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

Placentia Municipal Code § 14.12.080 governs removal of city trees in the public right-of-way in front of or adjacent to a property. The request goes to the public works department on the tree removal request form available on the city's official website. An approval does not grant any rights to the requesting owner and is only an acknowledgement that the city will endeavor to remove the tree in due course. Under subsection (1) only trees found dead, diseased, irreparably injured, hazardous, or in a condition presenting legitimate public safety concerns can be the subject of a request. The director or designee approves or denies in whole or in part, and the decision becomes final if a request for reconsideration is not timely filed.

An owner aggrieved by a denial has five business days to ask the streetscape and transportation advisory commission, acting as the tree advisory board, for reconsideration, stating the burden the denial causes. The commission treats the director's findings as true and conclusive and can grant the request only if the burden on the owner substantially outweighs both the public benefit of denial and the public burden of granting. Its decision is final. If it grants the request, removal is at the owner's cost and the owner also pays to procure and plant two replacement trees, with the money going to the tree replacement and planting fund. An owner can petition for relief from the costs on a showing of undue financial hardship.

Section 14.12.090 requires mailed notice to a minimum of three properties on each side and the closest three across the street, and a notice posted on the tree no less than 10 days before commission review. Section 14.12.070 lists the grounds the director uses, and states that leaf litter, messy or excessive fruit and root intrusion into sewer laterals from deteriorating infrastructure are not valid reasons. Section 14.12.240, titled Regulations of trees on private property, prints only (Reserved).