Redding, CA Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)
Key Facts
- Plan approval
- Requires city council approval, § 13.40.020D
- Permit required for
- Planting, maintaining, removing or damaging a covered tree
- Appeal path
- Community services advisory commission, then city council (final)
- Penalty
- Up to $300 fine and/or 30 days jail, § 13.40.130
- Tree trimmer requirement
- Pass parks foreman exam, carry liability insurance
Summary
Redding protects its oldest and most distinctive trees through a council-approved Landmark and Heritage Tree Plan defined at Redding Municipal Code § 13.40.010(H), and no one may plant, maintain, remove or damage a tree in a city planting strip or public area without a written permit.
"Landmark and heritage tree plan" shall mean that plan developed by the commission designed to identify and preserve those trees which are unique because they are an outstanding specimen of a desirable species, are one of the largest or oldest trees in Redding, are of historical interest or are of distinctive form. The plan shall include trees worth saving, which are those trees that do not meet all of the criteria of the landmark and heritage tree plan but add significantly to the environment of the city.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 48).
Full Breakdown
010(H) defines the landmark and heritage tree plan as one developed by the community services advisory commission to identify and preserve trees that are unique because they're outstanding specimens of a desirable species, among the largest or oldest trees in Redding, of historical interest, or of distinctive form; the plan also covers lesser "trees worth saving" that don't meet every criterion but still add significantly to the city's environment. 020D requires the commission to develop that plan in addition to the city's general comprehensive tree plan, and the plan and any amendments must be approved by the city council before every applicable city department is directed to implement its goals.
030 makes it unlawful for anyone to plant, maintain, remove, replace or otherwise injure, deface or destroy any tree, tree stake, tree guard or tree well in a planting strip or public area without a written permit, a rule that covers work such as pouring concrete or gravel around a tree's roots or dumping deleterious matter near it. 070. 100.
Violations & Fines
Any act this chapter declares unlawful, including maintaining, removing, replacing or damaging a tree in a planting strip or public area without the required written permit, is a misdemeanor under § 13.40.130, punishable by a fine of up to $300, up to 30 days in jail, or both, and every day the violation continues counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a tree a "landmark or heritage tree" in Redding?
Who approves Redding's heritage tree list?
Do I need a permit to remove a city-owned street tree in Redding?
What's the penalty for cutting down a protected city tree without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redding
California rules heatmap·Compare Redding to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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