Tree Removal · Richmond Heights, MO
Tree Removal in Richmond Heights, MO
Richmond Heights has older neighborhoods full of mature trees and a city forestry crew that looks after street trees, which means the first step is knowing whose tree it is. We connect Richmond Heights homeowners and businesses with independent tree services for trees on private property.
We operate this website and send your request to an independent tree service covering Richmond Heights. The contractor calls back, asks about the tree and its location, and gives you a price. You decide whether to go ahead. There is no cost to ask.
Call (314) 816-2884St Louis City Tree Removal operates this website and connects local customers with independent local tree services. We don't do the work ourselves and we don't check any tree service's qualifications, so confirming that is up to you before you hire.
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Typical Tree Requests in Richmond Heights
Richmond Heights is a city of 9,286 people (2020 census) on about 2.3 square miles in central St. Louis County. It is home to the Saint Louis Galleria and sits where Interstate 170 meets Interstate 64, but most of its land is residential streets with large yard trees.
Calls usually involve a backyard or side-yard tree. Owners ask about a tree that has grown too big for a small lot, a limb hanging over the garage, or a tree that lost a large section in a storm. Many also ask about stumps left after an old removal. Our tree removal page explains how a contractor takes down a tree that is close to a house.
One thing is different here than in many towns: the city owns the trees in the tree lawn between the sidewalk and the curb. If the problem tree is there, it is a city matter, not a private one. The section below explains who to call.
Local history
Mansions, Fire Brick and a 1913 Charter
Richmond Heights' growth traces back to 1892, when St. Louis real estate developer Frederick Neisen bought land in the area and built a mansion near Dale and Bellevue avenues. Other families followed. After the 1904 World's Fair, developer John Rankin Dyer bought 120 acres just south of Neisen's land, and the two worked together over the years to build more homes.
The origin of the name is debated. A local legend credits Robert E. Lee, who supposedly thought the hills looked like Richmond, Virginia, but the city calls that speculation. A St. Louis newspaper reported that local realtor John Ranken named the area in 1901. The city was formally incorporated on December 29, 1913, when about 500 people lived here.
Industry played a part too. The Evens and Howard Fire Brick Company, a maker of high-temperature brick, was instrumental in establishing the city's African American neighborhoods at a time when much of St. Louis County was segregated. The Ashe-Hudlin Parklet, in the Bennett Avenue Historic District, now carries an interpretive sign and a historical marker. Tennis champion Arthur Ashe is among the city's notable former residents.
The population peaked at 15,622 in 1960, fell for decades, then rose 7.9 percent between 2010 and 2020. Much of the housing and many of the yard trees date from the first half of the 20th century, so large, mature trees close to houses are common.
Richmond Heights on the Map
Richmond Heights sits in central St. Louis County between Clayton, Maplewood and Brentwood, where Interstate 170 ends at Interstate 64.
Local conditions
Richmond Heights Conditions to Know
These local details explain how tree work here differs from other parts of the county.
City-owned street trees
The city states that trees in the tree lawn are city property and that pruning or removal is done by the city or under its direction. Private crews should not touch them without city approval.
Older neighborhoods
With growth from the 1890s through the mid 1900s, many homes have yard trees planted generations ago. Old oaks and maples near houses often need sectional removal or careful pruning.
Leaf vacuum season
The city's leaf vacuum runs November through January. Piles go in the tree lawn, never in the street, and piles mixed with branches are skipped because sticks can damage city equipment.
Weekly yard waste
Residents get free, unlimited yard waste pickup on their regular collection day through Republic Services, in paper yard waste bags or marked cans. Plastic bags are not accepted, and large wood from a removal is better hauled by the contractor.
Who handles what
Street Trees in Richmond Heights Belong to the City
Richmond Heights is clear on this point. Trees in the tree lawn between the sidewalk and the curb are the property of the city, and the Parks and Recreation Department maintains all public trees. Any pruning or removal of those trees is done by the city or under the city's direction, and the city's stated policy is to protect public trees from needless removal.
If you live next to a street tree that worries you, call the Parks Forestry Unit at (314) 655-3656. Residents next to a tree being considered for removal can share their wishes, and the city takes them into account. The city also runs a street tree planting program. Planting happens in spring and fall, it can take up to a year after an application, and residents agree to water the new tree weekly for its first two years.
Trees inside your own lot are yours to manage. For a backyard tree, a stump or storm damage on private property, an independent tree service is the right call. For a limb on a power line anywhere, call Ameren Missouri first.
Job explained
Grinding Out an Old Stump in Richmond Heights
Many Richmond Heights lots have a stump or two left from earlier removals. Stumps get in the way of mowing, can sprout new shoots and slowly rot, leaving a soft spot in the lawn. Grinding chews the stump and the top of the main roots into chips, usually several inches below the surface, so the spot can be filled and seeded.
Before grinding, call 811 or 1-800-DIG-RITE to reach the Missouri One Call System so buried utilities are marked. Older lots can have gas, water and sewer lines running close to where a tree stood. Ask the contractor whether they take the chips away or leave them as mulch, and whether surface roots are included.
Our stump grinding page explains the process in more detail. Remember that the city's leaf vacuum will not take piles mixed with branches, so plan for the contractor to haul wood and brush rather than leaving it at the curb.
