Street Vegetation Management - Begins August 21st

*As of August 25th, the City has completed making the necessary improvements, resulting in safer and more enjoyable streets and sidewalks.

The City of White Salmon announces

The week of vegetation management begins Monday, August 21!

Known for its lush, forest-like landscapes, incredible shade, and environmental benefits, White Salmon is a beautiful place to live, play and visit. 

Over the last six years, the City of White Salmon has been a member of Tree City USA and practices industry standards.  We are committed to preserving and enhancing the beauty and health of our forest while maintaining safety for our citizens. That is why we will be taking the necessary steps to achieve this goal in the near future.

Trees can cause problems with visibility and create a hazard for drivers.

However, with proper maintenance and pruning, these trees can be an asset to our city, providing shade and beauty.

Our Public Works team will be clearing sidewalks of vegetation or parts of trees that overhang sidewalks and streets to welcome our students and teachers back for the new school year. We aim to ensure a safe environment for students to walk or bike to school, thus removing vegetation that impairs the full use of the sidewalk and street. This includes improving the line of sight and pedestrian hazard trees, primarily on N Main and NE Estes Avenues, starting the week of August 21, 2023.

Goal: To ensure safe pedestrian traffic to and from school by the start of school on August 30, 2023

Dates: Starting the week of August 21, 2023

Locations: the City of White Salmon, Primarily (100 to 900 Block) N Main and (100 to 900 Block) NE Estes Avenue 

How much will be trimmed? A space of fourteen (14) feet above the street surface and eight (8) feet above the sidewalk surface will be cleared by the city. 

Our vegetation management effort is committed to growing and improving the health of our city’s trees while trimming to keep our community's transportation safe. 

Thank You

For helping to make White Salmon a safer and more attractive community ● Please keep your trees trimmed

*As of August 25th, the City has completed making the necessary improvements, resulting in safer and more enjoyable streets and sidewalks.

White Salmon Municipal Code (WSMC)

The City is enacting vegetation management according to the following code:

WSMC 8.07.030(G)(b)(vi) relating to Specific Nuisances Designated:

Trees, plants, shrubs or vegetation, or parts thereof which so overhang any sidewalk or street, or which are growing thereof in any such manner as to obstruct or impair the free and full use of the sidewalk or street by the public or obstruct the view of pedestrians or users of vehicles thereon or interfere with the wires, poles, fixtures lawfully maintained thereon.

WSMC 18.35.140 - Pruning, Corner Clearance:

Every owner of any tree overhanging any street or right-of-way within the city shall prune the branches so that such branches shall not obstruct the light from any street lamp or obstruct the view of any street intersection and so that there shall be a clear space of fourteen feet above the surface of the street or eight feet above the surface of the sidewalk. Said owners shall remove all dead, diseased or dangerous trees, or broken or decayed limbs which constitute a menace to the safety of the public. The city shall have the right to prune any tree or shrub on private property when it interferes with the proper spread of light along the street from a street light or interferes with sight distance to oncoming traffic or the visibility of any traffic control device or sign or within the clear space of fourteen feet above the surface of the street or eight feet above the surface of the sidewalk.

Departments: Police Department (advisory only) and Public Works

Primary Contact: Andrew Dirks, Public Works Director - (509) 493-1133 ext. 500