Property owners in San Marcos are responsible for trimming trees on their property to maintain clearance over public sidewalks and streets. Trees must provide at least 8 feet of vertical clearance over sidewalks and 14 feet over streets. The city maintains trees in public rights-of-way and parks through its Public Works Department. Trimming city-owned trees without authorization is prohibited.
San Marcos requires property owners to maintain trees on private property so they do not obstruct public sidewalks, streets, or sight lines at intersections. Minimum vertical clearances are 8 feet over sidewalks and pedestrian paths and 14 feet over vehicular roadways. Trees must not obstruct traffic signs, streetlights, or intersection visibility triangles. Property owners may trim their own trees at any time without a permit as long as the tree is on private property and is not a protected species. Trees overhanging from a neighbor's property may be trimmed back to the property line by the affected property owner under California Civil Code. City-maintained street trees in the public right-of-way are managed by the Public Works Department and may not be trimmed, removed, or altered without city authorization. Residents may request city tree maintenance by contacting Public Works. San Marcos has specific protections for certain heritage and native tree species that require permits before removal or significant pruning. Dead or hazardous trees should be reported to the city for evaluation. The eastern portions of San Marcos near wildland areas may have additional tree management requirements related to brush clearance and fire safety.
Failure to maintain clearance over public ways after notice may result in the city performing the work at the property owner's expense. Unauthorized trimming or damaging city trees may result in fines and tree replacement costs. Removing protected tree species without a permit can result in penalties.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Diego County.
See how other cities in San Diego County handle tree trimming.
See how San Marcos's tree trimming rules stack up against other locations.
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