Moreno Valley, CA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Interior lot spacing
- ~40 feet on-center, min. 1 tree
- Corner lot rule
- 1 tree short frontage, 2 long
- Placement
- 1-2 feet inside private property line
- Extra tree
- 1 added front-yard shade tree required
- Governing section
- § 9.17.040(B), (C)
Summary
New single-family lots in Moreno Valley must plant a street tree roughly every 40 feet on-center, with at least one tree per lot, set one to two feet inside the private side of the property line. Species come from the city's official 'Street, Park and Parkway List.' Municipal Code § 9.17.040 sets the spacing and placement standards.
B. Street trees are installed a minimum of one foot, and a maximum of two feet, on the private side of the property line (single-family residential lots) or in the public right-of-way for all other projects... C. Single-family Residential Design. Trees shall be planted as follows, noting that spacing adjustments may be granted by the planning division: 1. Interior Lot. Street trees shall be planted approximately 40 feet on-center within the property line, with a minimum of one tree per lot. 2. Corner Lot. Street trees shall be planted approximately 40 feet on center, with a minimum of one tree per short frontage, two trees per long frontage.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4887234; v10 updated 2026-04-07).
Full Breakdown
040, 'Street trees,' requires new development to plant from the city's 'Street, Park and Parkway List,' which assigns tree species to major streets; where a street is not on the list, the species already established by adjacent development controls, and a first-time developer must get city approval for a single species per street. Subsection B sets the placement: street trees go a minimum of one foot and a maximum of two feet inside the private side of the property line for single-family residential lots, or within the public right-of-way for all other project types, with care taken to avoid water, gas and sewer laterals.
Subsection C sets single-family spacing: interior lots need a street tree approximately every 40 feet on-center with a minimum of one tree per lot; corner lots need trees at roughly 40 feet on-center with at least one tree on the short frontage and two on the long frontage; reverse-frontage lots also use the 40-foot spacing; and every single-family lot must add one more tree in the front yard beyond the required street tree, specifically to shade the residence for energy savings. Subsection D applies the same 40-foot-on-center rule to commercial, industrial, multifamily, institutional, park and parkway projects. The planning division may grant spacing adjustments where site conditions require them.
Violations & Fines
Street tree planting is checked at landscape plan approval and final inspection for new development rather than through routine patrol enforcement. A project that fails to install the required spacing, species or front-yard shade tree can be held up at final inspection or certificate of occupancy; installing or removing street trees contrary to an approved plan is a municipal code violation, chargeable as an infraction ($100 to $500 escalating) or misdemeanor (up to $1,000 and six months) under §§ 1.01.200 and 1.01.230.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far apart do street trees need to be in Moreno Valley?
Where exactly does the street tree go on my lot?
Do I have to plant an extra tree besides the street tree?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Moreno Valley
California rules heatmap·Compare Moreno Valley to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle parkway planting.