Montebello, CA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Planting strip
- area between curb and property line
- Planting easement
- strip along front/side lot lines
- Prohibited items
- shrubs, fences, rocks, gravel, signs, stakes
- New trees
- must come from approved list (Sec. 12.08.040)
- Maintenance duty
- abutting property owner
Summary
In the City of Montebello, planting strips and easements along streets are reserved for city-approved street trees. Owners cannot place shrubs, fences, rocks or signs there, and new or replacement street trees must come from the superintendent's approved list. Abutting owners must keep the strip weed-free.
"Planting easement" means strips of land along the front or sidelines of lots abutting streets, avenues and public thoroughfares. "Planting strip" means the area between the curb, or the place where the curb should be, and the adjacent property line. ... A.No person shall plant or place shrubs, low-growing trees, flowers, vines, fences, rocks, gravel, signs, stakes, or any other object excepting sidewalks, driveways, watering basins for young trees, and temporary protection for newly planted lawns; or cause or create conditions of uneven ground holes or other hazards in planting strips and planting easements in the city.B.The superintendent shall require planting of street trees within planting strips or planting easements in any new subdivision in conformity with the plan and the list.C.It shall be the sole responsibility of the property owner to properly maintain all planting strips and planting easements abutting his property, regardless of whether the property is developed. This maintenance shall include keeping such strips free from weeds or any obstructions deemed contrary to the public safety, in conformity with the plan.
Full Breakdown
Montebello Municipal Code Section 12.08.010 defines a 'planting easement' as strips of land along the front or side lines of lots abutting streets, and a 'planting strip' as the area between the curb, or where a curb should be, and the adjacent property line. Section 12.08.050(A) bans placing shrubs, low-growing trees, flowers, vines, fences, rocks, gravel, signs or stakes in these strips, except sidewalks, driveways and watering basins for young trees, and bans creating hazards like uneven ground or holes. Subsection (B) directs the superintendent to require street tree planting within these strips in new subdivisions, following the city's planting and maintenance plan and approved tree list, both of which the superintendent prepares for council approval under Sections 12.08.020 and 12.08.030.
Section 12.08.040 confines new and replacement plantings citywide to shade and ornamental trees drawn from the current list. Subsection (C) places sole responsibility on the abutting property owner to maintain the strip, including keeping it free of weeds and any obstruction contrary to public safety, whether or not the property is developed.
Violations & Fines
Placing a prohibited object in a planting strip or easement, or failing to maintain it, violates Section 12.08.050. Chapter 12.08 sets no separate fine for this section, so Section 1.12.010's general penalty applies: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, or, at the city attorney's discretion, an infraction with escalating fines of $100, $200 and $500. The city may also abate a noncompliant strip as a public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a fence or gravel in the parkway strip in front of my Montebello house?
Who decides what trees can be planted along Montebello streets?
Am I responsible for maintaining the parkway strip next to my property?
What's the difference between a planting strip and a planting easement in Montebello's code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montebello
California rules heatmap·Compare Montebello to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle parkway planting.