Roseville, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Roseville, 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 trigger
- Any encroachment in protected zone
- Admin permit threshold
- Under 20% of protected zone
- Application
- Arborist report, site plan, fee
- Replacement ratio
- Inch-for-inch DBH, 50% native oak
- Removal exemptions
- 6 categories, incl. dead or hazardous
Summary
Removing or working within the protected zone of a Roseville native oak requires a Tree Permit under Municipal Code Section 19.66.030. Minor encroachments under 20 percent of the protected zone can qualify for a lighter Administrative Tree Permit, but full removal always needs review unless a specific exemption applies.
A. Permit Required. No person shall conduct any regulated activities within the protected zone of any protected tree; or harm, destroy, kill or remove any protected tree unless authorized by a Tree Permit or as provided in subsection C. B. Type of Permit. 1. Administrative Tree Permit. An Administrative Tree Permit is required for any regulated activity affecting one or more protected trees, when the regulated activity is not associated with a discretionary project, does not include the removal of a protected tree, and the requested encroachment does not exceed 20 percent of the protected zone of any individual protected tree. 2. Tree Permit. A Tree Permit is required for any regulated activity within the protected zone of a protected tree where the encroachment exceeds 20 percent of the protected zone, or where the regulated activity is related to a discretionary project. In addition, a Tree Permit is required for the removal of any protected tree, unless otherwise exempted by this chapter.
Full Breakdown
Section 19.66.030(A) bars anyone from conducting a regulated activity within a protected tree's protected zone, or harming, destroying, killing, or removing a protected tree, without a Tree Permit or an applicable exemption. Subsection B splits permits into two tracks: an Administrative Tree Permit, issued by the Planning Manager, for regulated activity that is not tied to a discretionary project, does not remove the tree, and disturbs no more than 20 percent of the protected zone; and a full Tree Permit for anything larger, for work tied to a discretionary project, or for removal of any protected tree.
Section 19.66.040 requires the application to go through the Planning Division (or be folded into a discretionary project's land-use application), accompanied by an arborist's report, a site plan showing property lines, structures, and setbacks, and the City Council's application fee, though the Planning Manager can waive the site plan for dead or hazardous tree removals. If the Approving Authority conditions a Tree Permit on replacement, Section 19.66.070 requires inch-for-inch replacement of the removed tree's diameter using 15-gallon, 24-inch box, or 36-inch box stock, with at least half of the replacement met by native oaks; the Approving Authority can instead approve relocation, a bonded revegetation plan, or an in-lieu cash payment set by City Council resolution. Six removal exemptions in subsection C cover storm and fire damage, active firefighting, utility emergencies, arborist-certified dead trees, arborist-confirmed hazards, and protected trees on already-occupied single-family or two-family lots.
Violations & Fines
Conducting a regulated activity or removing a protected tree without the required Tree Permit is a misdemeanor or infraction under Section 19.66.080, at the City Attorney's discretion, and the Manager can issue a stop-work notice that halts the project until the violation is corrected. Where a tree's survival cannot be assured, the Planning Commission can order restitution at triple the Section 19.66.070(D) in-lieu fee rate, appealable to the City Council under Chapter 19.80.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a protected oak from my yard?
What has to be in a Tree Permit application?
If I remove a protected oak, do I have to plant a new one?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Roseville
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