Antioch, CA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

623, in the Encroachments chapter of Title 7, governs what residents may plant in the parkway strip between the sidewalk and curb. Subsection (A) bars planting or erecting any tree, hedge, fence, or shrub in a watercourse or right-of-way without a permit, and separately bars any planting that blocks an existing sidewalk walkway or impairs sight distance for pedestrians or vehicles. Subsection (B) requires that all trees and shrubs planted in a public planting strip or elsewhere on public streets conform in species, spacing, and location to the Schedule of Acceptable Trees for Street Planting issued and approved by the City Engineer, meaning residents cannot simply choose any species for the parkway.

Under subsection (C), the City Engineer or an authorized representative may trim, prune, or remove any tree, hedge, shrub, or vegetation in a public street, planting strip, or public easement that does not conform to the chapter or that endangers public facilities. Subsection (D) makes it a violation to abuse, destroy, or mutilate a parkway tree, or to attach signs, posters, wire, or rope to one, or to let a harmful substance reach its roots or leaves. Subsection (E) puts maintenance duty on the permittee or adjacent property owner, who must keep plantings neat and orderly; if not maintained, the City Engineer can order removal and restoration at the owner's expense.

Subsection (F) separately allows a lawn to be planted and kept in the right-of-way without a permit, provided it stays clear of the traveled way, gutters, and drainage facilities.