Moreno Valley, CA Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)

030(G) defines a 'heritage tree' three ways: any tree that defines the city's historical or cultural character, expressly naming older palm and olive trees, or any tree the city has designated as such by official action; any tree with a 15-inch diameter measured 24 inches above the ground; or any tree that has reached a height of 15 feet or more. ' The code then carves out four removal paths: the tree poses a dangerous or hazardous condition to people, structures, property or another heritage tree; the tree is diseased, dying or dead and a reasonable effort was made to preserve it first; the tree sits in a public or future right-of-way, removable with the community development director's approval after a reasonable preservation effort; or the tree was officially designated historic or culturally significant, which instead requires review by the city's ecological historical preservation board before removal.

Trees grown by nurseries and tree farms for resale are exempt from heritage status altogether. Because the 15-foot height and 15-inch diameter thresholds are broad, many mature trees on both residential and commercial lots in Moreno Valley can qualify as heritage trees without any separate city designation, meaning size alone can trigger the removal ban even without official landmark action.