Pomona, CA Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)
Key Facts
- Protected size
- Oak trunk diameter over 8 inches at 4.5 ft
- Trim permit
- Minor Oak Tree Permit, staff-level review
- Remove/relocate permit
- Major Oak Tree Permit, Planning Commission hearing
- Hearing notice
- 10 days, mailed within 400 feet
- Permit validity
- 30 days, one 30-day extension
- Replacement ratio
- 1:1, 24-in. box (res.) or 36-in. box (comm.)
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under City Code Sec. 1-7(c)
Summary
Pomona protects mature oak trees over 8 inches in diameter citywide, plus specimen (heritage) oaks named in City Council Resolutions No. 62-65 and No. 73-68. Removing, relocating, trimming or cutting a protected oak without a Major or Minor Oak Tree Permit is a misdemeanor under the Zoning and Development Code.
Specimen Tree. Means any tree designated as a "specimen tree" pursuant to City Council Resolutions No. 62-65 and No. 73-68. ... The purpose of this Section is to promote the public health, safety and welfare by providing for the preservation of mature Oak trees located within the city. ... A person must not trim, prune, cut, relocate or remove any Oak tree subject to the provisions of this Section unless a valid Major or Minor Oak Tree Permit has been issued by the City pursuant to provisions of this Section. ... Any person who trims, prunes, cuts, relocates or removes an Oak tree(s) tree with a diameter greater than eight (8) inches as measured 4.5 feet above the mean natural grade in violation of this Section will be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, may be punished as set forth in Section 1-7 (c) of the Pomona City Code.
Full Breakdown
S of the Pomona Zoning and Development Code (adopted July 1, 2024) governs oak tree preservation citywide. 5 feet above natural grade, located outside designated Historic Districts and Historic Landmarks and not already designated a Specimen Tree. Specimen Trees are the code's heritage-tree category: trees formally designated under City Council Resolutions No. 62-65 and No. 73-68, listed in the code's Table 1 (currently including California Live Oaks near Old City Hall and on Mission Boulevard, a Deciduous Oak at Mt. San Antonio Gardens, and a Southern Live Oak on Berkshire).
Anyone wanting to trim a protected oak needs a Minor Oak Tree Permit, reviewed administratively by the Planning Manager and City Arborist; relocating or removing one needs a Major Oak Tree Permit, which requires a Planning Commission public hearing noticed at least 10 days out and mailed to owners within 400 feet. Major permits require specific findings, such as that removal won't cause unmitigated erosion, that the tree seriously impedes an approved use, or that disease or fall danger can't be remedied. Permits expire in 30 days, with one 30-day extension available at no fee.
Removed oaks must be replaced one-to-one: a 24-inch box tree on residential property or a 36-inch box tree on institutional, commercial or industrial property. Exemptions cover City Arborist-directed trimming on city property, deadwooding, nursery stock, railroad and Caltrans/County Flood Control rights-of-way, and utility trimming needed to correct an immediate hazard, subject to a required field inspection within 10 days.
Violations & Fines
Trimming, cutting, pruning, relocating or removing a protected oak without a valid Oak Tree Permit is a misdemeanor punishable as set forth in Pomona City Code Section 1-7(c). If a protected oak dies within three years of a conviction, the convicted person must pay the City the ISA-calculated dollar value of a replacement tree of equal size plus installation costs, remitted to fund a new oak planted in the same City Council district. Uncorrected work found nonconforming at final inspection must be fixed within 7 days of written notice from the Planning Manager or it likewise constitutes a misdemeanor per tree.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a heritage or specimen tree in Pomona?
Do I need a permit to trim a protected oak in my yard?
What happens if I remove a protected oak without a permit?
How many replacement trees does removing one oak require?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pomona
California rules heatmap·Compare Pomona to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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Heritage & Protected Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle heritage & protected trees.