Paramount, CA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

Chapter 12.32 defines the pieces. A parkway is the portion of a public right-of-way available for landscaping and not for curb, gutter or pavement, and parkway trees are trees planted in residential or commercial areas located between the curb and the sidewalk. Public right-of-way trees on major arterial and secondary roadways are the City's responsibility. The City representative is the Public Works Director or designee, who administers and enforces the chapter and has the authority and duty to plant, trim, prune and care for trees, shrubs and plants in any street, alley or public right-of-way (§ 12.32.020).

Owner duties (§ 12.32.030(A)). Public right-of-way and park trees are maintained by the Public Works Department or its designated contractors. The owner of private property in any residential zone whose property includes a parkway tree must provide adequate water to the tree, notify the Public Works Department of suspected hazards or maintenance needs, and landscape and properly maintain the parkway landscaping adjacent to the property.

Planting and spacing. Trees indigenous to the area, and/or suitable for the local climate as determined by the City representative and/or landscape architect, should be used, and site layout has to provide shade as appropriate for the available root and tree canopy space. Street trees are encouraged to shade pedestrian paths, sidewalks and walkways in residential developments.

Pruning, topping and removal. Pruning follows ANSI A300 Standards and International Society of Arboriculture recommendations. The City can prune a tree on private property that encroaches on the public right-of-way after written notice to the owner. Topping, the cutting of limbs back to stubs larger than three inches in diameter, is unlawful for any public right-of-way, park or parkway tree, except that storm-damaged trees and certain trees under utility wires can be topped at the sole discretion of the City representative. Under § 12.32.040 no person shall remove, cut, trim, prune, injure or interfere with a parkway, right-of-way or park tree, while the City representative can remove any tree that is unsafe, damaging to sewers or utilities, or affected by disease or pests. Parkway ground cover is governed separately by § 12.32.050.