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

West Covina's tree regulations distinguish between trees on public property and trees on private property. The city's Public Works Department is responsible for maintaining all city-owned street trees — those planted within the public right-of-way, typically in the parkway strip between the sidewalk and curb. Residents are prohibited from trimming, pruning, topping, or removing any city-owned street tree without prior written authorization from the Public Works Department. The city maintains a regular tree-trimming cycle for street trees throughout West Covina's neighborhoods, and residents can request service for overgrown, dead, or hazardous city trees by contacting Public Works at (626) 939-8431 or through the city's online service request system.

For trees located entirely on private residential property, West Covina takes a relatively moderate regulatory approach. The city does not impose a citywide heritage tree, significant tree, or landmark tree preservation ordinance that would require permits for pruning or removing mature trees on private land. Property owners generally have the right to trim or remove trees on their own property as they see fit. However, there are important exceptions. If the property was developed under a conditional use permit, planned development permit, or other discretionary approval that included tree preservation conditions, the property owner must comply with those conditions and may need Planning Division approval before removing protected trees. Additionally, any tree removal that involves significant root disturbance, grading, or changes to drainage patterns — particularly on hillside lots — may require a grading permit from the Engineering Division.

West Covina's location in the eastern San Gabriel Valley means that many older neighborhoods feature mature shade trees including California oaks, sycamores, liquid ambars, and various ornamental species. While the city does not broadly restrict removal of private trees, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) may impose tree-related mitigation requirements when larger development projects are proposed. Protected species such as coast live oaks and valley oaks may trigger additional review under state and county environmental guidelines even for individual property owners in some circumstances. Residents planning to remove large or mature trees should check with the Planning Division to confirm whether any specific requirements apply to their parcel.

Utility line clearance around power lines is handled by Southern California Edison (SCE), which maintains vegetation clearance programs throughout its service territory including West Covina. Residents should not attempt to trim trees near energized power lines themselves. SCE can be contacted at 1-800-655-4555 to request tree trimming near overhead electrical lines at no cost to the property owner.