Who Handles a Fallen Tree in Huntsville?
Huntsville splits fallen-tree work between the City, Huntsville Utilities and the property owner. This page reports what each organisation publishes about its own role, with the source and the date it was checked, because several of the relevant notices are years old.
What each organisation says about its role
| Situation | What the published guidance says |
|---|---|
| Streets blocked, power out | The City states that after a storm the priority is safely opening streets blocked by fallen trees and restoring power, and that these responsibilities fall to Huntsville Utilities and the City’s Public Works Department. |
| A tree on City property fell onto private property | The City states its Landscape Management crews “may be able to” remove or clean up that tree. Landscape Management lists 256-564-8030, Monday to Friday 7 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| A tree in an easement | City Arborist Marc Byers is quoted in the City’s guidance saying easements are “typically the responsibility of the private property owners.” |
| Vegetation growing into electric lines | Huntsville Utilities publishes a Line Clearance program covering trees growing along, into or under its lines, and lists 256-535-1224 or [email protected]. |
Sources: City of Huntsville, “When severe storms strike and trees fall…” (published 30 May 2025); the City’s Landscape Management Department page; and Huntsville Utilities, “Tree Trimming and Line Clearance.” All three pages opened and read July 2026. The City’s department page directs residents to report problems and submit service requests through Huntsville Connect.
A utility program that is easy to miss
Huntsville Utilities states that customers who have street-side trees removed are eligible for a one-for-one tree replacement voucher, up to three trees, redeemable at participating local nurseries, and for grinding of all stumps resulting from street-side tree removal. The utility specifies that this applies only to street-side trees it removes — not to back-yard trees or removals requested by the customer — and that the customer is responsible for planting the replacement trees and for disposing of stump-grinding debris.
Source: Huntsville Utilities Line Clearance page, read July 2026.
Storm debris: what the City published, and when
The City’s storm-debris guidance comes from a cleanup announcement published on 22 May 2017, so it describes that cleanup period. In that notice the City said Public Works would waive its regular 10-cubic-yard restriction for the cleanup period, that homeowners were still required to cut debris into lengths no larger than five feet, and that where a homeowner had engaged a contractor, the contractor was responsible for complete removal of the debris that storm event generated. It cited City code sections 22-79 and 22-80.
That notice is from 2017 and described one cleanup period.
Source: City of Huntsville, “Storm Debris Removal and Garbage Pick-up Information,” published 22 May 2017, read July 2026.
How often severe weather is recorded here
The NOAA Storm Events Database records severe-weather events by county. For Madison County between 2015 and 2025, the categories we selected — thunderstorm wind, tornado, high wind, strong wind, hail and ice storm — account for 695 recorded events.
| 2015 | 21 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 40 | |
| 2017 | 79 | |
| 2018 | 30 | |
| 2019 | 58 | |
| 2020 | 62 | |
| 2021 | 55 | |
| 2022 | 52 | |
| 2023 | 110 | |
| 2024 | 52 | |
| 2025 | 136 |
| Jan | 11 | |
|---|---|---|
| Feb | 15 | |
| Mar | 54 | |
| Apr | 115 | |
| May | 175 | |
| Jun | 130 | |
| Jul | 77 | |
| Aug | 45 | |
| Sep | 26 | |
| Oct | 1 | |
| Nov | 7 | |
| Dec | 39 |
Of the 695 records, 515 are thunderstorm wind, 139 hail and 24 tornado, of which one is rated EF3 and four EF2. Among 530 entries carrying a wind magnitude, the highest is 87 knots and the median is 52 knots. April, May and June together account for 420 of the 695.
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, county records for Madison County, Alabama, event years 2015–2025, aggregated July 2026. These are counts of recorded weather events, not counts of fallen trees.
Common questions
A tree fell from City property onto my yard. Who removes it?
The City of Huntsville states that its Landscape Management crews may be able to remove or clean up a tree that falls from City property onto private property. The department lists 256-564-8030, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The City's wording is 'may be able to'.
What does the City say about trees in an easement?
City Arborist Marc Byers is quoted in the City's storm guidance saying easements are typically the responsibility of the private property owners.
What does Huntsville Utilities handle?
Huntsville Utilities publishes a Line Clearance program for vegetation growing along, into or under its electric lines, and lists its Line Clearance office as 256-535-1224 or [email protected].
Is a replacement tree or stump grinding available after a street-side removal?
Huntsville Utilities states that customers who have street-side trees removed are eligible for a one-for-one replacement voucher for up to three trees at participating nurseries, plus grinding of all stumps from street-side removal. It states this excludes back-yard trees and customer-requested removals, and that the customer plants the trees and disposes of grinding debris.
What did the City say about debris when a contractor is hired?
In a storm-cleanup notice published on 22 May 2017, the City stated that where a homeowner had engaged a contractor, the contractor was responsible for complete removal of the debris that storm event generated. That notice is from 2017 and described one cleanup period.
When is severe weather most often recorded in Madison County?
NOAA county records for 2015 to 2025 show 420 of 695 recorded severe-weather events falling in April, May and June. October accounts for one record across all eleven years.
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