DON DEAD TREES AND OVERHANGING LIMBS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
Answer: The CHIPS (City of Houston Inspections and Public Services) division within the Department of Neighborhoods enforces Chapter 10 of the Code of Ordinances for the City of Houston. A portion of those ordinances, specifically Chapter 10, Article IX, Sec. 10-363 ( b)(3 ), deal with minimum standards or nuisances on private property , for trees that overhang unto a neighboring property. It states:
(a) General maintenance. Each property shall be maintained by its owner in a safe and sanitary condition and in compliance with this division. Compliance with this division does not equate to compliance with the Construction Code, or vice versa.
(3) Remove dead trees, tree limbs, and other debris reasonably likely to cause injury to an individual or to provide living or breeding places for insects, ectoparasites, or rodents , provided that a reasonably-sized accumulation of compost shall not constitute a violation of this subsection;
Agents, you may inform the citizen that as an owner, they possess the right to trim the encroaching portion of the tree away from their property line. They may also report the offense to DON and be given a case number for the problem.
Please report dead, dangerous or overhanging trees that are in the right of way to the Forestry division in Parks & Recreation Department.