San Leandro, CA Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Trunk diameter 6+ inches at 4.5 ft
- Basis for protection
- Size, age, prominence, or habitat value
- Decision-maker
- Site Plan Approval body, case by case
- Drip-line grading
- Prohibited without prior approval
- Security
- Bond may be required for damage/loss
Summary
San Leandro has no citywide list of protected tree species; instead, Zoning Code Section 4.16.112.B lets the Site Plan Approval decision-maker require preservation of any "significant" tree on a development site based on its size, age, neighborhood prominence, or habitat value.
B. Preservation or Replacement of Trees. 1. Ability to Require Preservation or Replacement. The "Site Plan Approval" decision-maker may require that significant trees be preserved, and/or that replacement trees be provided within the final landscape plan for the project. A tree may be found to be significant due to its size, age, prominence in the neighborhood's landscape, and/or habitat value. 2. Applicant Must Identify Protection Measures. Final grading and landscape plans for the project (as submitted at the building/grading permit stage) shall specify tree protection measures for those trees that were either identified on the applicant's plan to be preserved, or were required to be preserved as a condition of Site Plan, Use Permit or Planned Development approval. 3. Grading Prohibited Within Drip-lines. No grading shall occur within the drip-line of a tree designated and/or required to be preserved unless approval of such grading was given at the time the project was approved or unless the Zoning Enforcement Official has subsequently reviewed and approved plans for such additional grading.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4967405; v8 updated 2026-07-06).
Full Breakdown
San Leandro's tree protection runs through development review rather than a standing list of named species. A. The decision-maker can also require a certified arborist's tree report covering health, appearance, and suitability for preservation. B gives the Site Plan Approval decision-maker discretion to require that a tree be preserved, or that replacement trees be planted, if the tree qualifies as "significant" because of its size, age, prominence in the neighborhood's landscape, or habitat value; there is no fixed species list, so the determination is made project by project.
Once a tree is designated for preservation, the applicant must specify protection measures on the final grading and landscape plans submitted at the building or grading permit stage, and the Zoning Enforcement Official can require a bond or security deposit to cover replacement if the tree is later damaged or destroyed. No grading is allowed within the drip-line of a protected tree unless it was approved with the original project or the Zoning Enforcement Official signs off on revised grading plans afterward. D.
Violations & Fines
Grading within a protected tree's drip-line without approval, or removing a tree the decision-maker designated for preservation, is enforced through the City's standard administrative citation process under Section 1-12-415, and the City can also draw on any bond or security posted for the tree under Section 4.16.112.B.2 to fund its replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does San Leandro protect specific tree species like oaks?
Can I remove a large tree on my property in San Leandro without City review?
What happens if a preserved tree is damaged during construction?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Leandro
California rules heatmap·Compare San Leandro to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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Protected Tree Species in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle protected tree species.