Tree Protection in Petaluma, CA (2026)
3 verified tree protection rules for Petaluma, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Heritage & Protected Trees
Petaluma's Heritage and Landmark Tree ordinance bars removal, substantial alteration, or soil disturbance in the drip line of any city-registered heritage or landmark tree without a permit from the community development director. Trees reach the city's official register only through owner nomination and Historic and Cultural Preservation Committee review under Petaluma Municipal Code Chapter 8.28.
Petaluma Heritage & Landmark Tree Rules
Significant RestrictionsPetaluma Municipal Code §§ 8.28.100, 8.28.110
A. None of the following activities shall be performed unless a permit is first granted by the director 1. Removal or willful destruction of any heritage or landmark tree. 2. Substantial alteration, including removal of a substantial portion of the branches or foliage of heritage or landmark trees, as determined by the granting authority. 3. Disturbing the soil or placing deleterious substa...
Protected Tree Species
Petaluma protects native oaks at four inches DBH, California Buckeye at six inches, California Bay at twelve inches, and Coast Redwood at eighteen inches, plus heritage trees, significant groves, riparian corridor trees, and public right-of-way trees, under Implementing Zoning Ordinance Chapter 17. Removing or damaging any of these without a permit is a misdemeanor enforced by the Community Development Department.
Petaluma Protected Tree Species and Size Thresholds
Some RestrictionsPetaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance § 17.040
A protected tree is any of the following: Black Oak (Quercus kelloggii) four inches DBH* or greater Valley Oak (Quercus lobata) four inches DBH or greater Blue Oak (Quercus douglasii) four inches DBH or greater Interior Live Oak (Quercus wislizenii) four inches DBH or greater Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) four inches DBH or greater Oracle Oak (Quercus x morehus) four inches DBH or greater ...
Parkway Planting
Anyone planting a tree in a Petaluma public street or right-of-way must use the city's approved street tree list and planting standards under Petaluma Municipal Code Section 13.08.020. The tree advisory committee recommends that list, and the city council adopts and can amend it by resolution.
Petaluma Street Tree Planting Standards
Some RestrictionsPetaluma Municipal Code §§ 13.08.020, 13.08.030
Any person planting or setting out any tree, or causing or procuring any person to plant or set out any tree, in or on any part of any public street or right-of-way area in the city shall undertake and complete said placement in accordance with the city-approved street tree list and planting standards. ... The tree advisory committee of the city shall consult with parks, public works and planni...
Looking for Sonoma County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Petaluma city rules.
Tree Protection in Sonoma County →