Dublin, CA Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- DMC Ch. 5.60, Heritage Tree Ordinance
- Diameter threshold
- 24 inches at 4.5 feet above grade
- Protected species
- Oak, bay, cypress, maple, redwood, buckeye, sycamore
- Protection plan required
- Before demolition, grading, or building permit
- Civil penalty
- 2x appraised tree value
Summary
Dublin, California protects heritage trees, oaks, bays, cypresses, maples, redwoods, buckeyes, and sycamores with a trunk 24 inches or more in diameter, plus any tree required by a development approval, on every parcel in the city, developed or not.
“Heritage tree” means any of the following: 1. Any oak, bay, cypress, maple, redwood, buckeye and sycamore tree having a trunk or main stem of twenty-four (24) inches or more in diameter measured at four (4) feet six (6) inches above natural grade; 2. A tree required to be preserved as part of an approved development plan, zoning permit, use permit, site development review or subdivision map; 3. A tree required to be planted as a replacement for an unlawfully removed tree.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2-26, passed March 3, 2026).
Full Breakdown
030, reaching private property, residential and nonresidential zones, and developed and undeveloped land alike. 040 defines a heritage tree by species and a trunk diameter of 24 inches or more measured at four feet six inches above natural grade for oak, bay, cypress, maple, redwood, buckeye and sycamore trees, and also sweeps in any tree a development approval required the owner to preserve or any tree planted to replace one that was unlawfully removed. 090 requires that plan to be prepared and signed by a certified arborist, cover excavation, trenching, materials storage, stormwater runoff and soil compaction risks, and be approved by the Community Development Director, who may require an arborist on site during grading.
100 requires the applicant to post a cash bond or security deposit sized to the trees' appraised value, held for up to one year after public improvements are accepted and forfeited as a civil penalty if a protected tree is destroyed. 110.
Violations & Fines
Section 5.60.120 makes unlawful removal, destruction, or damage of a heritage tree subject to a civil penalty equal to twice the tree's appraised value, plus the city's appraisal costs, and requires the violator to replace the tree with a new one of comparable species at a size and location the Director sets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size tree counts as a heritage tree in Dublin?
Do I need a tree protection plan for a heritage tree during construction?
What happens if a heritage tree is destroyed without authorization in Dublin?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dublin
California rules heatmap·Compare Dublin to another location·View the California tree protection overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Heritage & Protected Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle heritage & protected trees.