San Marino, CA

A tree pruning permit is required when a homeowner wants to prune a city parkway tree located in front of their property. All work must be performed by a State of California licensed tree contractor.(C61/D49 Specialty Tree Pruning license with documented Workers Comp insurance and liability coverage naming the City of San Marino as an additional insured).

1. A tree pruning permit is not required when a homeowner wants to prune a tree located on private property. State of California requires any pruning of trees 15’ in height or greater be performed by an individual that possesses, at a minimum, a valid California State Contractors license (C27 or C61/D49).
2. A property owner is not required to obtain a permit for removing any foliage or branches from any established tree where the work is actually and solely performed by the property owner. Any work performed must follow these industry standards:
   • American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A300 Pruning Standards, ANSI Z133.1 Safety Standards
   • International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Tree Pruning Guidelines
   • ISA Best Management Practices: Tree Pruning
3. A tree pruning permit is not required when a property owner wants to prune trees and shrubs that are not designated as “established” that are located on their property.
4. No pruning permit is required to prune an established tree damaged by a storm, fire, or other natural disaster and determined to be dangerous by the city manager, any police officer, any firefighter, the Parks Director, the Planning and Building Director, or his / her designee. No person shall prune a damaged tree until such finding is made or unless such removal is otherwise exempt from the requirement to obtain a tree pruning permit.

• A tree removal permit is required when a homeowner wants to remove an established tree from their property.
• A tree removal permit is required when a homeowner wants to remove an established tree that is dead.

1. No permit is required for the removal of an established tree damaged by a storm, fire, or other natural disaster and determined to be dangerous by the City Manager, any police officer, any firefighter, the Parks Manager, the Planning and Building Director or his / her designee. No person shall remove a damaged tree until such determination has been made.
2. A permit to remove a tree is not required when a tree or shrub does not meet the criteria of an “established tree”.

The work that is being proposed on the tree removal / tree pruning permit may start when the homeowner information has been filled out, the tree contractor / maintenance gardener has been identified on the permit, the proposed work is stated on the permit, a designated city staff member has visited the property and approved the work to be done, and the homeowner has signed the permit for any conditions that are included regarding the work to be done.

When pruning is to be performed, the tree contractor / maintenance gardener is to follow the city guidelines. This includes following the International Society of Arboriculture guidelines to prune trees, pruning no more than 10% of foliage and branches on Oak trees, and pruning no more than 15%-20% of foliage and branches on the balance of all other trees in one pruning cycle. Below is a reference to specific industry guidelines that must be followed when pruning established trees.

• American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A300 Pruning Standards, ANSI Z133.1 Safety Standards
• International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Tree Pruning Guidelines
• ISA Best Management Practices: Tree Pruning

Severe pruning of a tree is defined as the removal of foliage or branches from an established tree in a manner that harms the shape, health or natural growth of the tree.

Topping is defined as reducing the height of a tree by cutting limbs back to a desired height without utilizing a proper lateral branch. Topping is not an acceptable pruning practice.

Branches should be removed at their place of origin or to a lateral branch that is at least one third the size of the limb from which it is being removed.

• The Planning and Building Department at City Hall has informational brochures on questions such as:
  • How to Prune Trees
  • How to Plant Trees
  • Why Trees Should Not Be Topped
  • Why You Should Hire an Arborist to Care For Your Trees
• The Planning and Building Department at City Hall has informational brochures on the City of San Marino Tree Preservation Ordinance.
• The Planning and Building Department has a staff member who is a Certified Arborist / Municipal Specialist and can answer tree care and City Ordinance questions.

Contact Code Enforcement Manager Ron Serven at 626-300-0789 or by email.

Violators will be subject to the payment of fines, and they will be required to submit a tree restoration plan. Additionally, violators may be subjected to attend an administrative hearing whereby the penalties could possibly result in a higher fine.

• California law provides that a person does not have an absolute right to cut tree branches or tree roots which encroach into his or her property from a neighbor’s tree. The person must act reasonably if he or she chooses to cut the encroaching branches or roots. He or she must take the health of the tree into account. The person may be liable to the neighbor should he or she damage the neighbor’s tree by cutting encroaching branches or roots.
• The property owner is encouraged to notify the owner of the tree that tree pruning is scheduled to be performed on the identified tree.
• A California State Licensed Contractor can prune the tree(s) in question.
  The tree must be pruned to City standards-15-20% of branches and leaves removed maximum, no topping.

Contact Park Foreman John Santillan by email.

The City maintains the trees in the easement only. Shrubs or grass are the
homeowner’s responsibility to maintain including trees that overhang alleys, sidewalks, and streets.

The trees planted in the city easement must conform to the Master Street Tree Plan or must be approved by an authorized city official.

For the purposes of this section, “parkway” shall mean the area between a sidewalk and curb and, where there is no sidewalk, the area between the curb and the edge of the City’s street easement. (Ordinances: 099-1135, 12-8-1999)

• Keep shrubs adjacent to a street or sidewalk and branches of trees not planted and maintained by the City trimmed to six inches back from the street or sidewalk up to a height of nine and one-half feet above the top of the curb or seven feet above the sidewalk.
• Keep all shrubs located within three feet of the curb trimmed to a height not to exceed 30 inches above curb height or such lower height as the traffic engineer determines is necessary for traffic or pedestrian safety.
• A. Install and, with the exception of trees planted by the City, maintain landscaping in the parkway in a neat, orderly and attractive condition

Yes. Call the Parks Department at 626-304-9648 for routine bee removal or 911 if the bees present an immediate threat.

No. If the bees are on private property or in a privately owned structure, the property owner should contact a commercial pest control operator to control bees unless there is an immediate threat, in which case the Fire Department can be contacted by dialing 911.