Tree removal permit rules in Redding, CA — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Tree removal in the City of Redding is regulated by Chapter 18.45 (Tree Management) of the Redding Municipal Code, originally adopted in 1990 and updated in 2006, with a 2023 Tree Management Ordinance Update Committee process. No tree exceeding 6 inches diameter at breast height (DBH) on any developed or undeveloped/vacant parcel within the city may be destroyed, killed, or removed without a tree-removal permit, subject to limited exemptions (RMC §18.45.040) and discretionary-permit provisions (RMC §18.45.070).
Redding's tree-removal authority sits in RMC Chapter 18.45 (Tree Management). The threshold-setting provision establishes that no tree, regardless of species, that exceeds 6 inches DBH on any developed or undeveloped/vacant property within the City may be destroyed, killed, or removed unless a tree-removal permit is first obtained, except as permitted under §18.45.070 (Discretionary Permits) or expressly exempted under §18.45.040. Tree-removal permits are processed by Development Services Planning, typically reviewed against retention preference, mitigation through preserved trees or new plantings, and (for development projects) the comprehensive tree plan requirements summarized in the City's 2024 Comprehensive Tree Plan. Exemptions historically cover dead, dying, or hazardous trees (with documentation), specified fruit/nut/orchard trees on residential lots, and certain agricultural operations. Street trees in the public right-of-way are separately regulated under RMC Title 13, Chapter 13.40 (Trees and Shrubs), with removal coordinated through Public Works. Removal associated with grading or earth disturbance over 1 acre triggers State Water Resources Control Board NPDES Construction General Permit (Order 2022-0057-DWQ) coverage. The 2023 Tree Management Ordinance Update Committee (six meetings January-May 2023) recommended updates including stronger heritage-tree protections and clearer mitigation ratios; check the current ordinance for adopted revisions.
Removal of a tree over 6 inches DBH without a Chapter 18.45 permit is an enforceable City Code violation, typically prosecuted as a misdemeanor or administrative citation with mitigation planting at an enhanced ratio plus restitution. For development projects, unpermitted removal can trigger stop-work orders and recordation requirements against the parcel. Damage to a public street tree is enforced separately under RMC Title 13, Chapter 13.40 with restitution based on ISA tree appraisal. Grading-related clearing without an SWRCB Construction General Permit triggers state penalties up to $10,000 per day under Water Code §13385.
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See how Redding's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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