The City of Petaluma contains a variety of both native and non-native trees. Trees are a source of great beauty, provide shade and other environmental benefits, enhance property values, create community identity, and generally enhance the quality of urban life. Trees also serve to mitigate some of the known effects of global warming and climate change. The City is committed to planting new trees, as well as protecting existing trees to the greatest extent possible.

This Chapter provides regulations for the protection, preservation, and maintenance of groves and stands of mature trees, and mature trees in general. The City’s objective is to establish regulations that will result in no net loss of tree canopy in the community. It is also the intent of this Chapter to promote and perpetuate the urban forest through the replacement of trees removed as a result of a new development.