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

Sec. 3 makes it unlawful to cut, move, or remove, or cause to be cut, moved, or removed, any tree covered by Chapter 35 without first getting a permit from the Parks and Recreation Director in the manner the Director prescribes. To apply, the owner submits the number, location, and species of the trees to be removed, the reason for removal, and a plot plan (Sec. 4(A)). The Director must investigate the site within 10 days of the application (Sec. 4(B)) and bases the decision on five factors: the trees' condition regarding disease, danger of falling, and proximity to structures or utilities; the necessity of removal to allow reasonable economic use of the property; the effect of removal on erosion, soil retention, and surface water flow; how many healthy trees the neighborhood already supports and the effect of removal on that neighborhood; and good forestry practice, including how many healthy trees a parcel can support (Sec.

4(A)(1)-(5)). Applications involving hazardous or diseased trees get priority, and the Director can refer any application to another City department, board, commission, or the City Council for a recommendation (Sec. 4(C)). In a genuine emergency where a tree is hazardous or dangerous, it can be removed on the permission of any Police, Fire, or Park Department member without waiting for the standard permit process (Sec. 5). For land divisions, every tentative subdivision map must show which trees will be removed and which retained, and the developer must field-mark and fence the retained trees; the Planning Commission's tentative map approval itself functions as the removal permit for the trees shown on it, and any change to that list needs a new Sec. 4 permit (Sec. 6).