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

Lynwood Municipal Code § 13-2.2(m) defines a protected 'native tree' as any tree with a trunk more than eight inches in diameter, measured four and a half feet above natural grade, that belongs to one of five species: Quercus agrifolia (coast live oak), Quercus chrysolepis (canyon oak), Quercus engelmannii (Engelmann oak), Juglans californica (California walnut) or Tristania conferta (Brisbane box). Section 13-2.3(a) limits where that protection applies: native and specimen trees are protected in city parkways and in the established front yard, required side yard, established corner yard or required rear yard of single-family and multifamily residential property, and in all areas of every other zoning district in the city.

Section 13-2.15(b) makes it a prohibited act to injure or remove a native tree without a permit anywhere that protection applies. A property owner who wants to remove or injure a qualifying native tree must apply to the city engineer, and under § 13-2.11(a) the permit cannot be denied if the removal serves a public health, safety or welfare benefit that outweighs preservation, the tree is unlikely to survive, an objective feature makes it unsuitable for protection, denial would create substantial hardship, or a replacement landscape plan would grow a larger tree canopy than what is removed.

Applications are decided within fifteen working days of a complete submission (§ 13-2.11(b)), and denials or conditions may be appealed to the public safety/traffic and parking commission within ten working days (§ 13-2.11(c)).