Crane tree removal in Stateline, NV

Stateline is the resort end of the Nevada south shore, about 45 minutes from our yard without traffic. Removing a tall tree here is less about a back yard and more about people, cars and buildings in daily use.

At a glance

• About 8% of Stateline homes are owner-occupied (Census estimate)
• Residential and commercial crane work
• TRPA permit for live trees over 14 inches in diameter at breast height
• Nevada side of the state line only

What does a manager need to arrange before a crane lift?

A manager arranges permission and any required permit, clears the crane and chip truck space, tells tenants and neighbors the date, and names one on-site contact.

• Permission: the owner's or board's approval, and the TRPA or fire district permit where one is required
• Space: the parking stalls or drive lane where the crane and chip truck will stand, cleared of vehicles
• Notice: tenants, guests and neighbors told the date and which areas are closed
• A contact: one person on site who can make decisions on the day

We bring the arborist's plan, the crane, the crew and the clean-up. Our page for commercial properties describes how we work with managers.

Why is a crane the right tool on a busy property?

Time and footprint. Rigging a tall conifer down piece by piece beside an occupied building can tie up a parking area for a long while, with ropes and falling wood over a wide zone. A crane greatly reduces the time the removal takes. The work area is the crane's position, the tree and one drop zone, and every section is under the operator's control from the cut to the ground.

A paved lot is also a good place for a crane to work. It is firm and level, the outriggers have solid footing, and the chipper can stand right beside the drop zone.

How do the Tahoe rules apply to a commercial or shared site?

The same way they apply to a house. Inside the Tahoe Basin a live tree over 14 inches in diameter at breast height needs a TRPA permit before removal, and on a lakeshore parcel the figure is 6 inches for trees between the building and the lake. A dead tree that could fall on a house needs no TRPA permit. The Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District evaluates properties for defensible space and issues those tree permits.

The agency decides. A manager who starts the permit question early avoids booking a crane for a tree that cannot yet be cut.

Which trees should a manager have checked?

Any tall tree that could reach a building, a walkway or parked cars if it failed, and any that has lost its needles, dropped large limbs or started to lean. The USDA Forest Service rates Stateline's wildfire risk to homes higher than 95.8% of US communities, with about 81% of buildings in the indirect exposure class, where embers and nearby structures are the path of fire. Dead trees against buildings matter on both counts.

We do not tell anyone a tree is safe from the ground. A certified arborist assesses it and explains the findings. An arborist consultation in Stateline is the place to start for a property with many trees.

Can the lift be done in winter?

For an emergency, yes, the line is answered 24 hours a day. Planned work is easier outside the snow season, when lots are clear and the crane's set-up area does not compete with snow storage. We also offer snow removal in Stateline; ask whether your address is on the snow route when you call.