Tree Service Sunset Hills MO
An EF3 tornado crossed Sunset Hills on 31 December 2010 and snapped or uprooted trees from Watson Trail Park to Lindbergh. After a storm, stay clear of wires first. A single-family lot needs no city tree permit.
- Licensed & Insured
- 24/7 Emergency
- Free Estimates
What Did the 2010 Tornado Do to Sunset Hills Trees?
It snapped and uprooted them along a path the National Weather Service measured at a quarter of a mile wide near Lindbergh. The tornado of 31 December 2010 crossed the Meramec from Fenton and followed Watson Road past Bond Road, where three large trees damaged a house, a vehicle and a garage. It strengthened as it neared Lindbergh Boulevard, and the survey rated it EF3, with winds near 150 mph on Court Drive.
Many trees in Watson Trail Park were snapped or uprooted. On Woodfox Drive about a dozen pines went over, all lying to the north, and other trees broke about halfway up the trunk. A large oak fell on Woodpark Drive. Farther along, broken limbs pulled down power lines, and the mayor told the Call newspaper that Ameren had live wires everywhere.
What to do after a storm like that
- Stay away from any limb touching a wire and report it to Ameren Missouri. The Missouri Department of Conservation says to treat every line as live.
- Photograph the damage and call your insurer before cleanup. See what Missouri policies cover.
- If a tree is on the house or blocking the drive, call our 24/7 emergency tree service at (314) 712-3035.
- Do not rush the standing trees. University of Missouri Extension’s rule of thumb: a tree with at least half its crown intact can often be kept. A split trunk, more than half the crown gone, or a lean from broken roots means storm damage removal.
- Turn away door-to-door tree crews and never let anyone top a damaged tree. The Department of Conservation warns against both.
Which Trees Does Sunset Hills Regulate, and Which Are Yours to Decide?
Not for a tree on a single-family residential lot. As of October 2026, the city’s tree preservation rules (Unified Development Ordinance section 4.19) cover vacant land and property being redeveloped, and section 4.19.3 lists single-family lots as an exception. Confirm with City Hall at 314-849-3400. What changes the answer is where the tree stands.
| Where the tree is | Who decides | What the code says |
|---|---|---|
| Your yard, single-family lot | You | No city tree permit (UDO 4.19.3). |
| Street right-of-way or a city park | Director of parks and recreation or city engineer | No cutting or topping without approval (27-48). Apply 10 business days ahead (27-43). |
| Land being developed or redeveloped | Public Works, Planning and Zoning | Keep 50% of the canopy on two acres or more, 40% on smaller lots (4.19.4). |
Our St. Louis area permit guide shows how this compares with nearby cities. Thompson Tree Care and Landscaping can supply a written estimate and proof of insurance for a city application or a subdivision trustee.
Why Is Tree Work Harder on Sunset Hills Lots?
Because the lots are large and the ground falls toward the Meramec. The city’s R-1 zoning district requires new house lots of at least one acre, and R-2 requires 20,000 square feet. The 2020 Census counted 3,534 housing units on about nine square miles.
The high ground is around Watson Trail Park, the city’s largest park, at roughly 630 feet above sea level. The low ground is the river. Minnie Ha Ha Park sits on the Meramec south of Highway 30, and the National Weather Service notes that its restrooms and playground begin to flood when the Fenton gauge reaches 25.3 feet. Fenton is on the far bank and Kirkwood borders the city to the north.
On lots like these a tall tree often stands far from the street, behind the house or down a slope, and the wood is carried out a long way. Our large tree removal page explains when a crane is the better choice.
Which Trees Fail First in a Windstorm Here?
Pines and big oaks are the trees the 2010 survey names, and the Missouri Department of Conservation adds four brittle species to the list: silver maple, box elder, poplar and Bradford pear.
Pines in a row
The dozen pines on Woodfox Drive went over together, in one direction. A screen of evergreens beside a house deserves a look before spring.
Mature oaks
A large oak came down on Woodpark Drive. On an acre lot the oak is the heaviest thing standing, so a cracked fork or dead top should not wait.
Silver maple and Bradford pear
The Department of Conservation calls their wood brittle and easily broken. Trimming and pruning dead and weak limbs reduces what a storm can take.
Who Picks Up Brush and Storm Debris in Sunset Hills?
American Eagle Waste, the city’s only residential hauler, and only if you pay for its yard waste service. In 2026 the year-round weekly option costs $10 a month. Chapter 12 of the city code sets the limits: ten paper bags or lidded cans per pickup, and limbs under four inches thick tied in bundles no more than four feet long and 18 inches across.
That leaves out most of what a storm produces. Trunk wood, large limbs and stumps are the owner’s to deal with. We did not find a standing citywide storm-debris pickup in the code, so after a major storm ask Public Works at City Hall what is planned. Thompson Tree Care chips brush and hauls the wood as part of a removal.
Last Updated: October 2026
Sunset Hills Storm and Tree-Rule Questions
Not on a single-family residential lot. As of October 2026, section 4.19.3 of the Sunset Hills Unified Development Ordinance lists single-family lots as an exception to the tree preservation rules, which apply to vacant land and redevelopment. Confirm with City Hall at 314-849-3400 before a large removal.
The city. Public Works lists right-of-way tree maintenance among its duties, including inspection with the Parks Department arborists, trimming, removal and stump removal. Section 27-48 of the city code makes it unlawful to cut, top or damage a tree on public ground without city approval.
Ameren Missouri clears the lines. Stay well back and report it before anyone starts cutting. Ameren says its emergency crews often leave the cut wood for the property owner, so the cleanup in your yard is usually yours to arrange once the line is safe.
Yes. Section 4.19.9 of the Unified Development Ordinance lets the Director of Public Works order the removal of trees on private property that endanger the public. If the owner does not act, the city can remove the tree and bill the cost as a special tax lien.