Petaluma, CA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- PMC § 13.08.020
- Approval source
- City-approved street tree list
- Adopted by
- City council resolution
- Enforcement
- Director of public works
- Violation class
- Infraction under § 13.08.090
Summary
Anyone planting a tree in a Petaluma public street or right-of-way must use the city's approved street tree list and planting standards under Petaluma Municipal Code Section 13.08.020. The tree advisory committee recommends that list, and the city council adopts and can amend it by resolution.
Any person planting or setting out any tree, or causing or procuring any person to plant or set out any tree, in or on any part of any public street or right-of-way area in the city shall undertake and complete said placement in accordance with the city-approved street tree list and planting standards. ... The tree advisory committee of the city shall consult with parks, public works and planning staff and shall recommend to the city council who, by resolution, shall adopt a list of trees approved for planting within public rights-of-way.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2931 NCS, passed July 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
020 requires anyone planting or setting out a tree, or arranging for someone else to plant one, in any public street or right-of-way area of Petaluma to complete the planting according to the city-approved street tree list and planting standards. 030 has the tree advisory committee consult with the parks, public works and planning staff and recommend a list of approved trees to the city council, which adopts it by resolution and may amend it, add planting requirements, or update it over time; the current resolution is filed with the city clerk and the directors of public works, planning and parks, and copies are available to the public. 010. 050, and the city can order it trimmed or removed at the owner's expense if the owner does not act.
Violations & Fines
Planting a street tree that isn't on the city-approved list, or otherwise violating the planting standards, is punishable as an infraction under Section 13.08.090, along with a requirement to replace any illegally removed, damaged or mutilated tree with a healthy one that conforms to the approved list. The city can also pursue abatement of a nonconforming or hazardous planting as a public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant any tree species in the parking strip in front of my Petaluma house?
Who decides which trees are on Petaluma's approved street tree list?
What happens if I plant an unapproved tree in the right-of-way?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Petaluma
California rules heatmap·Compare Petaluma to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle parkway planting.