--- title: "Who Grinds the Stump in Front of My Cincinnati House?" description: "If the stump sits on the tree lawn, Cincinnati handles it through a 311 request to Parks Urban Forestry. Here is how to tell whose stump you have." url: https://cincystump.multisites.ai/blog/who-grinds-the-stump-in-front-of-my-cincinnati-house publisher: Cincinnati Stump Grinding phone: +1-513-587-6772 quote: https://cincystump.multisites.ai/contact --- # Who Grinds the Stump in Front of My Cincinnati House? In Cincinnati, a stump on a city-maintained tree lawn or right of way goes through the 311Cincy tree stump request, which routes to Cincinnati Parks Urban Forestry. Staff check whether the stump is already on the grinding list. If it is not, a forester investigates and reports back. A stump on private ground is the owner's to handle. Local: CincinnatiPublished October 26, 20264 min read ## Who grinds a stump on a Cincinnati tree lawn? If the stump comes from a city-maintained tree, Cincinnati Parks Urban Forestry handles the request. You send it through 311Cincy, the city’s service request system. The 311 page for this request is titled “Tree Stump Removal on Public Property.” The same page defines the scope. It is for a stump from a public tree planted in the right of way or tree lawn that the city maintains. Cincinnati Parks Urban Forestry describes its job this way: “Our team is responsible for the maintenance of all City street trees, or any trees in a right-of-way.” Two terms matter here. The [tree lawn](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/tree-lawn) is the strip between the sidewalk and the street. The [right of way](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/right-of-way) is the public land that strip sits on. A [street tree](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/street-tree) growing there is a public tree. ## How do I tell whose stump I have? Start with where the stump sits. The 311 page covers a stump from a city-maintained tree in the right of way or tree lawn. The property line, not the look of the yard, decides which side a stump is on, and the city pages do not publish a map rule. The table below sorts the common cases. It follows the two city pages. Confirm any doubtful case with Urban Forestry. Where the stump is Whose it is What to do On the tree lawn or in the right of way, from a city-maintained tree The city’s public tree Send the 311Cincy stump request On your lot, from a tree you owned Yours Hire a company or grind it yourself Not sure where the line is Unknown Call Urban Forestry at 513-861-9070 before any work For a longer look at ownership questions, see [who owns the stump on the tree lawn](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/who-owns-the-stump-on-the-tree-lawn). ## What happens after I send a 311 request? The city page lists a short process. It has two steps, and both belong to the city. 1. Forestry staff check if the stump is already on the list and scheduled for grinding. 2. If it is not on the list, a forester investigates the stump grinding request and updates the requestor with their findings. The page does not state a time frame. It does not promise a grinding date. Treat the forester’s update as the answer for your stump. The request type on the 311 site is “Tree, stump removal in ROW (right of way).” The page routes it to the “Cincinnati Parks, Urban Forestry Team.” For questions about the process, the page says to contact Parks Urban Forestry at 513-861-9070 during normal business hours. ## Can I grind a city tree stump myself? Not without city approval. Cincinnati Parks Urban Forestry says the Cincinnati Municipal Code requires a Public Tree Work Permit before work on or near a public tree. The page says the code “requires you to obtain a Public Tree Work Permit prior to conducting the work.” That wording covers work on or near a public tree, so the safe step is to ask Urban Forestry first. A [public tree work permit](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/public-tree-work-permit) is the document the city uses for this. For the costs tied to a removal that a resident requests, read [the Cincinnati street tree removal permit cost post](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/blog/cincinnati-street-tree-removal-permit-cost). ## What if the stump is on my own property? Then the city program does not apply, and the choice is yours. You can pay a company to do stump grinding, try another method, or leave the stump. Compare the options in stump grinding vs stump removal. Digging is a separate question from ownership. Before any machine goes into the ground, read [before you grind: 811, tree lawn and permits](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/before-you-grind-811-tree-lawn-permits). It quotes what OHIO811 and Ohio law actually say about notice before digging, and it explains which lines the utility marks cover. Cincinnati Stump Grinding is a private company. It is not part of any city program, and it does not take 311 requests. This post explains the public process only. For the Cincinnati service pages, see [stump grinding in Cincinnati](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/stump-grinding/cincinnati-oh). ## Quick summary - A stump from a city-maintained tree in the tree lawn or right of way goes through a 311Cincy request. - Urban Forestry checks its list, then a forester investigates and updates you. - Work on or near a public tree needs a Public Tree Work Permit under the city code. - A stump on your own lot is yours to deal with. - Process questions go to Urban Forestry at 513-861-9070, Monday through Friday. Page details were read on the city sites on October 26, 2026. City pages change, so check the 311 page before you file. ## Next step Read [before you grind: 811, tree lawn and permits](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/before-you-grind-811-tree-lawn-permits) to sort out public and private stumps. If the stump is on your own lot, call (513) 587-6772 or [send photos for a free estimate](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/contact). ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I ask Cincinnati to grind a stump on the tree lawn? Use the 311Cincy request called Tree Stump Removal on Public Property. It is for a stump from a public tree in the right of way or tree lawn that the city maintains. The request routes to the Cincinnati Parks Urban Forestry team. ### What happens after I send the 311 request? The city page lists two steps. Forestry staff check whether the stump is already on the list and scheduled for grinding. If it is not, a forester investigates the request and updates you with the findings. ### Who do I call with questions about the process? The 311 page says to contact Cincinnati Parks Urban Forestry at 513-861-9070 during normal business hours. The Urban Forestry page lists Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ## Terms on this page - [Public tree work permit](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/public-tree-work-permit) - [Stump grinding](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-grinding) - [Urban forestry](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/urban-forestry) - [Stump removal](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/stump-removal) - [Right-of-way](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/right-of-way) - [Tree removal](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/tree-removal) - [Street tree](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/street-tree) - [Tree lawn](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/tree-lawn) - [OHIO811](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/glossary/ohio811) ## Sources 1. [Cincinnati 311: Tree Stump Removal on Public Property](https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/311/requests/tstumpuf/) 2. [Cincinnati Parks: Urban Forestry](https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cincyparks/natural-resources/urban-forestry/) Written by Cincinnati Stump Grinding and checked against the sources above on October 26, 2026. City rules and product guidance change, so check the linked page before you act. ## Keep reading - [Before you grind: 811, the tree lawn and street tree permitsThe Ohio and Kentucky statutes tell an excavator to notify 811 before excavation. The Ohio definition of excavation does not name stump grinding, so ask OHIO811 or Kentucky 811 if you are unsure. The call is free. A stump on the tree lawn follows city rules, and those rules differ by town.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/before-you-grind-811-tree-lawn-permits) - [Who owns the stump on the tree lawn, and who grinds it?It depends on the town. Cincinnati takes a 311 request for stumps of city-maintained trees. Wyoming says the city grinds them. Milford and Hamilton name the property owner. Covington and Fort Thomas require city permission to remove a street tree. Read your city page before you hire anyone.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/who-owns-the-stump-on-the-tree-lawn) - [Cincinnati Street Tree Removal Permit Cost: Who Pays WhatCincinnati Parks Urban Forestry says that if a public tree is removed because a resident asked, the requesting party pays the appraised value of the tree, plus the cost for removal and stump grinding, before permit approval. The page lists no dollar amounts. A forester inspects the tree first.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/blog/cincinnati-street-tree-removal-permit-cost) - [Covington Street Tree Permit: What It Means for Your StumpCovington asks you to fill out a Street Tree Permit before you plant, prune or remove a tree in the strip between the sidewalk and the street. Some permits carry a nominal fee. Trees on private property generally fall outside city regulation, except in a historic overlay zone or on certain hillsides.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/blog/covington-street-tree-permit-and-your-stump) - [Hamilton, Ohio Street Tree Removal: Approval and the StumpHamilton's Tree Ordinance requires written city approval before you prune or remove a tree in the public right-of-way, usually the strip between the curb and sidewalk. The application is free. The city's FAQ names the property owner as responsible for removal and stump grinding of trees in that strip.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/blog/hamilton-ohio-street-tree-removal-approval) - [Why do mushrooms grow on tree stumps, and are they a problem?Mushrooms are the fruiting parts of fungi that break down dead wood. Illinois Extension says spring and late summer to early fall are prime times to see them. Penn State says common mulch fungi do not harm landscape plants, but mushrooms may be poisonous if eaten. Do not eat them.](https://cincystump.multisites.ai/guides/mushrooms-on-tree-stumps)