Antioch, CA Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)
Key Facts
- Landmark tree threshold
- 48 in. diameter or 40 ft height
- Removal notice
- Mailed to all adjacent owners
- Comment period
- 10 days, Tree Committee decides
- Deciding body
- City Tree Committee
- Bond for drip-line grading
- $1,000 to $10,000 per tree
- Appeal path
- Board of Administrative Appeals, AMC 1-4.01
Summary
Antioch designates any tree at least 48 inches in diameter or over 40 feet tall a landmark tree, and removal applications get mailed notice to every adjacent property owner and a 10-day comment period before the city's Tree Committee decides. That is a heavier process than for ordinary established trees.
LANDMARK TREE. This shall be any tree which is at least 48 inches in diameter and/or in excess of 40 feet in height. ... Special concern for landmark trees. Applications to remove landmark trees as defined by this section will require the mailed noticing of said application to all adjacent property owners. Decisions on landmark trees are to be made by the tree committee, which shall provide a 10 day comment period to allow neighbors to respond to the notice.
Full Breakdown
203 as any tree at least 48 inches in diameter and/or in excess of 40 feet in height, one of the categories folded into the broader PROTECTED TREE definition alongside established indigenous trees, street trees, and mature trees. 1202(C)(2). Landmark trees get an extra layer of process on top of that baseline. 1203(B)(4), an application to remove a landmark tree on developed property requires mailed notice to all adjacent property owners, and the decision is made by the city's standing Tree Committee, which must provide a 10-day comment period for neighbors to respond.
1204(B)(3) subjects landmark tree removal applications to the same noticing requirement used for a use permit. 1205(B)(1) gives the highest preservation priority to landmark and indigenous trees over mature and established trees. 01.
Violations & Fines
Removing or destroying a landmark tree without first obtaining the required permit or development approval is subject to the penalties of AMC 9-5.2904, a misdemeanor punishable under AMC 1-2.01 et seq., and deliberately damaging a landmark tree so its removal becomes necessary carries the same exposure. Where grading occurs within a protected tree's drip line, AMC 9-5.1206 requires a bond of $1,000 to $10,000 depending on trunk diameter, capped at $25,000 per parcel, forfeited to fund tree replacement if the tree dies during construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a tree a 'landmark tree' in Antioch?
Can I remove a landmark tree from my Antioch property without notifying anyone?
Does Antioch's landmark tree rule ever get waived for residential property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Antioch
California rules heatmap·Compare Antioch to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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