Watch
See Tree Removal in Action
This short video shows a crew taking down a tree and cleaning up a residential yard.
Before you hire
Check These Things Before Any Tree Work
We operate this website and connect you with an independent tree service. We do not check, approve or guarantee contractors. Confirming insurance and any city business license is your job before anyone starts cutting. Ask the insurer to send you a certificate of insurance directly.
Make sure the tree is actually yours. In Richmond Heights, a private crew should not prune or remove a tree in the tree lawn, since the city owns it. If a contractor offers to take down a street tree, call the Parks Forestry Unit first.
Get a written quote that covers the work, cleanup and stump. Avoid paying in full up front, and be cautious with door-to-door offers after storms. The Missouri Attorney General's office and the Federal Trade Commission both publish guidance on home repair offers.
Around the city
Richmond Heights Roads, Parks and Landmarks
Interstate 64 runs east to west through Richmond Heights, and Interstate 170 enters from the north and ends at I-64 near Eager Road. Big Bend Boulevard, Brentwood Boulevard, Clayton Road, Hanley Road and McKnight Road are the main local streets. MetroLink's Blue Line serves the city at Richmond Heights station.
The city lists five parks: A. B. Green Park on Dale Avenue, Highland Park on Highland Terrace, THE HEIGHTS playground and outdoor classroom, the Ashe-Hudlin Parklet on Bennett Avenue and the Lindbergh Greenway Park. THE HEIGHTS community center includes a pool, fitness center and the Richmond Heights Memorial Library.
The New Lincoln School historical marker on Laclede Station Road was dedicated in 2019. Public schools are run by the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District. The Saint Louis Galleria is the city's best-known landmark and a major source of city revenue, and the Sisters of Saint Mary hospital is also in the city.
Commercial owners near the Galleria, Brentwood Boulevard and Hanley Road call about trees beside parking lots and building entrances, where a falling limb can hit a car or a customer. Those jobs often need early start times and cones or barriers, so mention traffic and parking on the callback.
Keep exploring
Services and Nearby Areas
Tree Health & Arborist Care
With emerald ash borer confirmed in the city and many mature oaks and maples reaching old age, we connect owners with independent tree services that assess decline and explain treatment, pruning or removal options.
Tree Removal
From dead ash along the alley to oversized maples crowding century-old brick homes, we connect city owners with independent tree services that remove trees in sections where gangways, garages and service lines leave little room.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Big oaks and maples shade most city blocks, and we connect owners with independent tree services that prune deadwood, lift limbs off brick roofs and clear branches from the alley side without topping the tree.
Velda City
Velda City covers about 0.16 square miles of north St. Louis County, and its 1,188 residents in 2020 lived at roughly 7,300 people per square mile, so most yard trees grow close to houses.
Northwoods
Northwoods, where Lucas and Hunt Road meets Natural Bridge Road, already counted 733 residents in the 1940 census and grew to 5,831 by 1980, so many of its trees are decades old.
University City
Planning tree removal in University City often starts on its older south side, where the city founded by E.G. Lewis in 1906 keeps 16 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Richmond Heights Tree Removal Questions
Can I remove the tree between my sidewalk and the curb?
No, not on your own. Richmond Heights says trees in the tree lawn are city property and are pruned or removed by the city or under its direction. Call the Parks Forestry Unit at (314) 655-3656.
How do I get a new street tree planted?
The city runs a tree planting program. Planting happens in spring and fall, can take up to a year after you apply, and you agree to water the tree weekly for two years. Contact the Parks Forestry Unit for details.
Will the leaf vacuum take my branches?
No. The city says piles containing branches will not be picked up by the leaf vacuum, which runs November through January. Ask your tree contractor to haul brush and wood.
When did Richmond Heights become a city?
Richmond Heights was formally incorporated on December 29, 1913, when about 500 people lived there. The 2020 census counted 9,286 residents.
Do I need to call 811 before stump grinding?
Yes. Grinding goes below the surface, so call 811 or 1-800-DIG-RITE to reach the Missouri One Call System and have buried lines marked first.
How do I get a quote in Richmond Heights?
Call (314) 816-2884 or use the form on this page. We pass your request to an independent tree service covering Richmond Heights, and the contractor calls back with questions and a price.
Talk to a Tree Service Serving Richmond Heights
Call (314) 816-2884 and we'll pass your request to an independent local tree service who can call you back with a price.
Call (314) 816-2884We operate this website and connect local customers with local tree services. St Louis City Tree Removal doesn't perform tree work, doesn't supervise tree services, and doesn't check any tree service's insurance, licensing, or credentials, so confirm those yourself before hiring.
Disclaimer
How This Website Works
Disclaimer: St Louis City Tree Removal operates this website to connect local customers and businesses in Richmond Heights, MO and nearby communities with independent local tree services. We are not a tree service, we do not perform, supervise, or warrant any tree work ourselves, and we do not check, verify, or confirm any tree service's license, insurance, bonding, credentials, or qualifications. Confirming those things is the customer's responsibility before hiring. Any price you're quoted comes from the tree service, not from us, and any agreement and the work itself are strictly between you and the tree service you choose. Calls placed through this site may be routed to an available local tree service. See the full disclaimer. Same-day and 24/7 emergency services are subject to provider participation, location, technician availability, and demand. Availability is not guaranteed and may vary by market and appointment capacity.