Tree Removal in Metairie, LA

A Metairie tree that needs to come down may have a roof, a carport or a neighbor’s fence within reach of its limbs. Good tree removal in Metairie comes down to two things: planning each cut around what sits underneath, and knowing whether your block falls in an area where Jefferson Parish wants an application on file first.

Big Easy Tree Removal takes trees down all over Metairie, from the older streets off Metairie Road to the neighborhoods around Lafreniere Park and out toward Fat City and Bucktown. This page is about removals only. For trimming, health checks and the rest of our work here, start with our Metairie tree service page.

What grows in Metairie yards, and what it sits on

Metairie is an unincorporated community, so its tree rules come from Jefferson Parish instead of a city hall. A yard may hold a tree planted when the house was new, plus whatever seeded itself along the back fence since.

Species makes a real difference here. In LSU AgCenter’s ranking of wind resistance, live oak, bald cypress and southern magnolia rank among the sturdiest trees, while laurel oak, water oak and pecan rank among the weakest. A tall water oak or pecan leaning over a bedroom deserves a harder look than a live oak of the same size.

Two other problems are worth knowing about:

• Chinese tallow. LSU AgCenter calls it a common sight in Louisiana yards and says it outcompetes native trees. Tallows crowding a fence line can be a good reason to take one out.
• Formosan termites. LSU AgCenter reports that the Formosan subterranean termite infests the wood of live trees, and that weakened trees are more likely to blow over in high winds. A hollow-sounding trunk or mud tubes on the bark call for a closer look, and our termite treatment page covers the options when a tree can be kept.

The ground also moves. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory reported notable subsidence in Metairie in a study published in 2016. When a walk near a tree starts cracking, the roots, the settling soil or both may be to blame, so sort that out before giving up a healthy shade tree.

The Metairie Ridge district and Old Metairie

The Jefferson Parish code sets up the Metairie Ridge Tree Preservation District, bounded by Bonnabel Boulevard, I-10, Metairie Road, North Labarre Road, the Norfolk Southern tracks and the 17th Street Canal. Inside that district, and inside the Old Metairie Neighborhood Conservation District, the code says a tree removal application shall be filed with the Department of Parkways before any tree is removed. The code treats routine tree maintenance differently from removal in that district, so the filing rule is aimed at taking trees out.

Where a parish zoning district calls for tree preservation, the code also protects “significant” trees: oaks other than water oaks, elms, magnolias and sycamores from eight inches across at chest height, plus most canopy trees from 24 inches. It also sets a separate path for hurricane-damaged trees, covered in the FAQ below and in Section 33-6.27 of the parish code.

Outside the protected districts, the parish code we reviewed does not set a general permit for a yard tree, but confirm with the Jefferson Parish Department of Parkways before a large tree comes down.

The strip in front of the house is its own case, because the parish counts sidewalks, parkways and rights-of-way as public property. You may trim vegetation between your property line and the street right-of-way without a permit, but removing a tree on public property takes a Parkways permit, and the parish code limits that work to a parish-licensed tree service operator who also holds an LDAF arborist license. Ask anyone you hire whether they hold both the parish and LDAF licenses, and who will pull the Parkways permit.

Is removal the right answer?

Plenty of trees that look like trouble can stay. Tree trimming that lightens a heavy limb or lifts the canopy off a roof can fix the problem without losing the tree. Removal starts to make sense when:

1. Most of the crown is dead, or the tree failed to leaf out this spring.
2. A trunk or main fork has split, or a cavity has opened up near the base.
3. The tree has started leaning where it stood straight before, especially after heavy rain.
4. Termites or rot have hollowed the trunk past what treatment can save.

If you can’t tell which side of that line your tree is on, our Metairie arborist services page explains what a health and risk visit looks at.

How a Metairie takedown works

It starts with a walk-through of the tree, the house, the lines overhead, the fences and the route in from the street. We also ask whether your address falls inside the Metairie Ridge or Old Metairie boundaries. You then get a free written estimate that spells out the scope before any work is scheduled.

If there isn’t open room to drop the tree in one piece, it comes down in sections. A climber cuts the tree from the top, and each piece is tied off and lowered on a rope toward a planned landing spot away from shingles, gutters and flower beds. Once the wood is on the ground, the brush is chipped, the logs are hauled off, and the driveway and lawn are raked and swept.

When a tree is too large to rope down, needs a crane, or came down in a storm, the job goes to our fulfillment partner, Gulf Coast Tree Service, which brings the heavy equipment and crew. You keep one contact with us from the estimate to the final sweep. If a tree is touching a power line, call the utility first. Entergy Louisiana works on lines in Metairie, but go by the utility named on your bill before anyone cuts.

Once the tree is gone

The stump is left at ground level unless you ask for more. If you want the spot back for grass or a new tree, see our page on stump grinding in Metairie. Neighbors can compare tree removal in Kenner and tree removal in River Ridge. For the general picture, visit our main tree removal services page.

Frequently asked questions

Does Jefferson Parish require a permit to cut down a tree in my Metairie backyard?

It depends on the address. Inside the Metairie Ridge Tree Preservation District or the Old Metairie Neighborhood Conservation District, a removal application goes to the Department of Parkways before any tree comes out. Elsewhere, the parish code we reviewed sets no general permit for a private yard tree, but Parkways can confirm for your lot.

How can I tell if my house is inside the Metairie Ridge Tree Preservation District?

Check the boundaries. The district runs between Bonnabel Boulevard, I-10, Metairie Road, North Labarre Road, the Norfolk Southern tracks and the 17th Street Canal. If your lot falls inside that area, or inside the Old Metairie conservation district, plan on filing with Parkways first. Near an edge, ask the Department of Parkways which side you fall on.

A hurricane split my oak. Can it come down before any paperwork is done?

In the parish’s tree preservation districts, the code lets a hurricane-damaged protected tree be removed right away, as long as a permit application follows within the set window, a replacement tree goes in, and an arborist, landscape architect or landscape contractor holding a Louisiana state license signs an affidavit. Photograph the damage first. Heavy storm removals are handled by our fulfillment partner, Gulf Coast Tree Service.

Can I remove the tree between my sidewalk and the street?

Not on your own. Jefferson Parish treats that parkway strip as public property. You can trim vegetation between your property line and the street right-of-way without a permit, but removing a tree there needs a Department of Parkways permit and a parish-licensed operator who also holds an LDAF arborist license. Ask whoever you hire about both before work starts.

Talk to us about your Metairie tree

If a tree in your yard is leaning, dying or hanging over the roof, call 504-732-1166 or schedule a free written estimate. We’ll walk the property, go over the district question with you, and put the plan in writing before any cutting starts.