Rohnert Park was planned from scratch in the early 1960s, and the city grew out in lettered sections, with street names that start with each section's letter. That means whole neighborhoods were built and planted around the same time. The trees that went into front yards and planter strips back then have been growing for decades, and plenty have been taken out for lifting sidewalks, dropping limbs or getting too big for a small lot. What's left behind is a stump in the parking strip or a corner of the backyard, usually with roots running under the walk.
We grind stumps all over town, east and west of 101, from front yard stumps in the older sections to backyard jobs over near Sonoma State. Most of it is a simple stump grinding job. Stumps in the newer neighborhoods west of the freeway tend to be younger and smaller, so those go quickly. For apartment complexes, HOAs and business parks along the freeway, we take on bigger jobs through our commercial and HOA service. Give us a call for a free estimate, and mention if the stump is in the planter strip so we bring the right setup.
Planter strip stumps and sidewalk roots
A stump in the strip between the sidewalk and the street is its own kind of job. It's tight, there's concrete on two sides, and the roots almost always run under the walk, which is usually why the tree came out in the first place. We grind the stump below grade and take the surface roots down along the curb and the walk so the strip can be replanted or covered. We also rake the chips off the gutter and sidewalk before we go, so the street looks the way it did when we arrived. If the sidewalk has already heaved, the slab generally has to come up before the roots underneath can be reached, and surface root grinding handles what's left once it's open. Street trees and planter strips can come with city rules about what goes back in, so check before you buy a replacement tree.
Flat ground, tight clay
Most of Rohnert Park is flat and easy to reach, which keeps jobs here simple. The soil is a different story. Most of the town is built on the same heavy clay as the rest of the Santa Rosa Plain, and it packs tight around an old stump. In summer it's close to brick, and the grinder works harder at the edges. In winter a soft lawn can rut under the wheels, so we lay down plywood when the ground is wet and clean up the grindings before we leave. Clay also drains slowly, so if you're filling the hole for grass, we suggest a good topsoil mix rather than packing the old chips back in. If you want the spot reseeded, tell us and we'll leave it graded and ready for seed. We work Rohnert Park along with the towns to the south, all the way down to Petaluma.
Common Questions
Yes. Planter strip stumps are one of the most common jobs we do here. We work with a compact setup so the sidewalk and curb stay clear, grind the stump, then the roots along the edges, and rake the strip back out level. Utility lines often run close to the street, so the 811 marking matters even more on these jobs. We take care of that request before the day.
Yes. Rohnert Park has a lot of apartment complexes, townhome communities and business parks, and their grounds collect stumps after tree crews come through. We list every stump with its own price, schedule around residents and parking, and clean up as we go. Property managers can send a site map or a list, and we'll quote from that.