Trees

Maintenance of Street Trees

The City maintains nearly 13,000 street trees, which were either installed as part of a Capital Improvement Project, in a new development or are located in maintenance easements in landscaping maintenance assessment districts. Maintenance of these trees includes:

• Fertilization
• Pest control
• Pruning
• Watering
• Removal
• Stump Grinding
• Replanting

The cost of maintaining the trees is paid by the City or by the assessment district, as appropriate.

A Private Property Owner's Responsibility

Residential trees located in private yards or in planter strip areas are the responsibility of private property owners.  The City may provide right-of-way clearance trimming notices if needed, to maintain a clearance of eight feet (8') above the sidewalk or sixteen feet (16') above the street.  Right-of-way clearance trimming is limited to the street-side of the tree only.  Property owners will be given an opportunity to perform clearance trimming if a notice is received.

Under the City's new Street Tree Ordinance, private property owners will be required to obtain a no-fee City Encroachment Permit when planting, removing, or replacing any tree within the public right-of-way. However, a permit will not be required for removing any sucker growth, low-hanging branches less than two inches (2") in diameter or pruning less than 10% of the tree canopy.

Private property owners are responsible for any damage which occurs as a result of fallen limbs from privately owned trees.

Privately owned trees may be removed or trimmed at the option of the property owner except under the City's Heritage Tree Ordinance or any other Planning Department conditions requiring that certain landscaping remain in place.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or need to determine whether a tree may be removed, please contact the Planning Department at (925) 833-6610.