Tree root and sidewalk

[nisryus]

So one of the tree in my front yard, a live oak, had gotten a bit big that the roots have gone under the sidewalk.

Roots being roots, the sidewalk has been slowly pushed up for a while, and we kind of ignored it which I regret.

We are planning to hire a crew to stump grind and then try to remove as much root as possible.

So my question is if the roots are removed, would the sidewalk need any additional work to be done? or the concrete would sink back down to earth?

The section of the sidewalk that has been pushed up is about 12 ft long. A handyman told me he could grind down the two ends. Otherwise, another option is to redo that section of the sidewalk, so that we don't have to touch the tree.

The tree is pretty big. Got a quote for $900 to stump grind., remove roots and even free trim on four branches on the other tree (another live oak in the front yard but that one is smaller).

 

[Greenman]

Is the sidewalk actually yours or does the city/county own it?
How can they remove roots under the sidewalk?
Is it possible the tree will be at risk of falling over once the roots are removed?
I've never once in my life seen concrete return to it's original position after being lifted by roots.

 

[nisryus]

Not sure how they will remove the roots that are under the sidewalk, but thats what this crew said they would do.

I called City of Austin twice but got different answers. Those in the hood that had their sidewalk repaired said the City never respond or sent anyone out to check after they filed through 311, so they just hired contractors to do the repair.

Yeah i haven't thought about if remove the root and fix the sidewalk might actually cause stability issue with the tree..

I guess probably need to pay to remove the tree, stump grind, and then fix the sidewalk...

 

[Micrornd]

Not sure how they will remove the roots that are under the sidewalk, but thats what this crew said they would do.

I called City of Austin twice but got different answers. Those in the hood that had their sidewalk repaired said the City never respond or sent anyone out to check after they filed through 311, so they just hired contractors to do the repair.

Yeah i haven't thought about if remove the root and fix the sidewalk might actually cause stability issue with the tree..

I guess probably need to pay to remove the tree, stump grind, and then fix the sidewalk...

Or maybe not. If the sidewalk is in the right-of-way and belongs to the city/county, it is possible that the tree is also and is their responsibility.
Do you know where your property lines are?
Also in some cities/counties, you are required to have a tree inspection and dependent on that a permit will/could be issued for tree removal.
In those areas, without a permit, you can be subject to fines and/or replanting new trees as replacements.
You'd be surprised how petty cities/counties can be (even when you do the right thing).
Check it out, better safe than sorry, eh? 😉

 

[BoomerD]

Or maybe not. If the sidewalk is in the right-of-way and belongs to the city/county, it is possible that the tree is also and is their responsibility.
Do you know where your property lines are?
Also in some cities/counties, you are required to have a tree inspection and dependent on that a permit will/could be issued for tree removal.
In those areas, without a permit, you can be subject to fines and/or replanting new trees as replacements.
You'd be surprised how petty cities/counties can be (even when you do the right thing).
Check it out, better safe than sorry, eh? 😉

When we lived in Modesto, CA, our subdivision was part of the city's "Street Trees" program. EVERY house had it's mandated zelkova tree. If one died, the city would come out, remove the dead tree and plant a new one in its place...or near to it if it was too big to fully remove. The zelkovas are horrid trees for this application. The shallow watering that they get from lawn sprinklers draw the roots to the surface...making mowing the lawn difficult...and hazardous. I was forever out there, cutting roots and pulling them out as much as possible. A few neighbors cut them down and planted other trees in their place...then the city came by and planted a zelkova right next to whatever the homeowner had planted.

 

[nisryus]

Or maybe not. If the sidewalk is in the right-of-way and belongs to the city/county, it is possible that the tree is also and is their responsibility.
Do you know where your property lines are?
Also in some cities/counties, you are required to have a tree inspection and dependent on that a permit will/could be issued for tree removal.
In those areas, without a permit, you can be subject to fines and/or replanting new trees as replacements.
You'd be surprised how petty cities/counties can be (even when you do the right thing).
Check it out, better safe than sorry, eh? 😉

Austin is different, but they do require an inspection and permit if a tree has reach certain size in diameter. Luckily, this tree hasn't so there is no need to get it inspect or file for a permit.

