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Davis regulates trees under Davis Municipal Code ch. 37 (Tree Planting, Preservation and Protection), administered by the city's Urban Forestry Division (Public Works Utilities and Operations). The short version: Davis protects city trees — including many trees growing in front yards — plus landmark trees and trees of significance. Most other trees on single-family and duplex lots are not protected, unless they're tied to a building permit or a project approval. Here's what the code and the city's pages say.
Under DMC art. 37.01 (definitions), a city tree is any tree the city planted within the 10-foot easement on private property, plus trees in the public right-of-way, parks, greenbelts, and other city property. The "tree easement" is the ten-foot zone behind the sidewalk, or between curb and sidewalk (or, with no sidewalk, behind the curb, gutter, street edge, or property line at the street). So a tree in your front yard near the street may legally be a city tree even though it's on your lot.
The City of Davis – Tree Removal and Modification Requests page says that if you aren't sure whether a tree is a city tree or a private tree, you can request an ownership check from Urban Forestry by email ([email protected]) or phone (530-757-5633) — give your address and be specific about which trees.
Single-family and duplex lots: the code's definition of a "private/protected tree" excludes trees on single-family or duplex properties unless the trees were preserved as a condition of approval or as part of a planned development project description, or the property is associated with an active building permit or discretionary project review. The City of Davis – Tree Removal and Modification Requests page puts it plainly: private trees that would otherwise not be protected become protected when any permit is pulled for work on that property — it gives ADUs, pool installations, and driveway replacements as examples. Under DMC art. 37.03 (Landmark Trees and Trees of Significance) (§ 37.03.010), unimproved land zoned for single-family or duplex use is also subject to the tree-of-significance rules. And a landmark tree is protected no matter what kind of property it's on.
The city's page says an approved permit is required before any substantial pruning or removal of city trees or private/protected trees, and that work around these trees that may affect roots could also need a permit or city review. Under § 37.03.050, no one may cut down, remove, prune substantially, encroach into the tree protection zone, top, or relocate a landmark tree or tree of significance without a valid tree permit.
"Prune substantially" is defined in § 37.01.020 as removing any root or branch greater than a 1:5 ratio of the trunk's diameter, removing any branch or root greater than 3.5 inches in diameter, and/or removing more than 25% of the tree's total structural components. The "tree protection zone" is generally the tree's drip line (the outer edge of the canopy).
Section 37.02.010 also lists prohibited acts for city trees and private/protected trees, including substantially pruning a city tree even to clear branches overhanging your property, cutting roots in the protection zone in a way that harms the tree, paving that impedes water or air or compacts the soil, and grading that changes the grade by more than 2 inches around the trunk or within the protection zone. See DMC art. 37.02 (City Trees and Private/Protected Trees).
The City of Davis – Tree Removal and Modification Requests page has two forms: a City Tree Permit Application (for modifying or removing a city tree, on private or public property) and a Private/Protected Tree Permit Application (for substantial pruning or removal of private trees on commercial, multifamily, or HOA common-area property, including parking lots and shared green areas). According to that page:
Under §§ 37.02.050 and 37.02.070, the Urban Forestry director may approve a removal only with one or more findings, such as: the tree is damaged, diseased, or declining and can't be remedied without losing more than half its canopy; it's damaged, diseased, or declining and presents a potential risk that is or may become unacceptable; the species is undesirable, invasive, or inappropriate for the site; it's causing significant harm to property, improvements, or utilities; or there's no alternative to meet the applicant's reasonable goals for using the property. Pruning or other modification is approved only if it won't hurt the tree's health, there's no alternative, and the method meets accepted standards such as ISA's.
Conditions (§ 37.02.080) can include replacement trees on site or nearby and/or an in-lieu payment to the city's tree preservation fund, a tree protection plan, and keeping the permit conspicuously posted on the job site while work is happening. For trees removed in connection with a building permit or development project, § 37.03.060 calls for replanting so there's no net loss in total trunk diameter (minimum 5-gallon trees), or an in-lieu payment where replanting isn't feasible.
Appeals: under DMC art. 37.07 (Tree Permit Appeal Board), a decision can be appealed to the Tree Permit Appeal Board within 10 calendar days. For city tree permits, immediately adjacent single-family neighbors (and long-term tenants) also have a right to appeal — and the code says work can begin only after any required noticing or appeal period is complete. Build that into your schedule.
For landmark trees and trees of significance, § 37.03.050(b) allows pruning or removal in an emergency (when the tree is imminently hazardous or dangerous to life or property) upon notification to the director — and if notifying beforehand is impossible, notify the next day. Photograph the tree and the hazard before it's cut. See our emergency tree removal guide.
Under DMC art. 37.06 (violations) (§ 37.06.040), violating the chapter or a permit condition is a misdemeanor, and unauthorized removal or damage can bring a civil penalty equal to the tree's appraised value under the ISA Guide for Plant Appraisal, which can be satisfied with replacement trees and/or in-lieu payments. The city can also issue stop-work orders. Separately, § 37.06.020 declares certain conditions public nuisances — including a dead, diseased, or pest-infested tree on private property that threatens surrounding trees, and private trees overhanging the street that endanger the public.
For typical prices, see tree removal cost in Davis.
We don't do tree work ourselves. Tell us about your tree and we'll connect you with independent local tree professionals so you can compare written quotes. Always verify the contractor's license and insurance at cslb.ca.gov.
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