Lancaster, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Sidewalk clearance
- 10 feet minimum overhang clearance
- Street clearance
- 13.5 feet minimum overhang clearance
- Permit required to trim
- None, per Section 12.20.030
- Nuisance abatement notice
- 10 days to correct after written notice
- Enforcement
- Chapters 1.12 and 1.16 penalties
- Governing ordinance
- Ord. No. 1104, adopted July 11, 2023
Summary
Lancaster requires property owners to keep street trees trimmed to a minimum clearance of 10 feet over sidewalks and 13.5 feet over streets under Municipal Code Section 12.20.030. Owners must also prevent trees from blocking streetlights, traffic signs, or intersection sightlines. No permit is needed to trim for clearance, and failure to comply lets the city step in and bill the owner for removal.
The trees and ground cover shall be maintained so as not to constitute a hazard and in addition, to avoid interference with vehicular or pedestrian use of streets and sidewalks. The property owner shall be required to maintain trees in such a manner so as not to encroach into or over any adjacent sidewalk or street. Absent special circumstances and approved by the city the minimum clearance of any overhanging portion thereof shall be ten (10) feet over sidewalks, and thirteen and one-half (13½) feet over streets. No permit is required to remove the hazard or correct the encroachment. Trees shall not obstruct or shade the streetlights, obstruct the passage of pedestrians on sidewalks, obstruct vision of traffic signs, or obstruct view of any street or alley intersection.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 10 - 2025).
Full Breakdown
20 of the Lancaster Municipal Code, enacted by Ordinance No. 1104 on July 11, 2023, places tree maintenance duty squarely on the property owner. 020 requires owners to water street trees in the parkway abutting their property and keep the parkway free of weeds or obstructions harmful to public safety. 030 (Obstruction) sets the numeric clearance: absent special circumstances approved by the city, overhanging branches must clear at least ten feet above any sidewalk and thirteen and one-half feet above any street, and trees cannot obstruct streetlights, block visibility of traffic signs, or obscure the view at any street or alley intersection.
No permit is required to trim for clearance or correct an encroachment. 010 is any tree in the parkway, whether on public or private land, or within a public easement or private front or side yard; a 'dangerous condition' includes a tree that is damaged, diseased, decaying, at risk of falling, or that obstructs the free passage of vehicles or pedestrians. 050 makes the owner civilly liable for personal injury or property damage caused by a street tree or its debris, including damage to sidewalks, curbs, sewer, or utility lines, and requires the owner to indemnify the city for any claim arising from the tree. 28.
Violations & Fines
Section 12.20.040 declares any tree kept in violation of Chapter 12.20 a public nuisance subject to abatement, and makes the violation subject to the general penalty in Chapter 1.12 as well as an administrative citation under Chapter 1.16. The city can also recover its abatement costs from the owner as a personal obligation or property lien under Chapter 8.28, in addition to any citation fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to trim my street tree for clearance in Lancaster?
Who is responsible for trimming a Lancaster street tree?
What happens if I ignore a nuisance-tree notice from the city?
Am I liable if my street tree damages a sidewalk or hurts someone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lancaster
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