A ridge, a lake and 23 square miles of suburb
Tree Service in Metairie, LA
Private yard work plus help with the parish rules for trees on the right-of-way.
- Free estimates, in person, for homes in New Orleans and nearby towns
- Itemized written price before any cutting
- Logs left or hauled, your call, agreed up front
From Metairie Ridge to the Lake
Tree Service in Metairie is shaped by two things: the oldest high ground in the area and some of the strictest rules in Jefferson Parish for trees along the street. Metairie Ridge, a natural levee that the Acolapissa used as a road, was settled by French colonists in the 1720s. Upscale tracts built along it in the 1920s became what is now called Old Metairie, and that is where many of the community's largest oaks still stand. North toward Lake Pontchartrain, the land was developed later along drainage canals like the one beside Veterans Boulevard, and the yards and trees are younger.
Parish trees in front of your house
In Jefferson Parish, the Parkways Department has authority over trees and shrubs on parish right-of-way, including the strip between the sidewalk and street. Its residential vegetation removal permit covers any plant on that right-of-way with a mature height over six feet. A few details from the permit form that homeowners are often surprised by:
- A permit is always required to remove vegetation from public property, no matter who does it.
- Only the legal owner of the adjacent property can apply. Tenants cannot.
- There is no fee.
- Every approved removal has to include removal of the stump.
- Approval can be conditioned on planting a replacement of an approved variety.
Violations can bring a fine of up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both, and each tree and each day counts separately.
Two districts with extra protection
The same form names the Metairie Ridge Tree Protection District and the Old Metairie Neighborhood Conservation District. Residents in those two areas who are approved to remove right-of-way trees must provide remediation under the Parish Code, which can mean planting replacements on the right-of-way, planting on private property, paying compensation, or a combination. If you live along the ridge, check this before planning any work that touches a parkway tree.
Private yards
Most of our Metairie work is on trees fully on private property, where the parish permit does not apply. Typical jobs: 1. Thinning and reducing older live oaks over slab ranch houses and two-story rebuilds 2. Clearing limbs to the parish's posted standards when they hang into the street (Parkways uses 14 feet over driveways and local roads and 16 feet over arterial roads) 3. Removing declining water oaks, hackberries and Chinese tallows 4. Grinding stumps so lawns and beds can be redone
Rain, not just wind
Metairie has a long record of water problems. The May 8, 1995 flood dumped upwards of 20 inches of rain in twelve hours. Soaked ground loosens a tree's grip on drained suburban soils, which is why a tree that has started to lean after a heavy rain is worth a call before the next storm. Reach us at (504) 384-7694. Get a free estimate
Metairie Rules and Facts
- Right-of-way permit. Jefferson Parish requires a free vegetation removal permit, applied for by the adjacent owner, for vegetation over six feet mature height on parish right-of-way; stump removal is mandatory.
- Protected districts. Removals of right-of-way trees in the Metairie Ridge Tree Protection District and the Old Metairie Neighborhood Conservation District require remediation such as replacement planting or compensation.
- Penalties. The parish permit form cites fines of up to $500 and up to 30 days in jail, with each affected tree and each day a separate offense.
- Old ground. Metairie Ridge is a natural levee settled by the French in the 1720s; 1920s upscale tracts along it became Old Metairie.
- Housing. Metairie has about 61,354 housing units, 64% of them single-unit structures; Census QuickFacts puts the owner-occupied rate at 62.1% (2020-2024).
Metairie Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in my Metairie back yard?
The Jefferson Parish permit described on the Parkways form applies to vegetation on parish right-of-way and public property. A tree fully on your private lot is a different matter, but if any part of the trunk is on the public strip, get the permit first.
Why does the parish require the stump to come out too?
The permit form states that all approved vegetation removals must include stump removal. We include stump grinding in any quote for a permitted parkway tree so the job closes out properly.
I live in Old Metairie. Is anything different for me?
Yes. Old Metairie and the Metairie Ridge area each have extra protection for right-of-way trees, and approved removals require remediation, which may mean replanting or paying compensation. Private trees are not covered by that form, but it is worth confirming with Parkways at (504) 349-5800 if a tree is near the line.
Can a renter request a permit for a parkway tree?
No. The parish form says only the legal owner of the adjacent property may apply, so a tenant needs the owner to sign and submit it.
Free Estimates in Metairie, LA
Free estimates from Old Metairie to Bucktown and Lafreniere Park.
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