Pleasanton, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Under Pleasanton Municipal Code Chapter 17.16 (Tree Preservation), as amended by Ordinance No. 2288 effective in early 2025, routine pruning is treated differently from removal. Section 17.16.010(B) provides that normal maintenance and pruning of a Protected Tree does not require a permit, but in all cases pruning must conform to the guidelines in Section 17.16.080. That section requires all pruning of Protected Trees to be performed under the supervision of an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist, in accordance with the current ISA Best Management Practices for Tree Pruning and ANSI A300 (Part 1) standards, plus any special conditions set by the Director. 'Topping' - the indiscriminate cutting of branches to stubs - is not permitted unless specifically approved by the Director. Pruning that, in the Director's reasonable opinion, is inconsistent with these guidelines is subject to the penalties in Section 17.16.110. Because 'effective removal' includes extreme root or branch pruning inconsistent with standard arboriculture practice, severe over-pruning can be treated as an unlawful removal carrying a civil penalty of $100 per inch of trunk circumference (measured 54 inches above grade) or the appraised tree value, whichever is greater. For trees not meeting the Protected Tree thresholds (37-inch circumference for listed native species; 55-inch for other species), routine trimming on private property is generally unregulated. Public utilities must obtain an encroachment permit before pruning near a Protected Tree.