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

28, adopted by Ordinance 1855 NCS in 1991, protects only trees that have been formally designated to the city's official Heritage and Landmark Tree Register, not every tree in town. Property owners nominate their own trees to the director of community development for a fee set by city council resolution; a tree cannot be nominated over its owner's objection, though the director can also inventory public-land trees for nomination. Designation rests on specific findings: heritage trees must be an indigenous species of historic, cultural or environmental significance to the community, or a commemorative planting honoring a person or event, while landmark trees must show exceptional size or age for the species, unusual form or visual impact, or an association with a historically significant person, structure or event, including qualifying groves.

The Historic and Cultural Preservation Committee reviews nominations and adopts designations by recorded meeting minutes; once designated, the owner is notified by mail within thirty days and a notice of deed restriction is recorded against the property so future owners know the tree is protected. Once on the register, no one may remove or willfully destroy the tree, substantially alter its branches or foliage, or disturb the soil or add deleterious material within its drip line on public land without a permit from the director.

Removal permits require findings such as the tree blocking all permitted use of the property, disease or structural danger, root damage to a building, or loss of the qualifying criteria, and the director can condition removal on replacing the tree with a twenty-four-inch box specimen of similar character. Decisions may be appealed to the Historic and Cultural Preservation Committee following Title 21 zoning administrator procedures.