— Local Coverage —
Big Lots, Big Trees, Two Sets of Rules
South Lyon started as a railroad town in the 1870s and grew into its subdivisions mostly between 1970 and 2000, so the trees planted with those homes are now 25 to 55 years old and at full size. Lyon Township around it doubled in population since 2000, with newer large-lot neighborhoods carved out of oak-hickory woods near Kensington Metropark and the Huron River headwaters. The city and the township have different tree rules, and we know which one applies before we quote. Our equipment — chippers, mini skid steers, and cranes when the job calls for it — lets us handle the jobs a lot of one-truck operators can't touch.
— NEIGHBORHOODS & AREAS —
— What We Do —
Services in South Lyon
Tree Removal
Safe takedowns of any size — from a single dead ash to full clearing along a driveway or fence line. Every branch and log hauled, yard left spotless.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Structural pruning, canopy thinning, deadwooding, and clearance work over roofs, driveways, and power lines. Healthier trees, cleaner curb appeal.
Stump Grinding
Below-grade grinding with chip cleanup and grade repair, so you can replant, re-sod, or forget the stump was ever there.
24/7 Storm & Emergency Work
Trees on houses, trees on cars, trees blocking the road — we respond day or night with the trucks, chippers, and skid steers to make it safe fast.
Land & Lot Clearing
Overgrown lots, buildable parcels, and property line cleanup. We drop, chip, and haul so your project can start clean.
Landscape Design & Install
After the trees come down — beds, plantings, sod, and hardscape done right by the same crew that knows your yard.
— Why Homeowners Call Us —
Local know-how in South Lyon
Twenty-Six Years a Tree City
South Lyon marked its 26th consecutive year as a Tree City USA at the 2026 Arbor Day ceremony in Columbia Park. The DPW plants a commemorative tree every year and runs brush pickup and chipping from April through October. A city that invests in its canopy expects the trees in its yards to be pruned correctly — no topping, no lion-tailing — and that's how we work.
West Oakland Is Oak Wilt Country
Oakland County's invasive-species program reports that confirmed oak wilt is concentrated on the western side of the county — which is exactly where South Lyon sits. Fresh cuts on an oak between April 15 and July 15 can draw the beetles that carry the fungus, and a red oak that gets it doesn't recover. We schedule oak pruning for late fall and winter and we'll tell you why if you ask for it in June.
Subdivision-Safe Removals
Newer South Lyon subdivisions have trees planted close to houses, patios, and gas lines. We plan every drop, rig where we have to, and leave the sod intact. Sprinkler heads and pavers get marked before the first machine rolls.
Wind Along the I-96 Corridor
The September 2–3, 2026 storms clocked 70 mph gusts along I-96 through the Howell and Brighton area and took out power for more than 260,000 DTE customers across the region; a tornado warning that Thursday covered South Lyon itself. The open stretches out toward New Hudson and Kensington catch that wind first. We're on call around the clock for South Lyon storm damage.
— Local Rules —
South Lyon vs. Lyon Township: Which Tree Rules Apply
A South Lyon mailing address covers both the city and Lyon Township, and their tree ordinances are not the same. Here's the short version.
City of South Lyon: No Permit for Your Own Trees
The city's tree ordinance (Chapter 98, Article III) is written for trees in streets, parks, and public places. There's no permit to trim or remove a tree in your yard. The only private-property trigger is in the zoning code: removing more than 25 percent of the six-inch-plus trees on a site requires zoning administrator approval — a rule aimed at development, not a homeowner taking down two maples.
City Street Trees Need a DPW Permit
Nobody may trim, remove, or even root-prune a tree in the right-of-way without a written permit from the DPW superintendent, and the city can require a replacement tree as a condition. It's also against the ordinance to trench or lay a driveway within 30 feet of a public tree without a permit. South Lyon DPW: (248) 437-6914.
Lyon Township: Two Trees a Year, No Permit
The township's Tree Preservation ordinance (Chapter 18, Article VI) protects any tree eight inches or more in diameter. On a developed single-family lot in a subdivision or site condo you may remove two protected trees in any 12-month period with no permit and no replacement. Three or more in a year triggers replacement. Outside a subdivision the allowance is ten trees a year, with replacement.
Township Landmark Trees
Lyon Township's landmark list starts at 18 inches for oak, maple, hickory, and beech, 20 inches for black walnut, and just 8 inches for flowering dogwood. The Planning Commission can also designate individual historic trees. Landmark trees are handled differently under the ordinance, so if you have a big oak on a Lyon Township lot, ask us before scheduling.
Dead and Diseased Trees Are Exempt Everywhere
Both the city and the township exempt dead and diseased trees from their preservation rules, and South Lyon's ordinance lets the city suspend the rules for 30 days after a storm or tornado so emergency removals can happen fast. We document the condition of every tree we remove in case it ever comes up.
Lines and Digging
DTE trims around its main lines but not the service drop to your house — that's the homeowner's, and it's work we do every week. Call MISS DIG at 811 at least three business days before stump grinding or planting.
Ordinances change — confirm current requirements with South Lyon before planting or removing.
— Questions We Hear —
South Lyon Tree Service FAQs
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in South Lyon?+
What's the difference between South Lyon and Lyon Township tree rules?+
When can oak trees be trimmed in South Lyon?+
Who maintains the tree between the sidewalk and the street in South Lyon?+
How much does tree removal cost in South Lyon?+
— Our Process —
How a Job Goes
- ✓Free on-site estimate, usually within the week
- ✓Clear written quote — no surprise add-ons
- ✓Scheduled crew arrives in marked trucks with proper gear
- ✓Careful rigging around houses, fences, and landscaping
- ✓Every branch and log chipped or hauled off-site
- ✓Yard raked and blown clean before we leave
— Nearby Cities —
Also serving near South Lyon
Don't see your city? Ask us — we travel across all of Southeast Michigan.