Sanitation) from trimming trees so as to prevent interference with street illumination, provided that before trimming the trees said City Engineer or Superintendent of Streets, Sewers, and Sanitation (Superintendent of Sanitation) shall obtain the suggestion of the City Forester, and if the trimming suggested by them shall be sufficient to accomplish the purpose the tree shall be trimmed accordingly. (Am. by ORD-14-00012, 1-14-14)
Source: City of Madison, Wisconsin, Madison General Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wi/madison/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COORMAWIVOIICH20--31_CH23OFAGPUPO_23.21PRRETRPUHIPUPLFetched: 11/1/2026