Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 13.25 regulates removal, trimming, and replacement of trees in public rights-of-way. No person may remove a street, parkway, or park tree without authorization from the Public Works Department / City Council. Private-property tree removal is unregulated for most species, but on parcels above one-half acre the County tree ordinance (Ord. 559) applies.
Chapter 13.25 of the Riverside Municipal Code covers Trees, Shrubs, and Subterranean Vegetation in the public right-of-way (parkways, street medians, public parks). Section 13.25.020 covers removal, trimming, and tree-replacement and requires Public Works approval for any removal, with permitted grounds limited to disease, pest infestation, public safety, traffic visibility, or utility interference. Removal must conform to the City's Urban Forestry Policy Manual and Master Street Tree Planting List, which limits any single species to no more than 5% of total City trees to prevent monoculture pest epidemics. For larger private parcels (over one-half acre) in the unincorporated Inland Empire above 5,000 ft elevation, Riverside County Ordinance No. 559 separately requires a permit before removing any living native tree. Within City limits the general rule is: street/parkway/park trees = permit always; private interior trees = generally allowed, except for designated heritage or oak species.
Unauthorized removal of a city-owned street, parkway, or park tree is a municipal code violation enforceable under Riverside Municipal Code Title 1 general penalty provisions (infraction up to $100 first / $200 second / $500 subsequent, or misdemeanor up to $1,000 and/or 6 months). Under the County companion ordinance (Ord. 559), an illegally removed protected tree requires replacement with a minimum 5-gallon nursery tree of the same species planted within six months, plus restitution to the City for the assessed value of the lost tree.
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