The HoA rule is that each house has to have two hardwood trees in the front lawn area. No exception.

Good call! I will have to dig up the paperwork to see where my property line ends...

 

[Muse]

Tree in front of my house pushed up the sidewalk to the point where the city did a fix so people wouldn't stub their toes. Instead of concrete they used asphalt, so it's kind of 1/2 assed. This was around 6 years ago? The town has a program where a concrete sidewalk repair will be done if the homeowner's willing to pay 1/2 the cost. I signed up for that, but the wait is typically a couple years. This was maybe 2 years ago, haven't heard from them about that.

Meantime, I complained about the tree, more than once and they finally did remove it after telling me no a couple times. This was around 3 months ago. The tree was old, quite ugly what with the many times the city had cut branches off, often all but dead. It was a hazard, a branch could fall on a passerby.

The street was repaved just before they agreed to remove the tree. Before they approve the tree removal (and after the street repaving) the city decided to bulge the curb out to accommodate the tree trunk. So, after the removal there was this ridiculous bulge in the curb, a section of a circle. City said they'd remove that and make the curb straight again, and they did do this. Where they removed the tree is now a section with dirt plus wood chips (they chipped the trunk as they removed the tree, and later the stump). I have the option of putting in a new tree - have to pick from a list of trees the town approves. But I haven't contacted them yet to make the request or access their OK-tree list. I'm not sure I want another tree there, maybe do some landscaping instead. Or both, not sure. They will supply the small tree, but I have to take care of it, of course.

 

[nisryus]

Tree in front of my house pushed up the sidewalk to the point where the city did a fix so people wouldn't stub their toes. Instead of concrete they used asphalt, so it's kind of 1/2 assed. This was around 6 years ago? The town has a program where a concrete sidewalk repair will be done if the homeowner's willing to pay 1/2 the cost. I signed up for that, but the wait is typically a couple years. This was maybe 2 years ago, haven't heard from them about that.

Meantime, I complained about the tree, more than once and they finally did remove it after telling me no a couple times. This was around 3 months ago. The tree was old, quite ugly what with the many times the city had cut branches off, often all but dead. It was a hazard, a branch could fall on a passerby.

The street was repaved just before they agreed to remove the tree. Before they approve the tree removal (and after the street repaving) the city decided to bulge the curb out to accommodate the tree trunk. So, after the removal there was this ridiculous bulge in the curb, a section of a circle. City said they'd remove that and make the curb straight again, and they did do this. Where they removed the tree is now a section with dirt plus wood chips (they chipped the trunk as they removed the tree, and later the stump). I have the option of putting in a new tree - have to pick from a list of trees the town approves. But I haven't contacted them yet to make the request or access their OK-tree list. I'm not sure I want another tree there, maybe do some landscaping instead. Or both, not sure. They will supply the small tree, but I have to take care of it, of course.

wow, at least they will do it instead of the home owner.

both HoA and City of Austin still have not replied to my inquiries.. time to bug them again.

 

[Muse]

wow, at least they will do it instead of the home owner.

both HoA and City of Austin still have not replied to my inquiries.. time to bug them again.

I was not permitted to do anything with that tree. It belonged to the city.

 

[Greenman]

The town has a program where a concrete sidewalk repair will be done if the homeowner's willing to pay 1/2 the cost.

Really big of the city to allow you to pay for half of their sidewalk that was damaged by their tree on their property.

 

[lxskllr]

The town has a program where a concrete sidewalk repair will be done if the homeowner's willing to pay 1/2 the cost.

Really big of the city to allow you to pay for half of their sidewalk that was damaged by their tree on their property.

Yea, that's some bullshit. I give zero fucks about the sidewalk. I can walk over it, but I bet an ADA lawyer would be interested in it.

 

[Greenman]

Yea, that's some bullshit. I give zero fucks about the sidewalk. I can walk over it, but I bet an ADA lawyer would be interested in it.

It's Berkeley, they burn a lot of cash. I have no room to talk though, my city's electric budget is going to be short so they're raising trash collection by $2 a month to $28. No protests are planed.