Elk Grove, CA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Street tree spacing
- at least every 50 feet
- Parkway minimum width
- 8 feet
- Sidewalk limb clearance
- 10 feet
- Street limb clearance
- 13 feet
- Dead tree replacement
- within 30 days
- Non-compliance remedy
- city lien after 30-day notice
Summary
Elk Grove's landscape design chapter requires a street tree planted at least every 50 feet along the parkway strip between the curb and sidewalk, with the parkway itself at least 8 feet wide to accommodate the tree. The standard applies to new development under EGMC § 23.54.050(E) and is enforced through the city's landscape maintenance and nuisance-abatement authority.
Landscape Corridors. Existing sidewalks (except at street intersections) and bus turnouts may meander from a minimum five (5' 0") foot setback to a maximum of twenty (20' 0") feet from the edge of pavement. The parkway area between the public street and the sidewalk shall be landscaped and planted with a street tree at least every fifty (50' 0") feet. The parkway shall be a minimum of eight (8' 0") feet in width for the location of the street tree.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4937385; v2 updated 2026-05-13; through 05-13-2026).
Full Breakdown
54 (Landscape Design) sets Elk Grove's tree planting standards for the public right-of-way. " The same section lets existing sidewalks and bus turnouts meander from a 5-foot to a 20-foot setback from the edge of pavement. A companion standard in subsection (A) sets a maximum spacing of 50 feet on center for street trees in the perimeter landscape planter along adjoining streets, located 5 to 10 feet from the back of the sidewalk, drawn from the City's approved screen-tree and shade-tree lists. 070, Maintenance. " Overhanging limbs must be trimmed to at least 10 feet above a sidewalk and 13 feet above a street.
If an owner lets parkway landscaping lapse, the City gives written notice; if the condition is not corrected within 30 days, the City may perform the maintenance itself and place the cost as a lien against the property until paid. These duties apply citywide to development-related landscaping in the public right-of-way, including the residential parkways common across Elk Grove's master-planned subdivisions.
Violations & Fines
Elk Grove enforces parkway landscaping through EGMC § 23.54.070(B): after 30 days' written notice of a maintenance lapse, the City may perform the work itself and record the cost as a lien on the property until paid in full by the owner, tenant, or agent. Because a code violation is also a public nuisance under EGMC § 1.04.050, unresolved cases can additionally be cited as an infraction, carrying fines of $100, $200, and $500 for a first, second, and third violation within 12 months under § 1.04.030.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far apart must street trees be planted in an Elk Grove parkway?
Who is responsible for maintaining a parkway tree in Elk Grove?
How much clearance must a parkway tree leave over the sidewalk?
What happens if a parkway tree dies?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elk Grove
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sacramento County handle parkway planting.