Land and lot clearing in Memphis, TN
Trees, brush, vines, and stumps cleared for new homes, additions, fence lines, and overgrown lots. One crew for the cutting, grinding, and hauling, and we keep the trees you want.
- Lots, fence lines, and backyards
- Selective clearing
- Stumps ground out
- Debris hauled
Clear the lot, keep the trees worth keeping
Clearing is not just knocking everything flat. Before we start, we walk the lot with you and mark what stays and what goes. A healthy oak in the right spot adds shade and value, and keeping it can also help with your city’s tree rules. We work around the keepers and protect their roots from equipment where we can.
Then we cut and remove the trees, clear the brush and vines, grind the stumps, and haul the debris off. You are left with an open lot ready for your surveyor, builder, or fence crew.
Clearing jobs we take on
- Residential lots before a new home or addition
- Overgrown backyards and fence lines
- Room for driveways, sheds, pools, and patios
- Vacant and neglected lots
- Selective thinning to open up a wooded yard
- Clearing dead pines and storm-damaged trees from acreage
Tree rules for clearing in Memphis and Shelby County
This is where land clearing is different from removing one tree. The Memphis and Shelby County tree ordinance in the Unified Development Code covers trees 10 inches and wider. When a removal is not exempt, a Notice of Intent goes to the Office of Planning and Development 10 to 45 working days before the work, with a $50 fee.
The exemptions matter. A home lot of ten acres or less with a house on it is exempt. So is removing no more than 5 trees per acre on a lot with an existing structure, incidental removal of under 10 percent of trees on subdivided residential lots, and removal tied to an approved site plan. When a removal goes past the limits, the ordinance calls for 4 replacement trees for each tree removed, at least 2.5 inches thick, or a payment of $2,000 per acre to a tree bank.
Clearing an acre or more also brings in stormwater rules. Memphis requires state construction stormwater coverage and a notice to the city when one acre or more of land is disturbed.
We are not your lawyer or engineer, but we have read these rules, and we will tell you if your job looks like it needs a notice or a permit before we cut anything.
Sources: Memphis and Shelby County tree ordinance notice form.
Suburbs have their own clearing rules
If your lot is outside Memphis, the rules change. Here is what each city publishes.
Lakeland
Any tree 10 inches or wider needs a permit. Bigger specimen and landmark trees carry fines of $4,000 and $5,000 per tree if cut without one.
Collierville
Removing 15 percent or more of trees 8 inches and wider needs a grading permit. Home lots of 1 acre or less are excluded.
Bartlett
Grading, or removing 15 percent or more of live trees 6 inches and wider, needs a permit. Building on a single home site is exempt.
Germantown
Developers must replace removed trees, for example eight 3-inch trees for one 24-inch tree, or pay a fee.
Southaven
Clearing outside the exemptions needs a notice to the Office of Development 14 to 45 days ahead. Home lots of 1 acre or less are exempt.
Olive Branch
Development landscape plans must show every tree 8 inches and wider. Single and two-family homes are excluded.
Sources: Lakeland city code, Town of Collierville tree policy, Bartlett city code, Germantown tree mitigation policy, Southaven tree removal requirements, Olive Branch zoning, Article XI.
What happens to the debris
A cleared lot makes a lot of wood and brush, and none of it can stay at the curb. Memphis does not collect debris from tree contractors, and most suburbs say the same.
Burning is not the answer either. The Memphis city code does not allow open burning of trees, limbs, or brush. Shelby County Pollution Control only allows burning through a temporary burn pit permit, which costs $130, requires notifying the fire department each day, and carries penalties of up to $25,000 a day for violations.
So we chip the brush, cut and haul the logs, and grind the stumps. Usable wood can be left in rounds if you want firewood.
Sources: City of Memphis garbage and yard waste rules, Shelby County open burning FAQ.
Before and after: backyard clearing
Before
AfterCrowded pines around a backyard pool thinned out to open the yard and cut down on needles in the water.
How a clearing job goes
Big or small, every clearing job starts with a walk of the lot.
- Walk and mark the lotWe flag the trees to keep and the area to clear, and look at access for equipment.
- Check the rulesWe tell you if a notice or permit looks likely for your city and lot size.
- Cut and clearTrees come down, brush and vines are cleared, and keepers are protected.
- Grind and haulStumps are ground below grade, and the wood and brush are hauled away.
- Hand off a clean lotYou get an open, raked lot ready for the next trade.
Land clearing questions
How much does land clearing cost in Memphis?
It depends on the size of the lot, how many trees and how much brush there is, the size of the trees, and whether the stumps need grinding. We walk the lot and give you one written price.
Do I need a permit to clear my lot in Memphis?
It depends on the lot. Home lots of ten acres or less with a house are exempt from the Memphis and Shelby County tree ordinance. Larger or vacant lots may need a Notice of Intent 10 to 45 working days ahead. Clearing an acre or more also brings in stormwater rules.
Can I burn the brush after clearing?
Not in Memphis. The city code bans open burning of trees, limbs, and brush. Shelby County only allows burning under a temporary burn pit permit. We chip and haul instead.
Do you grind the stumps when clearing?
Yes. Stumps are ground below grade so the lot is ready for grading, sod, or a foundation.
Can you leave some trees?
Yes. We mark the trees you want to keep and work around them. Keeping healthy trees can also help with tree replacement rules in some cities.
Do you clear lots in Lakeland and Collierville?
Yes. Lakeland requires a permit for trees 10 inches and wider, and Collierville has grading permit rules for clearing. We will go over what applies before we start.
Need a lot cleared?
Free land clearing estimates.