Orange, CA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit needed for
- Planting AND removal in parkway
- Issuing authority
- Public Works Director/City Engineer
- Species rule
- Must be on Council's approved list
- Appeal window
- 15 days to Public Works Dept.
- Violation
- Misdemeanor via § 1.08.010
- Hazard correction notice
- 10 days before City abates
Summary
Nobody may plant or remove a tree, shrub, stake or tree guard in an Orange parkway or public right-of-way without a City permit, and only species on the Council's approved street tree list may go in the ground, under Municipal Code Chapter 12.28.
No person shall plant, or remove, any tree or shrub, stakes or tree guards in, or upon, any public street or right-of-way, without having first obtained a permit as required by this chapter. ... Every person planting or arranging for the planting of street trees shall obtain a permit required by this chapter from the Director of Public Works/City Engineer and perform the work in accordance with the specifications prepared by the Public Works Director/City Engineer. ... Only trees on this recommended list may be planted on any public street, parking strip, public right-of-way, parkway, or where said trees may overhang on any public street.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4796775; v10 updated 2026-01-27).
Full Breakdown
030 places that permitting duty on both the person planting street trees and the person removing them, requiring the work to follow specifications the Public Works Director/City Engineer files in that office. 010 as the area from the back of the curb to the edge of the right-of-way (or from pavement edge to right-of-way edge where there is no curb). 100. 060). 070). An agent of the City may inspect trees that could obstruct sightlines or endanger the public and can declare a hazardous tree a nuisance, giving the owner 10 days to correct it before the City removes it and bills the owner. 045, whose decision is final.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Chapter 12.28, including unpermitted planting or removal in the parkway, is a misdemeanor punishable under the general penalty provision, Section 1.08.010 (referenced by Section 12.28.130). In addition to that penalty, any condition violating the chapter is deemed a public nuisance under Section 12.28.140 and may be summarily abated by the City, with the Director able to order correction of a hazardous tree within 10 days of written notice before the City removes it and assesses the cost to the property owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant my own tree in the parkway strip in front of my Orange house?
Who has to get the removal permit, the resident or the tree company?
What if the City denies my parkway tree permit application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange
California rules heatmap·Compare Orange to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle parkway planting.