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

Chapter 33, Article VII of the Santa Ana Municipal Code governs the planting, maintenance and removal of the city's urban forest, defined to include median trees and street trees located in the public right-of-way. Sec. 33-181 states the article's purpose is to ensure the city continues to realize the benefits of its urban forest, and Sec. 33-187 gives the city authority to plant, prune, maintain and remove trees within streets, alleys, parkways and public grounds as necessary for public safety or to preserve their symmetry and aesthetics, including removal of any tree that is unsafe or injurious to sewers, power lines, gas lines or water lines.

Two operative prohibitions apply directly to the public and to city crews: Sec. 33-190 bans topping, severe cutting back of limbs to stubs larger than three inches in diameter that removes the normal canopy, as a normal practice by any person, firm or city department. Sec. 33-191 bars posting or affixing bills, posters, placards, signs, or cutting, painting, printing or marking on any street tree, shrub, tree stake or guard, and prohibits attaching anything, including guy wires or ropes, except for protecting the tree or another purpose authorized by the Code; property owners may still place stakes or guards near a tree to protect or train it.

Sec. 33-192 separately bars dumping oil, salt or other deleterious matter on or near a street tree, and Sec. 33-193 bars piling building material against a street tree in a way that could injure it. The article applies to public right-of-way and public-grounds trees; it does not regulate trees on private property. Decisions and enforcement actions under the article may be appealed under Sec. 33-194 following the Chapter 3 appeal procedures.