It's not that I don't like trees. I understand their value and contribution to a greener earth, to provide shade, and to make the air cleaner. But when it's a weepy-foliaged, gnarled-trunked California Pepper sitting on the park strip right in front of my house, dropping spicy-smelling peppercorn during certain seasons, we may have a problem. When the root structure ended up causing sewage reflux by jabbing through my main drainage pipes because the tree was planted too close to the lines (thanks, City of San Jose), we really DO have a problem.
Since a park strip tree is city property, I went through the process of getting a permit, which was surprisingly relatively painless. San Jose law requires you to plant a replacement tree if you happen to remove one of theirs. I had initially wanted a Japanese Maple, as the Sweet Gum trees lining my neighborhood drop these brown spiky balls called "liquidambar" that are like a giant bur--not fun to step on, and even less fun to clean up after the trees shed. However, the city would approve only certain trees for park strips based on some bizarre criteria of having to be a shade tree with a relatively fast growth rate and be of a species that conforms with the rest of the trees planted in the neighborhood.
Once the permit was granted for tree removal, I called around for arborists. Must be a tight market for the arborists--some would just come up knocking on my door offering to give an estimate after having seen the city's sign for removal stapled to the tree. Others would offer me a better deal than the initial estimate after having heard about the competition.
Along with the permit, the city sent a packet with instructions on how to proceed. You could:
A.) Let the City of San Jose do the entire job of cutting down the old tree, removing the stump, and planting the newly approved tree for a total of $1,375 for a 19"-24"-diameter tree, or opt to do either of those jobs with the city according to their price list. The price includes an "administrative fee," which is what you pay if you're too lazy to do your own research.
B.) Hire your own licensed and certified contractors to remove the tree, get rid of the stump, and plant a new tree according to city specs.
C.) Go through Our City Forest, a non-profit organization that will give you a free tree if you take their one-day educational course on how to properly plant a tree, agree to maintain the tree according to city specs, and return the tree stakes to them after a period of a few months.
Being of medium laziness, I went with Option B and hired Bay Area Tree Specialists. They ended up doing a great job with the tree. Here's a view of the California Pepper from the kitchen, facing out. Way too major obstruction.
Here's a view of the tree from the front of the house, with a Bay Area Tree Specialist employee for scale. 
Within 15 minutes of arriving for the job, they had already felled the tree. Does it hurt to pay $750 for such a swift job? Yes. Would it have taken us a lot more time, labor, and effort to figure it out ourselves? Heck yes. Wise investment? Probably, if it means my sewage won't reflux again next winter during the heavy rain season.
Finally, here's the same front view of the house after the California Pepper has been cleaned away. Bay Area Tree Specialists also neatly trimmed the Mimosa (Silk) tree on our lawn for us.
Since a park strip tree is city property, I went through the process of getting a permit, which was surprisingly relatively painless. San Jose law requires you to plant a replacement tree if you happen to remove one of theirs. I had initially wanted a Japanese Maple, as the Sweet Gum trees lining my neighborhood drop these brown spiky balls called "liquidambar" that are like a giant bur--not fun to step on, and even less fun to clean up after the trees shed. However, the city would approve only certain trees for park strips based on some bizarre criteria of having to be a shade tree with a relatively fast growth rate and be of a species that conforms with the rest of the trees planted in the neighborhood.
Once the permit was granted for tree removal, I called around for arborists. Must be a tight market for the arborists--some would just come up knocking on my door offering to give an estimate after having seen the city's sign for removal stapled to the tree. Others would offer me a better deal than the initial estimate after having heard about the competition.
Along with the permit, the city sent a packet with instructions on how to proceed. You could:
A.) Let the City of San Jose do the entire job of cutting down the old tree, removing the stump, and planting the newly approved tree for a total of $1,375 for a 19"-24"-diameter tree, or opt to do either of those jobs with the city according to their price list. The price includes an "administrative fee," which is what you pay if you're too lazy to do your own research.
B.) Hire your own licensed and certified contractors to remove the tree, get rid of the stump, and plant a new tree according to city specs.
C.) Go through Our City Forest, a non-profit organization that will give you a free tree if you take their one-day educational course on how to properly plant a tree, agree to maintain the tree according to city specs, and return the tree stakes to them after a period of a few months.
Being of medium laziness, I went with Option B and hired Bay Area Tree Specialists. They ended up doing a great job with the tree. Here's a view of the California Pepper from the kitchen, facing out. Way too major obstruction.
Here's a view of the tree from the front of the house, with a Bay Area Tree Specialist employee for scale.
Within 15 minutes of arriving for the job, they had already felled the tree. Does it hurt to pay $750 for such a swift job? Yes. Would it have taken us a lot more time, labor, and effort to figure it out ourselves? Heck yes. Wise investment? Probably, if it means my sewage won't reflux again next winter during the heavy rain season.
Finally, here's the same front view of the house after the California Pepper has been cleaned away. Bay Area Tree Specialists also neatly trimmed the Mimosa (Silk) tree on our lawn for us.
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