Chula Vista, CA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- Any planting in a public right-of-way
- Issuing authority
- Director of Public Works
- Setback from intersections
- 30 feet, shrubs over 2 feet tall
- Spacing requirement
- 20 feet apart, shrubs over 2 feet tall
- Prohibited plantings
- Hedges, cacti, dense thorny shrubs
- Governing chapter
- CVMC Chapter 12.32
Summary
No one may plant a tree, palm, shrub or plant in a Chula Vista street or other public right-of-way without a Public Works Director permit specifying the kind, variety and location. Shrubs over two feet tall must sit at least 30 feet from intersections and 20 feet apart, and hedges, cacti and dense thorny shrubs are barred outright.
12.32.040 Approval and permit required. No tree, palm, shrub or plant shall be planted in any of the streets or other public rights-of-way of the City until the Director of Public Works shall have first approved the kind and variety, designated the location therefor, and granted the permit for planting the same. The person obtaining such permit shall comply with all of the terms and conditions thereof. ... 12.32.060 Height and other restrictions. Shrubs or plants attaining more than two feet in height may be planted in the public rights-of-way; provided, that: A. They are not planted within 30 feet of any intersection; and B. They are spaced not closer than 20 feet apart. Hedges, cacti or dense thorny shrubs are prohibited as planting on any public rights-of-way.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3623, passed May 19, 2026).
Full Breakdown
32, Street Plantings, controls all planting in the public right-of-way. 040, no tree, palm, shrub or plant may be planted in a street or public right-of-way until the Director of Public Works approves the kind and variety, designates the planting location, and issues a permit; the permit holder must comply with all stated conditions. 050). 060). 190 requires owners, lessees or agents of multifamily, commercial and industrial property to maintain the right-of-way strip between the property line and curb, including keeping it free of weeds and debris.
020(G) as a woody perennial plant with a single main axis commonly reaching 10 feet in height and capable of developing a branch-free trunk at least nine feet tall.
Violations & Fines
Planting without first securing a Director of Public Works permit under CVMC 12.32.040, or planting a shrub over two feet tall closer than 30 feet to an intersection or closer than 20 feet to another plant under CVMC 12.32.060, violates Chapter 12.32; hedges, cacti or dense thorny shrubs are barred regardless of spacing. The chapter's general penalty framework applies through the City's standard misdemeanor/infraction enforcement for right-of-way violations, and the Director of Public Works may deny, condition or revoke approval for noncompliant plantings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to plant a tree in the parkway strip in Chula Vista?
How close to an intersection can I plant a tall shrub in the right-of-way?
Can I plant a hedge along the street in Chula Vista?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chula Vista
California rules heatmap·Compare Chula Vista to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Diego County handle parkway planting.