I'm wondering what is a good long-lasting strategy to deal with it in a way that is respectful of the environment, i.e. the city does not allow cutting any trees.
Tree growing into gutter. What’s a good strategy
gutterstree
Related Solutions
It is generally advisable to not have tree branches making contact with your house, so regardless you might want to consider trimming the branches back. Removing the tree entirely is probably overkill but is an option. Make sure to check with your local jurisdiction to see if a permit is required.
Alternatively, you're just going to need to clean them out regularly, especially in the spring and fall.
Even with gutter guards, debris will still find its way into the gutters, albeit it at a slower rate.
In my part of the world, rainwater from gutters is usually led underground to a rainwater soakaway which, at it's simplest, is a pit filled with rocks/stones/gravel and covered with soil/turf.
There are design guidelines to help calculate the size of pit etc.
You might consider capturing rainwater and using it to irrigate plants.
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Best Answer
It's hard to say from that photo, but it looks like that bulge is the stump of a limb that could be trimmed back further. Really that's a question for an arborist, though. If you do so you'll want to pick the right time of year to help prevent fungal infection.
I agree that you're probably misinterpreting your city's ordinance, though. No sane city government would prevent a homeowner from protecting his dwelling from invasive plants.