Tree service in Lakeland, TN
Tree removal, permits, trimming, and lot clearing in Lakeland, where most trees 10 inches and wider need a city permit before they come down.
- Free on-site estimates
- Answered 7 days a week
- Debris hauled away
- 20 minutes away
Tree work in Lakeland
Lakeland is a city of about 14,000 along I-40 and US 70 on the east side of Shelby County. It grew up around Garner Lake and the old Lakeland Amusement Park, and today it mixes older homes near the lakes with newer subdivisions off Canada Road, many on wooded lots.
Those wooded lots look great until a big oak or pine starts leaning toward the house. Lakeland also has the strictest tree rules of any city we work in, so tree work here needs a little more planning. Lakeland has been a Tree City USA for 19 years.
It also takes ice storms hard. In February 2022, MLGW’s report shows about 84 percent of Lakeland customers lost power.
Sources: Tennessee Division of Forestry, Tree City USA list, MLGW Winter Storm Landon report.
Lakeland tree removal permits
Lakeland’s Tree Management Ordinance requires a permit to remove any tree 10 inches or wider in diameter, measured at 4.5 feet off the ground. There is a single-family exception: no permit is needed if each tree being removed is under 10 inches and the lot still meets its tree canopy requirement.
The ordinance sorts big trees into classes. Specimen trees are 24 to 60 inches across, and landmark trees are 60 inches and wider. A certified arborist has to verify the trees for the permit.
The fines for cutting without a permit are serious: $5,000 per landmark tree, $4,000 per specimen tree, and $2,000 per standard tree, plus $125 per inch of diameter paid to the tree bank for standard trees. Hazard trees and declared storm emergencies are exempt.
Our ISA Certified Arborist can help with the tree details for your application. Do not let anyone cut a big tree in Lakeland without checking first.
Sources: City of Lakeland tree permit, Lakeland city code.
Limb and debris pickup in Lakeland
Lakeland picks up bulk yard waste with a city boom truck once a week on trash day. Limbs can be up to 8 feet long and 24 inches thick, in their own pile. Up to 10 cubic yards is free, and anything over that costs $7 per cubic yard. Loose limbs cannot sit in the front setback for more than 7 days.
Lakeland will not collect debris from contractor tree cutting. When we take down a tree in Lakeland, we haul it.
Sources: City of Lakeland bulk waste, Lakeland city code.
Power lines and digging in Lakeland
Lakeland is on MLGW. MLGW trims around its lines every three years, and with written consent it will remove a dead or diseased tree it sees as a hazard to its main lines. It does not remove trees for touching your service drop. Tennessee 811 needs at least three working days notice before digging, and that includes stump grinding. Call 811 or (800) 351-1111.
Sources: MLGW tree trimming, MLGW downed power lines, Tennessee 811.
Storms and trees in Lakeland
The February 2022 ice storm hit Lakeland hard, with about 84 percent of customers losing power. Ice is especially rough on wooded lots, where tall pines and oaks grown up close together lean on each other and break when they load up.
Remember that Lakeland’s permit rules exempt hazard trees and declared storm emergencies, so a tree that is down or hanging after a storm can be dealt with right away.
Sources: MLGW Winter Storm Landon report, Lakeland city code.
Tree services in Lakeland
Permit-ready tree removal
We check Lakeland’s permit rules first and help with the arborist details before a big tree comes down.
Arborist visits in Lakeland
Tree verification for permits, plus honest advice on whether a tree can be saved.
Wooded lot thinning
Dead, crowded, and risky trees removed so the healthy ones have room, with the permit rules in mind.
Stump grinding in Lakeland
Stumps ground below grade after a removal or from old storms.
Where we work in Lakeland
We cover all of Lakeland in Shelby County, including ZIP code 38002. Lakeland is about 20 minutes from our Raleigh shop.
- Garner Lake
- Canada Road
- US Highway 70
- I-40
- International Harvester Managerial Park
- Cool Springs Park
- Old Lakeland Amusement Park area
Lakeland tree service questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Lakeland, TN?
Usually, yes, if the tree is 10 inches or wider. Lakeland’s Tree Management Ordinance requires a permit for trees 10 inches and wider. Single-family lots can remove trees under 10 inches without one if the lot still meets its canopy requirement.
What is the fine for cutting a tree without a permit in Lakeland?
Lakeland’s code sets fines of $5,000 per landmark tree, $4,000 per specimen tree, and $2,000 per standard tree, plus $125 per inch to the tree bank for standard trees.
Does a storm-damaged tree need a permit in Lakeland?
Hazard trees and declared storm emergencies are exempt from the permit requirement, so a dangerous tree can be dealt with right away.
Does a certified arborist need to be involved?
Yes. Lakeland requires trees to be verified by a certified arborist as part of the permit. Our ISA Certified Arborist can help.
Will Lakeland pick up the limbs?
Lakeland picks up limbs up to 8 feet long and 24 inches thick, free up to 10 cubic yards, but it will not collect debris from contractor tree cutting. We haul it.
How much does tree service cost in Lakeland?
It depends on the size of the tree, access, and permit needs. We look in person and give you one written price, free.
Need tree work in Lakeland?
Free estimates. Answered 7 days a week.