Whittier, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Whittier, 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 needed
- Any removal on public street, park or alley
- Permit validity
- 30 days from issuance
- Private hazard-tree notice
- 10 days written notice
- Objection window
- 7 days to file with director
- Dead-tree exception
- No notice if arborist-verified
- City parkway tree removal notice
- 30 days plus posted sign
Summary
Removing a tree, shrub or plant from a Whittier street, park, alley or public place requires a permit from the parks director, granted at the director's discretion and valid only thirty days, under Section 12.40.040. Even a hazardous tree on private property that threatens a public right-of-way can't be cut down without ten days' written notice to the owner, unless a certified arborist confirms it's already dead.
No person shall cut, trim, prune, plant, remove, injure or interfere with any tree, shrub or plant upon any street, park, alley or public place of the city without a permit therefor from the director. The director is authorized to grant such permission in his/her discretion, but no such permit shall be valid for a longer period than thirty days after its date of issuance. ... However, no such tree, shrub or plant standing on any private property shall be cut down or removed unless ten-day notice in writing of this intention is given by the director to the owner(s), occupant(s) or agent(s) of the property upon which the described condition exists. The only exception to the notice requirement is for a tree that is verified as dead by the city's certified arborist. It may be removed with no notice.
Full Breakdown
040 makes it unlawful for anyone to cut, trim, prune, plant, remove, injure or interfere with any tree, shrub or plant on a city street, park, alley or public place without a permit from the director, who has full discretion whether to grant it, and any permit issued is void after thirty days. 100 covers removal of a hazardous or obstructive tree, including one on private property that overhangs or projects into a public right-of-way: the director may inspect it, and if it's found to be a hazard or an impediment to travel or vision, the director must give the property owner, occupant or agent ten days' written notice before it's cut down or removed.
The owner has seven days after that notice to file a written objection, in which case the tree can't be removed until the director gives the owner a chance to be heard and the objection is not sustained. The only exception to the notice-and-objection process is a tree verified dead by the city's certified arborist, which may be removed with no notice at all. 100(D) requires a thirty-day written notice plus a posted notice on the tree itself. 140.
Violations & Fines
Cutting down or removing a street or park tree without the director's permit violates Section 12.40.040. Removing a private tree flagged as hazardous without the ten-day notice, or without giving the owner the seven-day window to object, breaches Section 12.40.100. The parks, recreation and community services department enforces both sections; penalties are calculated under the parkway tree manual per Section 12.40.130, with appeals available under Section 12.40.140.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove a tree growing in the parkway strip in front of my house?
Does the city need my permission before removing a hazardous tree on my property?
What happens if I cut down a parkway tree without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whittier
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle tree removal & heritage trees.