Riverside, CA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

25 (Tree and Shrub Supervision) puts all public-street plantings under Commission and Council control. 010 bars planting along public streets except under policies established by the Park, Recreation and Community Services Commission and approved by the City Council, or at a place specifically set apart and authorized for that purpose. 020 extends the same control to removal, cutting, pruning, or trimming of street trees and shrubs, and separately bans anyone not authorized by Commission policy from trenching around or alongside a tree or shrub in a way that would cut its roots.

030 puts the Commission, subject to City Council approval, in charge of general care and supervision policy and gives it sole authority to select which tree varieties are planted along city streets. 040 preserves the City Council's independent power to order removal of any street shrub or tree whenever the Council decides it's necessary to improve a street or alley, regardless of the rest of the chapter. Separately, Riverside's subdivision improvement standards require new developments to plant street trees in parkway areas, with variety, size, and condition prescribed by the Park, Recreation and Community Services Department and maintained by the developer until the City accepts the improvements. 06.