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

010 gives the Municipal Operations Department jurisdiction and control over the planting, maintenance, and removal of trees, shrubs, and plants in all public areas the City controls, including street rights-of-way, parks, beaches, and playgrounds. 040 makes it unlawful for any person to trim, cut down, damage, remove, or destroy a tree growing in a public park, beach, playground, on public building grounds, or in a street right-of-way without the City Manager's written permission, and separately bars cutting or removing any shrub, plant, or flower in those areas except in the parkway strip adjoining the person's own property.

030 lets the City itself relocate or remove any tree, shrub, plant, or surfacing material in a street right-of-way when the Council determines it necessary for public travel or public health, safety, or welfare. 050 layers on further prohibitions: no one may attach ropes, wires, signs, or posters to a public tree or its guard device, deposit substances detrimental to its growth, remove a protective guard, or attach electrical wiring to it without City Council approval. 060 flips part of the duty onto abutting owners, who must maintain the parkway landscaping between their property line and the curb and trim any tree, shrub, or plant so it doesn't encroach on the sidewalk, street, or streetlight; the City itself is responsible for trimming and pruning trees actually within the right-of-way. 010, prosecutable as an infraction with fines from $100 to $500 depending on repeat offenses within a year.