Division of Park Maintenance and Properties

Vacant Lot Clean Up
The Parks Maintenance Division will be servicing and cleaning vacant properties and lots throughout the City of Cleveland from April through September. This process helps keep Cleveland clean and green one neighborhood at a time.-more Video

Lot Cutting and Cleaning

216.420.8300 - Weekdays 7 am to 3:30 pm

The objective of this program is to keep vacant lots and the exteriors of vacant structures within the City aesthetically pleasing and to eliminate health and safety hazards. Activities include cutting high grass, weeds and remove debris from vacant lots.

Owners who abandon their property will be charged for maintenance services and a fine will be incurred. Problem properties can be reported by calling the number above.

Owners whose property has been serviced by the city are billed for services. If the bill is not paid within 30 days, it is sent to the County and placed as a "special assessment" on the owner's property taxes. Those wishing to protest the invoice or services are asked to call 216.420.8367. Property owners are advised to have information, including service dates, available to expedite this process.

Greenhouse, Rockefeller Park

216.664.3103 - Daily 10 am to 4 pm - Rockefeller Park Greenhouse Website

The Greenhouse was initially used solely for growing the plants used to landscape City parks and gardens. While city beautification is still one of its goals, the Greenhouse and grounds have since evolved into a Botanical garden with specialty plant collections, seasonal floral displays, and theme gardens.

The City of Cleveland Urban Forestry Section is removing all ash trees in the right-of-way.  The ash trees are infested with a non-native beetle: the Emerald Ash Borer.  The borer came from China and was found in Michigan in June 2002.  Since then it has spread to Canada and more than twenty US states.  The beetle only infests ash trees (Fraxinus genus).  

There are pesticide treatments designed to kill the borer before or during an infestation.  These treatments can be expensive and are only effective when administered repeatedly throughout the life of the tree.  This is not a cost-effective option for the 4,118 ash trees in the city’s right-of-way.  It is a known fact that all untreated ash trees will die.  

For those with ash trees, the city recommends contacting an ISA Certified Arborist to evaluate them and to discuss options. 

Informational Links

• Emeral Ash Borer Information Network
• Emerald Ash Borer Infestation Map 
• Ohio Department of Agriculture Emerald Ash Borer Page  

New Tree Requests

Once ash trees are removed, homeowners can call the Urban Forestry Section at 216.664.3104 for a replacement tree. The intake department will record all requests in a database. Trees are planted when a funding source is identified. 

The Urban Forestry Section

216.664.3104 - Weekdays 8 am to 4:30 pm

The goal of Urban Forestry is to provide a safe urban forest while striving to preserve its natural beauty. This office's activities include the maintenance of all public street and park trees, including the removal of dead and hazardous street trees and overgrown roots which raise sidewalks, planting of replacement trees (based on availability of funding), trimming, and providing public information.

Residents who have sidewalk areas in need of repairs which require root removal of a city tree may contact Urban Forestry for assistance. The responsibility for the removal of the damaged sidewalk as well as costs associated with the installation of new cement is the responsibility of the property owner.

A 48 hour advance notice is required before the sidewalks are removed. This division will also remove wasps, hornets or bees from city-owned trees. Residents who would like to request a new tree to be planted on their property's front lawn, or who have questions regarding the health of a city-owned tree are asked to contact Urban Forestry.

Cemeteries, Public

216.348.7210 - Weekdays 8 am to 5 pm

The Division of Park Maintenance & Properties provides burial services and cemetery maintenance. If a family wishes to purchase a grave, they may visit the cemetery of their choice to make a selection, or they can allow the City to choose for them. -more

Horticulture, Mall, and Cultural Gardens

216.664.2512 - Weekdays 10 am to 4 pm

This program develops and maintains an awareness and appreciation of natural foliage in the City's formal garden and park areas. Its activities include planting and maintaining of the formal gardens, plazas, malls, and other formal park areas.

Parks Ground Maintenance

216.420.8300 - Monday - Friday 7 am to 3:30 pm, Weekends 6 am to 2:30 pm

The objective of the Parks Ground Maintenance program is to provide pleasant and attractive public areas. Its activities include grass cutting, fertilizing, seeding, edging, pruning trees and underbrush, mulching, and the removal of debris from public property.