Tree Services in Westchase, FL

Thirty-Year-Old Planting Plans

Westchase was designed with trees in mind, but the designs did not leave room for them to grow up.

Oaks in Narrow Planting Strips

Laurel and live oaks set in the narrow strips between sidewalk and curb now have trunks wide enough to crack concrete and roots that lift slabs. Pruning roots carelessly can destabilize the tree, so we assess which roots can be cut and which cannot before anyone touches the sidewalk.

Canopies Meeting Over Roofs

On smaller lots in neighborhoods like Woodbay and Arlington Park, two or three trees from adjoining yards can overlap above a single roof. Regular tree trimming and pruning keeps six to ten feet of clearance off the shingles, cuts down on gutter clogs and keeps squirrels and rats from using limbs as a bridge.

Replacing the Wrong Tree

Some 1990s plantings simply picked the wrong species for the space, such as a laurel oak in a ten-foot side yard. When we remove one, we suggest something that stays smaller, like a crape myrtle or a southern magnolia set farther from the house, so the next owner does not inherit the same problem.

Rules You Answer To in Westchase

Westchase homeowners deal with two layers of rules: Hillsborough County and the Westchase Community Association.

County Permits

Westchase is unincorporated Hillsborough County. A yard tree of 12 inches or more in diameter on a single-family lot needs a county permit, and any right-of-way tree inside a subdivision needs one regardless of size.

Florida Statute 163.045 lets a single-family owner remove a tree without a local permit when an ISA Certified Arborist documents an unacceptable risk. That covers the property owner with the county, but it does not override deed restrictions.

WCA Approval

The Westchase Community Association reviews exterior changes, and removing or replacing a tree usually falls under that review. We give you a written estimate, photos and our arborist's notes to include with your request, along with suggestions for a replacement species that will fit the spot.

Palms, Pests and Disease

Palms line many Westchase entrances and backyards, and a few diseases do most of the damage.

Lethal Bronzing

Lethal bronzing kills sabal and queen palms, starting with the oldest fronds turning reddish brown and moving to the spear leaf. There is no cure once it has the spear, and removal stops it from spreading to neighboring palms.

Ganoderma Butt Rot

Ganoderma shows up as a shelf-like conk at the base of a palm or oak trunk. By the time the conk is visible, the inner wood is already decaying. Our tree health diagnostics help you decide whether a tree can stay and what to plant in its place.

Close to the Top of the Bay

Westchase is near the top of Old Tampa Bay, and water shapes how trees grow here.

Upper Tampa Bay Park

The 596-acre Upper Tampa Bay Park sits on the Double Branch peninsula just west of Westchase and is kept minimally developed because the habitat is fragile. Homes nearer the bay feel stronger winds coming off the water, which shapes how we thin canopies before hurricane season.

Retention Ponds and Golf Course Lots

The Westchase Golf Course, designed by Lloyd Clifton, and the retention ponds throughout the neighborhoods keep many backyards damp. Oaks on pond banks grow shallow roots and lean toward the water, and we evaluate them before removing or reducing them.

Tampa Bay Downs on the western edge and the wide-open fairways leave some Westchase homes exposed to wind with nothing to slow it. Trees on those edges benefit from a lighter, more open crown more than trees tucked between houses.

Westchase Tree FAQs

A few last questions we hear often.

What does stump grinding cost after a removal?

Stump grinding generally runs $100 to $400 per stump, about $3 to $6 per inch of diameter, which leaves room to replant once the chips are cleared.

Do you take care of townhome common areas?

We work for individual owners and for associations. For common-area trees, the association has to authorize the work.

What does palm trimming cost?

Palm trimming runs $75 to $300 per palm, depending on height, species and access.

How soon can you get here after a storm?

Our 24/7 storm response covers Westchase, and calls with a tree on a house or blocking a driveway go to the top of the list. Emergency work runs 1.5 to 2 times standard rates.