Tree removal in South Reno (89521)

The median home in this ZIP dates from 2007. A tree planted that year is not a giant, but it can still be in the wrong place, half dead, or split by wind. Removing it is simpler than a big-tree job and deserves the same look from an arborist first.

At a glance

• About 76% of homes in ZIP 89521 built in 2000 or later
• Only about 9% built before 1980
• About 25 miles from our Carson City yard
• Check your homeowner association before removing a front-yard tree

Why remove a tree that is under 25 years old?

The reasons we hear are different from the ones in older neighborhoods. The builder's tree was planted a few feet from the foundation or the driveway and is now pressing on it. The tree never rooted well in a small lawn cut-out and has been declining for years. Or a wind storm took out the top and what is left has no shape worth keeping.

A young tree with one bad limb can sometimes be corrected with structural pruning instead. The arborist will say which it is.

What should I check before I call?

Your homeowner association. Subdivisions with an association often have landscape rules, and some associations ask for a replacement when a street tree comes out. We do not plant trees, so line that up separately. Also look at who owns the strip the tree stands in. Inside Reno city limits, a tree in the City right-of-way needs a Tree Work Permit and a Certified Arborist. Our guide to HOA tree rules lists what to ask.

How is a small removal done?

Often from the ground or with a short climb, with the pieces carried to the chipper at the curb. Side yards in newer subdivisions are narrow, so the crew plans the route out before cutting. Most people here also want the stump gone so the spot can be replanted or turfed over. Ask for stump grinding on the same estimate.

The exceptions: old ranch trees and the foothill edge

About 9% of homes in the ZIP predate 1980, and the big trees stand around those older properties. Those are full-size removals planned the same way as anywhere else. ZIP 89521 also runs to the foothills, where fire is a reason to act on dead trees. The 2024 Davis Fire, mapped at 5,824 acres, and the 2011 Washoe Drive Fire, mapped at 3,178 acres, are both in the record within about 10 miles. Washoe County's risk to homes ranks higher than 97.2% of US counties (USDA Forest Service).

Weather at this end of the valley

Reno-Tahoe International Airport, the nearest full weather station, averages about 20.9 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Wet snow on a tree still in leaf is a common cause of broken tops. Our guide to heavy snow and broken limbs covers what to do the morning after.