Pruning Requirements Trees shall be pruned using the natural pruning system to preserve and promote the characteristic form of the species or cultivar appropriate to its current location. Prune to remove dead wood, hazardous branches, weak, diseased, insectinfested, broken, low-hanging, or crossing limbs, as well as all suckers, shoots, and ivy. Branches with extremely narrow angles of attachment shall be removed. Any observed structural weakness, trunk decay, or compromised branches shall be reported to the Landscape Program Manager or their designee. CONTRACTOR should ensure proper vehicle clearance at the curb by addressing both the vertical height of lower branches and the lateral extension of limbs into the street. Minimum vertical clearance at the curb shall be fourteen (14) feet from the edge of pavement. Over sidewalks, paths, or trails, tree branches shall be pruned to maintain a minimum vertical clearance of eight (8) feet. Where trees obstruct roadway distances, pruning shall be performed to provide adequate visibility at intersections, including the full clearance of traffic control devices and street name signs. For trees known to be diseased, pruning tools shall be disinfected after each cut and between trees using a ten percent (10%) chlorine bleach solution or other appropriate disinfectant to prevent disease transmission. Where tree foliage interferes with streetlights, the canopy shall be opened sufficiently to allow light to pass through. All cut branches shall be safely lowered to the ground. Any damage resulting from dropped limbs shall be promptly repaired at the CONTRACTOR's expense and to the satisfaction of the Landscape Program Manager or their designee. Pruning around high-voltage transmission lines shall only be performed by certified and qualified line-clearance tree trimmers, in accordance with ANSI Z133-2017 Section 4. All visible mistletoe in trees scheduled for pruning shall be removed unless otherwise directed by the Landscape Program Manager or their designee. For mature trees, foliage shall not be reduced by more than twenty-five percent (25%) unless directed otherwise by the Landscape Program Manager or their designee. All loose bark lodged in the crotches of eucalyptus trees shall be removed.
