How Redwood City Handles Tree Protection: A Practical Guide

Redwood City maintains 130 local ordinances across all categories, and 3 of those deal specifically with tree protection. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Redwood City falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Heritage & Protected Trees

The Park and Recreation Commission can designate any Redwood City tree, regardless of size, a protected "heritage tree" under Code Sec. 35.2 if it is healthy, visible from a public right-of-way, and either historically significant, indigenous to the area, or part of a mutually dependent grove.

Key details: Deciding body: Park and Recreation Commission. Size requirement: None, any size qualifies. Qualifying grounds (need 1 of 3): Historical, indigenous, or grove-dependent. Removal permit issuer: Parks and Recreation Director. Replacement deadline: 1 year after damage/destruction finding.

Removing or damaging a designated heritage tree without a permit is unlawful under Sec. 35.3. If a heritage tree is damaged or destroyed without prior approval, the responsible person must restore it to its former condition, or if that is not possible, plant a replacement of similar size and species approved by the Parks and Recreation Director within one year of the damage or destruction determination (Sec. 35.7). An applicant aggrieved by a Director decision on a heritage tree, including a denial or a restoration order, can appeal to the City Manager, with the appeal filed, processed, and heard under Chapter 1 of the Municipal Code (Sec. 35.8).

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Redwood City actively enforces its heritage & protected trees requirements.

Protected Tree Species

Redwood City's tree ordinance does not list protected species; instead Code Sec. 35.1 protects any woody plant with a single trunk of 38 inches or more in circumference, measured 6 to 36 inches above ground, plus any tree the Park and Recreation Commission designates a heritage tree regardless of size.

Key details: Basis for protection: Trunk size, not species. Size threshold: 38-inch circumference trunk. Measurement height: 6 to 36 inches above ground. Alternate protection path: Park and Recreation Commission heritage designation. Deciding body: Park and Recreation Commission.

Cutting, moving, or removing a tree that meets the Sec. 35.1 size threshold, or one designated a heritage tree under Sec. 35.2, without first obtaining a Parks and Recreation Director permit is unlawful under Sec. 35.3. The chapter directs disputes over whether a tree qualifies, or over a permit decision, to the Parks and Recreation Director in the first instance, with appeal to the City Manager under Sec. 35.8.

Parkway Planting

Redwood City requires new buildings, substantial commercial remodels, and sidewalk replacement or repair jobs to plant street trees along the property's street frontage. City Code Sec. 18.241 sets four-square-foot tree wells, grates, and 24-inch box trees spaced every 30 feet, with irrigation required unless the City exempts it in writing.

Key details: Trigger: New building, commercial remodel, or sidewalk work. Tree size: 24-inch box. Spacing: Every 30 feet on average. Tree well size: 4 square feet, with grate/frame. Permit: Required under Sec. 18.243.

Sec. 18.241 carries no standalone fine, so a failure to install the required wells, grates, or trees falls to the Code's general penalty, Sec. 1.7. An unspecified violation can be charged as a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, or, where treated as an infraction, escalating fines of $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for each further offense, with each day of noncompliance counted as a separate violation. Doing the tree well or grate work without the Sec. 18.243 right-of-way permit is a separate compliance failure.

The Bottom Line

Redwood City's tree protection rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Redwood City is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Redwood City's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.