Davis, CA Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)

020 defines a tree of significance as any tree measuring five inches or more in diameter at breast height located on property used for commercial, multi-family housing, or residential care facilities, or in publicly accessible common space controlled by a Homeowner's Association. 03; the definition specifically excludes trees on single-family or duplex properties, unless those trees were preserved as a condition of project approval or as part of a planned development description. 010 makes it unlawful for anyone other than the city's director to cut, prune substantially, spray, brace, move, remove, replace, or damage any private/protected tree without authorization, listing specific prohibited acts including substantial pruning without a permit, attaching wire, rope, or signage to the tree, paving that impedes water or air within the tree protection zone, root cutting that harms tree health, and grading that changes grade by more than two inches around the trunk.

070 requires a private/protected tree permit application to the director, approved only on findings such as disease or decline beyond fifty percent canopy loss, an unacceptable safety risk, an undesirable or invasive species, or significant harm to property or utilities. 020 and measured at the time of permit application.