Redlands, CA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Sections 12.52.050(C) and 12.52.160(B)
- Plan authority
- Public works superintendent drafts the plan
- Approval body
- City council adopts plan by resolution
- Species rule
- Only official street trees allowed in parkways
- Donated trees
- Permit fee waived, species list still applies
Summary
Redlands controls what may be planted in the parkway, the strip of ground between the sidewalk and the curb, through a master street tree plan the city council adopts by resolution. City Code Section 12.52.050(C) requires all planting to conform to that plan once adopted, and Section 12.52.160(B) makes it a violation to plant any species other than an approved official street tree in a parkway, median, or traffic island.
Formulate a master street tree plan with the advice and recommendation of the parks and recreation advisory commission and the street tree committee. The master street tree plan shall specify the species of trees to be planted on each of the streets and other public places within the city. From and after the effective date of the city council's adoption of the master street tree plan, and any amendment thereof, all planting shall conform thereto.
Full Breakdown
050(C), working with the parks and recreation advisory commission and the street tree committee. The plan must specify the species of trees to be planted on each street and other public place in the city, and once the council adopts it, all planting must conform to it. The superintendent has to weigh existing and future utility and environmental factors when recommending species, and may propose amendments to the council at any time. 020 defines the 'parkway or tree lawn' as the part of a street not covered by sidewalk or pavement, lying between the property line and the curb or edge of pavement, and defines an 'official street tree' as a species designated in the master street tree plan.
140(A) requires a director-issued permit before anyone plants a public tree, and parkway plantings under that permit must use species matching the master plan. 160(B) separately lists planting a non-official species in a parkway, median, or traffic island as a prohibited act. 150(E) waives the permit fee, though not the permit itself, for donated trees planted in parkways, provided the planting is not required through a discretionary permit condition and the species conforms to the approved street tree list; the code treats the donation as a gift to the city.
Violations & Fines
Planting an unapproved species in a parkway, median, or traffic island violates Section 12.52.160(B), and planting any public tree without the director's permit violates Section 12.52.140(A). The city attorney may charge either as a misdemeanor or an infraction under Section 12.52.220, carrying the citywide general penalty: up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail for a misdemeanor, or escalating infraction fines of $100, $200 and $500 under Sections 1.20.010 and 1.20.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant any tree I want in the parkway strip next to my Redlands property?
Who decides which tree species go in Redlands parkways?
Do I need a permit to plant a tree in the parkway, and does it cost anything?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redlands
California rules heatmap·Compare Redlands to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle parkway planting.