Yuba City, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Section 9-3.07, part of the Street Trees chapter adopted by Ordinance 563 (effective December 18, 1968), places the trimming duty squarely on every person owning or occupying any land or lots of land within the City, regardless of any other provision in the chapter. The clearance is height-based and location-specific: branches overhanging a street or alley must be trimmed to a minimum of 14 feet, while the lower threshold of seven feet applies only where a tree overhangs the sidewalk area, and in both cases the owner must also keep that overhead space clear of debris, not just branches.

The Director of Recreation and Parks doesn't have to wait for a complaint to act. If, in the Director's judgment, removing overhanging limbs is necessary for public safety, the Director may remove them from any tree regardless of location. For trees on private property, the code requires the Director to give the owner or their authorized agent written notice at least seven calendar days before the removal, but that notice period is waived entirely in the case of manifest public danger and immediate necessity, letting the City act on a hazardous limb the same day it's found. This sits alongside the chapter's separate nuisance provisions in Section 9-3.10, which classify overgrown, diseased, or obstructive trees and shrubs as public nuisances the owner or occupant is responsible for abating under Section 9-3.11.