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Tree Trimming

Idaho Falls Power is responsible for trimming trees, branches or other obstructions that interfere primary power lines, which are those running from power pole to power pole. Idaho Falls Power contracts with a professional tree service company to trim trees around primary lines year-round. Doing this has drastically reduced the number of tree-related outages.

The secondary line, which runs from the pole (and transformer) to a home or business, is the responsibility of the customer or property owner. IFP will temporarily cut power to the property to allow property owners, or their contractor, to safely trim or remove any tree or limb in contact with the secondary line. This is provided during business hours and there is no charge.

City Code, 8-9-9: Utilities

This is the city code pertaining to planting of trees around overhead and underground lines.

(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to plant any public or private tree under or within 20 lateral feet of any overhead utility wire, or over or within 5 lateral feet of any underground water line, sewer line, electric transmission or distribution line or other utility except the following species of trees:

  • Acer ginnala
  • Amelanchier alnifolia
  • Cherry, Canada Red
  • Crabapple, (persistent or fruitless varieties)
  • Elm, Camperdown
  • Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis 'Imperial'
  • Honeylocust, Imperia
  • Lilac, Japanese Tree
  • Malus spp.
  • Maple, Amur
  • Mayday
  • Mountain Ash, European
  • Plum, Newport
  • Prunus cerasifera 'Newport'
  • Prunus padus
  • Prunus virginiana 'Shubert'
  • Rhus typhina
  • Serviceberry, Saskatoon
  • Sorbus aucuparia
  • Sumac, Staghorn
  • Syringa reticulata
  • Ulmus blabra 'Camperdownii'

Other species may be planted only with written permission from the Parks and Recreation Division.

(B) It shall be unlawful to plant any public or private tree in any location in any manner which does not comply with the safety standards for planting and maintenance of trees in proximity to public utilities, as set forth in ANSI Z133.1.

(C) The City of Idaho Falls will not be responsible for damage to any tree or shrub located within a utility easement as a result of the operation or maintenance of City utility lines. Damage to any public utility system caused by trees improperly located within the public right-of-way or easement will be repaired at the owner's expense. (Ord. 2207, August 8, 1996; Ord. 2486, March 27, 2003; Ord 2738, February 14, 2008; Ord 2877, August 11, 2011)

**Other species of trees planted must be under 25 feet at full growth and cannot be planted without permission from the city.

FAQs

We trim trees, branches and other obstructions that interfere with the operations or maintenance of primary electric lines or equipment. Primary electric lines are those that run from pole to pole.

The customer or building owner is responsible to clear the power lines that run from the transformer to the home or building. Idaho Falls Power will disconnect and reconnect these lines at no charge while any trimming work is being done.

Idaho Falls Power now contracts with a professional tree service company to trim trees around primary lines year-round. Doing this has drastically reduced the number of tree-related outages.