Pasadena, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Pasadena, CA, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before removing any protected tree
- Where to apply
- City manager, Chapter 17.60 process
- Approval standard
- Denied unless one of six findings met
- Decision deadline
- Within 15 business days
- Mitigation
- Replacement trees or fee required
- Misdemeanor
- Up to $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
Summary
Removing a protected tree on private property in Pasadena requires a city permit under Municipal Code Section 8.52.070(B). The city manager must deny the permit unless one of six specific findings applies, and decisions are due within 15 business days of a complete application.
Where no discretionary approval is requested: Where a property owner wishes to remove a tree protected under this ordinance on private property, and no other discretionary approval is required under Title 17 of this code, an application shall be made to the city manager or his/her designee for a permit according to the standard application procedures and submittal requirements set forth in Chapter 17.60... Any permit or approval which will result in injury to or removal of a mature, landmark, landmark-eligible, native or specimen tree protected under this chapter shall be denied unless one of the following findings is made: (1) there is a public benefit as defined in Section 8.52.024(R), or a public health, safety or welfare benefit, to the injury or removal that outweighs the protection of the specific tree; or (2) the present condition of the tree is such that it is not reasonably likely to survive...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 79 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
020(T). 070(A). 070(B). 075(A) requires the city to deny any removal permit unless it makes one of six findings: a public benefit or safety benefit that outweighs the tree's protection; the tree is not reasonably likely to survive; an objective feature makes the tree unsuitable for protection; removal is needed to avoid substantial hardship to the owner; denial would constitute a taking of the property; or, for non-landmark trees, the project's landscape plan follows the city's replacement matrix for new plantings. 62. 075(B). 075(C). 72 the same way a director's decision would be.
Violations & Fines
Removing or injuring a protected tree without an approved permit, or violating a permit's conditions, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in jail under Section 8.52.160(A), or an infraction under subsection (B). The city may also seek a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per tree, or the tree's full appraised value, plus a one-year hold on building permits for the property under Section 8.52.160(D)-(E).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a permit to remove a protected tree in Pasadena?
On what grounds can Pasadena deny my tree removal permit?
How long does the city have to decide on a tree removal permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasadena
California rules heatmap·Compare Pasadena to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle tree removal & heritage trees.