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

Section 12-116 of the Inglewood Municipal Code bars removing, destroying, cutting branches over one inch in diameter, or disfiguring any protected tree without first obtaining a permit; all removed or disfigured trees must be replaced with a like-size, like-kind tree or an equal-value tree as determined by the City's Master Plan or the Parks, Recreation and Library Services Department, valued under the ISA's Guide for Plant Appraisal if a matching replacement is unavailable. Section 12-117 requires the application, plus the inspection fee set in the Master Fee Schedule, to be filed and approved before any removal, relocation or cutting, and before any grading, trenching, encroachment, demolition or building permit is issued for a development that touches a protected tree.

On a complete application, the Parks, Recreation and Library Services Director or a designee inspects the site and weighs the eleven factors in Section 12-118, including disease or danger of falling, utility or view interference, sidewalk lifting, slope anchoring, and whether the tree is a specimen or memorial tree. Routine maintenance under ISA standards needs no permit, but major pruning, topping, pollarding or removal of large branches does. Certified arborists on staff can obtain a one-year, non-site-specific pruning permit; tenants must have the property owner's written consent before applying.

An emergency exception in Section 12-120 allows removal without a permit only when a City official finds imminent danger to persons or property, and the tree must then be replaced with a 24-inch box tree. Permits are valid for one year under Section 12-126 and can be revoked for noncompliance under Section 12-127.