Hazardous Tree Removal in Fairfax County, VA

Tree problems in Fairfax County, VA that call for hazardous tree removal

1. 1

   VDOT, not the county, owns most roadside trees

   Unlike most counties in the region, Fairfax County doesn't maintain its roads; VDOT does. That means trees in the right-of-way along most Fairfax streets are VDOT's responsibility. Report a dangerous or fallen roadside tree to VDOT at 800-367-7623. Incorporated towns and the City of Fairfax, which is independent of the county, have their own rules and permits.

2. 2

   Hazardous trees on a neighbor's property

   Fairfax County has no authority to make a private owner remove a hazardous tree unless it threatens the public at large, such as a public street or sidewalk. In that case, you can file a complaint through the county's PLUS system; if the tree is found to be a public hazard, the county issues a code violation and requires the owner to remove it.

3. 3

   What brings Fairfax trees down

   Summer derechos and thunderstorms, heavy wet snow like January 2022's storm that toppled trees across the county, and ice cause most emergency calls. Tulip poplars, oaks and other tall hardwoods are common in older neighborhoods and can fail when roots have been damaged by construction or the soil is saturated. Dead ash killed by emerald ash borer are a growing hazard along yards and trails.

4. 4

   Stream buffers: Resource Protection Areas

   Fairfax County's Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance designates Resource Protection Areas (RPAs) along streams and wetlands, where clearing vegetation is restricted to protect water quality. Many backyards in older neighborhoods back onto an RPA. Removing a dead, diseased or dangerous tree there is generally allowed, but clearing healthy trees or grinding and regrading in the buffer can require county review and replanting.