Denton City Manager George Campbell has suspended enforcement of a 2007 tree-trimming law after a City Council committee said it needed more study.

DRC/Gary Payne

Trees on the property of Denton resident Mike Drury are shown Wednesday. Drury had to shear a line of trees on Highland Park Road to comply with a 2007 city tree-trimming ordinance that brought complaints from residents.

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The council voted in September to outlaw tree branches that hang lower than 15 feet above a public street, increasing the height requirement from 12 feet in an effort to keep roadways clear for large vehicles.

Many property owners complained after receiving violation notices in recent months, prompting city leaders to re-evaluate the law. Last month, the council’s property maintenance code committee suggested halting enforcement to address residents’ concerns.

In a July 30 memo, Campbell told city workers to stop enforcing the law until the council finishes a review. The suspension won’t apply in cases where tree trimming is needed to allow “safe passage” of fire department or solid-waste vehicles, he said.

Denton resident Mike Drury praised the decision.

“It’s what they ought to do,” he said. “It’s not a very intelligent ordinance.”

Drury said he spent the July Fourth weekend shearing the oaks and hackberries that line his property on Highland Park Road after he received a violation notice for low-hanging limbs. He said the law threatens the survival of trees on roads like Highland Park, where branches hang from both sides to create a natural tunnel in some spots.

“Even if they put it [the height requirement] back to 12 feet, it’s going to wipe out a lot of trees,” he said. “What they need to do is exempt the first 6 feet next to the curb.”

City fire and solid-waste officials say they need a clearance of at least 13 1/2 feet to keep limbs away from their vehicles. Solid-waste trucks have to drive close to the curb to reach trash carts and need additional clearance to empty the carts, city spokesman John Cabrales said.

“There truly are some legitimate concerns as far as height requirements, at least as far as the solid waste department and fire [department],” he said.

Cabrales said he wasn’t sure whether the council committee would consider the issue when it meets again Aug. 21.

“It all depends how quickly staff can get the information compiled on various options we are considering,” he said.

The council approved the law after a resident repeatedly complained that low-hanging limbs were damaging his recreational vehicle, officials have said. The change also fixed a conflict with the development code, which already called for a 15-foot clearance.

LOWELL BROWN can be reached at 940-566-6882. His e-mail address is lmbrown@dentonrc.com