Rohnert Park, CA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- RPMC Chapter 12.24, Public Tree Care
- Planting authority
- Director of public works keeps the approved species list
- Planting strip
- Open soil area between curb and sidewalk
- Street tree size
- Trunk over 6.25 in. circumference or 2 in. diameter
- Spacing
- Director sets minimum distance between tree species
- Permit needed
- Written application required before planting under Sec. 12.24.050
Summary
Rohnert Park's public works director keeps an approved list of trees that may go into the planting strip next to city streets, or within five feet of a street or sidewalk, and can set minimum spacing between species. A tree becomes a regulated 'street tree' once its trunk passes set size thresholds and half of it sits in the right-of-way.
"Street tree" means any tree having a single trunk circumference greater than six and twenty-five one hundredths inches or a diameter greater than two inches, a height of more than six feet, and one half or more of its trunk is within a public right of way or within five feet of the paved portion of a city street or a public sidewalk. ... The director of public works shall prepare a list of trees which may be planted within the planting strip adjacent to city streets or within five feet of the paved portion of a city street or a public sidewalk. A planting strip, as used in this section, is the open soil area that may exist between the curb and a sidewalk. The list of permitted street trees may be amended from time to time and may also specify minimum distances that shall be maintained between the various kinds of trees listed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
24, Public Tree Care, governs what can be planted along Rohnert Park streets. 25 inches or more. 040 puts the director of public works in charge of the actual planting list: the director prepares a list of trees approved for planting within the 'planting strip', defined in the same section as the open soil area that may exist between the curb and a sidewalk, or otherwise within five feet of the paved street or a sidewalk. That approved list can be amended from time to time, and the director can also set minimum spacing distances that must be kept between different kinds of trees on the list.
050, which requires an application identifying the number, species and location of the trees and lets the director review the request against factors including drainage, sightlines, utility conflicts and the tree's likely lifespan before approving or denying it.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 12.24 does not print a standalone fine schedule for planting outside the approved list or planting strip without director approval; enforcement runs through the city's general nuisance and administrative citation authority in Title 1, and the director of public works can deny or condition any planting application under Section 12.24.050 that does not meet the chapter's siting and species standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant any tree species in the parkway strip in Rohnert Park?
How close to the sidewalk can a tree go?
What makes a tree a regulated 'street tree' under Rohnert Park's code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rohnert Park
California rules heatmap·Compare Rohnert Park 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.