Brentwood, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

030 states that it is unlawful for any person to trim, cut, mutilate, or injure any street or city-owned tree, or the roots or branches of one, growing in a public street, curb, or place in the city, or to injure or impair its growth or life, without first obtaining a permit. 020 vests the planting, trimming, and removal of trees and shrubbery on streets, public rights-of-way, and public places in the parks and recreation director, who administers the program under the city's urban forest guidelines.

060, which requires an encroachment permit from the engineering department to plant a tree on a street, right-of-way, park, or public place, with the director empowered to condition that permit on replacing any tree removed. 110 backstops the permit requirement by separately declaring it unlawful to mutilate or damage any street tree except for work done in conformance with the chapter. Because these sections govern trees on public streets, rights-of-way, and city property, they do not reach a homeowner's decision to remove a tree entirely within their own private yard; Brentwood's code does not contain a separate heritage or protected-tree ordinance covering private trees.