Anaheim Tree Trimming Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Anaheim Municipal Code Chapter 13.12 establishes the regulatory framework for trees and shrubs on public property, including street trees, parkway trees, and trees in city parks and medians. The City of Anaheim maintains a substantial urban forest of tens of thousands of street trees across its approximately 50 square miles, and the Public Works Department's Urban Forestry Division is responsible for their planting, maintenance, and removal. No person may trim, prune, remove, cut, carve, injure, or attach anything to a city-owned tree without prior written authorization from the Director of Public Works. Residents who believe a city street tree needs pruning, presents a hazard, or is interfering with infrastructure should submit a service request to the Public Works Department at (714) 765-5176 rather than attempting to perform the work themselves. The city prioritizes tree maintenance based on safety concerns, sight-distance clearance, and utility infrastructure conflicts.

For trees on private residential property, Anaheim does not require homeowners to obtain a general tree-trimming permit for routine maintenance pruning. Property owners may trim, shape, and maintain their own trees using licensed contractors or through their own efforts. However, topping — the indiscriminate cutting of tree branches to stubs or to the trunk — is strongly discouraged by the city and may result in a code enforcement inquiry if the resulting damage creates a blight condition visible from the public right-of-way. When private tree branches extend over the public sidewalk, street, or alley, property owners are responsible for maintaining minimum clearance of 8 feet over sidewalks and 14 feet over streets, as required by Title 13 and the Anaheim street standards. Failure to maintain clearance may result in a notice to trim from Public Works.

In planned development zones, specific plan areas, and projects requiring site plan review under Title 18 (Zoning), the removal of significant or specimen trees on private property may be conditioned on Planning Commission approval as part of the landscape plan review process. Replacement planting ratios, typically ranging from one-to-one to two-to-one, may be required when mature trees are removed as part of a development project. Anaheim's planning conditions frequently require new developments to plant specified tree species along street frontages in accordance with the city's master street tree list, which is maintained by the Urban Forestry Division and emphasizes drought-tolerant species suited to the Southern California climate.

Property owners should also be aware that trees of certain species — particularly native California oaks — may be protected under state or regional habitat conservation regulations independent of the Anaheim Municipal Code. Before removing any large native tree, property owners are advised to consult with the Planning and Building Department at (714) 765-5139 to determine whether additional environmental review applies to their specific parcel and tree species.