Alhambra, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Under Alhambra Municipal Code Section 23.12.170 (Tree Preservation), a permit is required to remove, top, trim, prune, damage or otherwise materially alter certain protected trees. The City's official Tree Preservation handout (updated January 2025) confirms an exception for 'routine trimming or pruning which does not cause damage or death of a tree,' so normal hedge-style maintenance of your own trees generally does not need a permit. However, topping or heavy pruning that constitutes material alteration of a protected oak, California native, or mature tree does require a Tree Removal Permit from the Community Development Department, Planning Division (626-570-5034). For street trees in the parkway (the strip between sidewalk and curb), the City's Public Works Department handles trimming. The City directs residents to 'leave the job to the Public Works tree care professionals' and to request a City arborist inspection rather than trimming parkway trees themselves; call Public Works at 626-308-4874. This is a City of Alhambra rule, distinct from any Los Angeles County requirement, because Alhambra is an incorporated city enforcing its own code.