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Power Line Clearance 101 in Hillsborough County

  • Writer: Oliver Owens
    Oliver Owens
  • Nov 14, 2025
  • 5 min read

When branches flirt with the lines, it’s not just about flickering lights. It’s worker safety, outage prevention, fire risk, and—if you DIY too close—serious injury. This guide breaks down what TECO trims, what you handle, the safe distances and requests, and what to plant so you’re not stuck in a prune–outage–prune loop.

Need help fast? Book Tree Trimming & Pruning for ANSI-standard clearance work, or Hazardous Tree Removal if a tree is already in the wires.
powerline clearance

First things first: never trim near live lines yourself

TECO is blunt about it: never trim vegetation near power lines—only qualified line-clearance professionals should do that. If you see limbs interfering with electric service, report it (TECO has a tree-trimming request form and safety page). tampaelectric.com

Also, federal/industry safety rules treat anything within 10 feet of energized conductors as a qualified-workers-only zone (OSHA/ANSI Z133). TECO publicly references this standard in its vegetation pages. tampaelectric.com


Who trims what in Hillsborough County?


Utility lines in the street/right-of-way (primary distribution)

  • Utility’s job. TECO performs routine line-clearance pruning to keep primary lines reliable and safe. They prune for clearance and may remove high-risk trees that threaten infrastructure. tampaelectric.com


The service drop to your home (the small line from pole to your mast)

  • Your job (with TECO coordination). TECO states the service drop is the property owner’s responsibility. If trees are near that drop, you can schedule a temporary disconnect so your contractor can prune safely—TECO asks for advance scheduling. Then hire a pro tree service to perform the work while the drop is de-energized. tampaelectric.com

Inside your property, away from lines

  • Your job. You’re responsible for routine tree care that doesn’t encroach on energized lines. Hillsborough County reminds residents that pruning should follow ANSI A300; improper pruning can be a violation. When in doubt, consult an ISA Certified Arborist. Hillsborough County


Clearance targets & how a pro approaches them


For primary lines (in the easement): utilities maintain space around conductors. They’ll use directional pruning (not topping) so regrowth leans away from wires and future cuts are smaller. (That’s in the ANSI/utility best-practice playbook.) Tree Care Industry Association, LLC.+1


For your service drop: when we prune, we coordinate a TECO disconnect, then apply ANSI A300 pruning (reduction cuts to suitable laterals—no stubs/topping). That achieves real clearance without creating weak regrowth. Tree Care Industry Association, LLC.


County standard reminder: Hillsborough notes pruning should meet ANSI A300; over-pruning (e.g., >25% canopy) can be a violation and harms tree health. Hillsborough County


Plant this, not that: “Right tree, right place” near lines

The cheapest clearance is the one you never have to do. UF/IFAS (University of Florida) is crystal clear: under or near overhead lines, plant small-maturing trees and keep large shade trees well outside the utility corridor. Good design reduces outages and future pruning. Environmental Horticulture+1

Quick rules of thumb

  • Directly under lines: choose small trees/shrubs with mature heights that won’t enter the wire zone.

  • Beside lines: plant larger trees far enough away that their mature canopy won’t conflict.

  • Driveways & service masts: give additional side clearance so a bucket truck can set up.

UF/IFAS maintains public resources on planting near lines and “right plant, right place”—great to link in your blog’s resources section. Environmental Horticulture+1


Before you plant or remove: call Sunshine 811

Overhead lines are obvious; underground lines aren’t. Florida law requires you to contact Sunshine 811 at least two business days before digging (tree planting, fence posts, shrubs—everything). They’ll coordinate utility locates at no cost. TECO reiterates the 811 requirement on its own safety page. tampaelectric.com+2Sunshine 811+2


What happens during a professional clearance visit?

  1. Safety & coordination

    If the service drop is involved, we schedule a TECO disconnect/ reconnect window. No energized work near that span. tampaelectric.com

  2. ANSI-A300 pruning

    Directional/reduction cuts to deflect regrowth from lines; no topping or stub cuts that create weak sprouts. (ANSI A300 is the US benchmark.) Tree Care Industry Association, LLC.

  3. Debris & documentation

    We chip/haul, leave access clear for meters/panels, and provide before/after photos—handy for HOA files. Hillsborough County encourages ANSI-aligned practices; our invoice notes that. Hillsborough County

  4. Replanting plan (if conflict is chronic)Sometimes removal + replanting a small-maturing species outside the wire zone costs less long-term than endless trims. UF/IFAS has selection tools you can browse. Ask IFAS - Powered by EDIS


What not to do (common homeowner mistakes)

  • DIY trimming near energized lines. TECO explicitly says don’t—report it or hire qualified line-clearance pros. tampaelectric.com

  • “Flat topping” below lines. It looks short now but creates weak, fast regrowth aimed right back at the wires. Use directional reduction instead. Tree Care Industry Association, LLC.

  • Planting tall species under wires. UF/IFAS flags this as a classic design error that guarantees outage-causing conflicts. Ask IFAS - Powered by EDIS

  • Digging without 811. Striking buried electric/communication/gas lines is pricey and dangerous—and it’s avoidable. tampaelectric.com


Hillsborough County realities: permits & “proper pruning”

County Natural Resources notes that pruning should follow ANSI A300 and that improper pruning can be cited. If removal enters the conversation (e.g., a hazardous tree threatening lines), we’ll advise on county and HOA requirements before work begins so you’re not stuck in a paperwork loop. Hillsborough County


Real local scenarios (and how we solved them)

  • Service drop buried in a laurel oak (Brandon): We coordinated a TECO disconnect, performed ANSI-A300 reduction away from the mast, removed deadwood, and documented the work. Homeowner avoided repeated outages each thunderstorm. tampaelectric.com

  • Queen palms touching the triplex (Valrico): We removed brown fronds and fruit stalks, directional-reduced nearby trees away from secondary lines, and set a 12–18 month palm schedule so fronds don’t re-enter the span.

  • Chronic primary conflict (Seffner): A fast-growing tree under the main feeder kept causing utility trims. We recommended removal (utility easement) and replanting small-maturing species outside the corridor per UF/IFAS guidance. Environmental Horticulture


FAQs


Will TECO trim the tree in my backyard?

If it threatens primary distribution lines in the right-of-way, yes—submit a request. If it’s around your service drop, TECO says that’s your responsibility; schedule a disconnect so a pro can prune safely. tampaelectric.com+1


How close is “too close” for me to trim?

Anything within the 10-foot approach distance around energized lines is for qualified line-clearance pros only. Don’t DIY near live conductors. tampaelectric.com


What should I plant under lines?

Small-maturing trees/shrubs that won’t reach the conductors at maturity. UF/IFAS has excellent “Right Tree, Right Place” guidance and selection tools. Ask IFAS - Powered by EDIS+1


Do I need to call 811 just to plant a small tree?

Yes. Florida law requires calling Sunshine 811 at least 2 business days before digging—planting included. tampaelectric.com


Your next steps (simple + safe)


  1. Not sure if it’s a primary line or your drop? Send us a photo—we’ll identify and advise on the TECO request vs. owner-coordinated prune. tampaelectric.com

  2. If it’s your drop: we’ll schedule the disconnect with TECO and perform ANSI A300 directional pruning. (We’ll never work that span energized.) tampaelectric.com+1

  3. If conflict is chronic: we’ll price Hazardous Tree Removal and propose right-size replanting outside the wire zone (UF/IFAS tool linked below). Ask IFAS - Powered by EDIS


Free authoritative resources (link these on the page)

 
 
 

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