Trusted Care for Tacoma Residents Since 2001
Pacific Tree Services in has provided its services to Tacoma Residents Since 2001. Tacoma is a city of bluffs, ravines, and old growth mixed right in with dense neighborhoods from the Puget Sound bluffs above Old Town and Ruston Way to the mature canopy lining Proctor, Stadium District, and the North Slope Historic District. Douglas fir, western hemlock, bigleaf maple, and Pacific madrone are common throughout the North End, and many of these trees are decades old, planted long before the homes around them expanded outward. That combination of steep bluffside lots, aging root systems, and tight urban setbacks is exactly the kind of work we’ve handled since 2001.Â
Trees growing on or near Puget Sound’s bluffs face added stress from erosion and saturated slopes, which is why bluffside removals and prunes require extra care to protect both the tree and the hillside beneath it. Whether you’ve got a leaning madrone above a Ruston Way retaining wall or a fir crowding your roofline in Proctor, our crews know Tacoma’s terrain, soil, and tree stock.
Services We Offer
From routine trimming to full removal, we handle every stage of tree care for Tacoma properties including the storm cleanup and bluffside work that comes with living among mature fir, hemlock, and madrone in the Pacific Northwest. Browse our services below, or call us directly if you’re not sure which one fits your situation.
Tree Removal
Full removal of hazardous, dead, or unwanted trees. We evaluate size, decay, lean, and surroundings before choosing climb-and-rope, crane, or controlled felling — whichever keeps your property, fences, and neighbors safest.
Learn more about our Tree Removal services.
Tree Trimming
Canopy thinning, limb clearance from rooflines and power lines, and shape correction to keep trees healthy and your property looking sharp year-round.
Learn more about our Tree Trimming services.
Tree Pruning
Structural and health-focused pruning — deadwood removal, disease management, and corrective cuts done under arborist judgment, including fruit tree pruning for backyard orchards.
Learn more about our Tree Pruning services.
Stump Grinding & Removal
Grinding stumps below grade so they’re gone for good — no eyesore, no tripping hazard, no obstacle to replanting or landscaping.
Learn more about our Stump Grinding & Revoval services.
Emergency Tree Services
Storm-damaged or suddenly hazardous trees don’t wait for business hours, which is why we offer. We respond fast to downed limbs, split trunks, and trees leaning on structures after Covington’s windstorms.
Learn more about our Emergency Tree Services.
Why Tacoma Homeowners Call Us
Local Terrain KnowledgeÂ
We’ve worked lots throughout Tacoma’s mix of historic North End neighborhoods and bluffside properties, including tight-access yards near Old Town and Stadium District and steep slopes above Commencement Bay.
Storm Season Readiness​
Tacoma’s Puget Sound bluffs put extra stress on root systems during wet winters, especially on properties near Ruston Way and the North Slope. We prioritize at-risk tree calls when weather and slope conditions call for it.
Full-service, One Crew​
Removal, cleanup, and stump grinding in a single visit if you want it. No juggling separate contractors, no coordinating schedules, and no surprises about who’s responsible for what once the work begins.
Tacoma's Tree Removal Rules — What Property Owners Should Know
Tacoma regulates trees differently depending on where they’re located. Here’s the short version:
- Right-of-way (street) trees are regulated under Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC) 9.20, “Urban Forestry,” which took effect in 2024. Any pruning, removal, or planting of a street tree — one whose trunk is wholly or partly within the public right-of-way — requires a Right-of-Way Tree (RTRE) permit.
- Private property trees are generally not subject to a citywide removal permit, unless the tree is located in a Critical Area, such as a steep slope or wetland — a common situation on Tacoma’s bluffside lots. Removing multiple trees at once may also trigger a Clearing and Grading permit.
- Emergency removals of an imminent hazard tree in the right-of-way can happen before permitting, but the City must be notified of the hazard prior to removal, and a permit must still be obtained within 30 days.
- Fines for unpermitted right-of-way tree work can run up to $10,000 per violation under TMC 9.20.520. Because private-property rules hinge on whether a tree sits in a Critical Area, and Tacoma has a lot of bluff and slope terrain, it’s worth confirming with the City (or with us) before cutting.
We’re familiar with this code because we work in Tacoma regularly. When we come out for an estimate, we’ll tell you plainly whether your tree is a right-of-way tree, sits in a Critical Area, or is a straightforward private-property removal — so you’re not guessing or risking a violation.
Neighborhoods & Areas Near Tacoma We Serve
Tacoma · Old Town · Ruston · Proctor · Stadium District · North Slope Historic District · Point Defiance · North End · Central Tacoma · University Place
Our Multi-Step Process
We assess the tree’s size, condition, lean, and surroundings, and flag any permit or Critical Area considerations specific to Tacoma.
Equipment and techniques chosen to protect your home, fences, landscaping, and neighboring properties.
Controlled felling, precision climbing and roping, or crane removal, matched to your lot and access.
Debris hauled, site cleared, and stump grinding available so there’s nothing left to deal with.
Get a Free, No-Pressure Estimate for Your Tacoma Property
Tell us what’s going on — a leaning fir above a bluff, an overgrown yard in Proctor, storm damage, or a stump that’s been bugging you for years. We’ll come take a look and give you a straight answer.
