Hayward requires 14 feet of vertical clearance over streets and 8 feet over sidewalks. Hillside homes must clear branches 10 feet from chimneys.
Hayward Municipal Code requires property owners to trim trees and vegetation so that branches do not obstruct public streets, sidewalks, streetlights, or traffic signs. Minimum clearances are 14 feet above roadways, 13 feet above alleys, and 8 feet above sidewalks and pedestrian paths. Branches obscuring stop signs or streetlights must be removed promptly. In the VHFHSZ, Public Resources Code 4291 requires tree limbs to be kept at least 10 feet from chimney or stovepipe outlets, and ladder fuels (low branches that carry fire from ground to canopy) must be removed up to 6 feet from the ground or one-third the tree height, whichever is less. PG and E also requires utility line clearances of 4 to 10 feet depending on voltage. Routine maintenance does not require a permit on private trees.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how other cities in Alameda County handle tree trimming.
See how Hayward's tree trimming rules stack up against other locations.
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