Beverly Hills Protected Trees: Heritage, Native and Urban Grove Rules

Beverly Hills requires a tree removal permit before anyone removes or damages a protected tree on single-family residential property. A tree is protected if it is a heritage tree (any species not on the native list, trunk circumference of 48 inches or more), a native tree from the city's list (24 inches or more), or part of an urban grove of 50 or more trees. Heritage and native trees are covered in the front and street-side yard areas; an urban grove is covered anywhere on the property.

Beverly Hills is its own city, so the City of Los Angeles tree rules do not apply inside city limits. Some homes with a Beverly Hills mailing address sit in the City of Los Angeles, so confirm the parcel's jurisdiction first. The rules below come from Article 29 of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code, Title 10, Chapter 3, titled "Regulation of Trees on Private Property."

Which trees does Beverly Hills protect?

The definitions in BHMC 10-3-2900 set three categories, and a "protected tree" is any tree in one of them:

• Heritage tree: a tree that is not on the city's native list, with a primary trunk circumference of 48 inches or more.
• Native tree: a tree on the city's official list of local native trees, adopted by council resolution, with a primary trunk circumference of 24 inches or more.
• Urban grove: 50 or more trees whose branches are each within 6 feet of the branches of another tree in the grove. Trees in a grove can be any size.

Both trunk measurements are taken 4 feet 6 inches above natural grade. The city measures circumference, the distance around the trunk, not diameter. An arborist report written in diameter has to be converted before it can be compared with the code.

Where on the lot does the permit rule apply?

BHMC 10-3-2901, subsection A, ties heritage and native trees to two zones of the lot. The first is the front yard. Where the house sits farther back than the required front setback, the protected zone runs from the front lot line back to the nearest point of the existing or proposed house. The street-side yard (typically on a corner lot) works the same way, measured from the street-side lot line.

The city's Private Property Tree Removal page puts it in plainer terms: a permit is needed for a protected tree "located between the house and any adjacent street," and no permit is needed for an individual tree outside that area unless it is part of an urban grove. Note the words "existing or proposed" in the code. A rebuild that moves the house forward or back also moves the line.

Category	Size at 4 ft 6 in	Approx. diameter	Where it is protected
Heritage tree	48 in circumference or more	about 15.3 in	Front and street-side yard areas
Native tree, city list	24 in circumference or more	about 7.6 in	Front and street-side yard areas
Urban grove	Any size	Any	Anywhere on the property

The diameter column is our own arithmetic (circumference divided by pi), added because many arborists and other cities measure diameter. The code itself uses circumference only.

Which species count as native?

Here the city's own documents disagree. The Protected Trees page and the city's FAQ list 16 species, among them coast live oak, valley oak, California sycamore, California bay, Fremont cottonwood and Arizona ash. The current tree removal permit application, revised February 9, 2023, prints a list of 13 species. Arizona ash, Fremont cottonwood and black cottonwood appear on the web page but not on the form.

The code points to a list adopted by council resolution and kept on file with Planning, Building and Safety, and Recreation and Parks. Neither document quotes that resolution. If a large ash or cottonwood stands in the front yard, ask Planning which list is in force before treating it as unprotected.

What does the permit application need?

Under subsection B of 10-3-2901, staff can issue a permit when at least one of nine conditions is met. The tree may be:

1. relocated on the same property without damage;
2. an immediate threat to health, safety or property;
3. dead or diseased, per a licensed arborist's written report;
4. damaging a sidewalk, street or other public property in a way that has created a public safety hazard;
5. damaging improvements on private property;
6. interfering with public utilities in a way that target pruning, done without damaging the tree, cannot fix;
7. a native tree replaced by a healthy native tree of the same size in the same setback area;
8. blocking an existing view of the Los Angeles area basin from a habitable building on the same property;
9. removable for the health of an urban grove, per an arborist.

The application asks for a site plan showing the trees, photos, the tree's circumference and location, and an arborist report. The form says the report "shall be included" with every application, while the code says the department "may request" one. Plan on providing it. Under subsection C, a tree that poses an imminent threat may be removed first and permitted afterwards.

A removal that fits none of the nine conditions is not an over-the-counter permit. Under BHMC 10-3-2902, the Planning Commission can still approve it if it finds removal will not adversely affect neighboring properties, the general welfare or safety of the area, or the city's "garden quality." Under 10-3-2901 F and G, where a project already needs a Planning Commission approval, the commission decides the tree permit with it and must find, among other things, that removal cannot reasonably be avoided by redesigning the project. Under 10-3-2901 H, removing 10 percent or more of the protected trees in an urban grove also goes to the commission, with notice. The code leaves the fee to council resolution, so check the current fee schedule.

What has to be planted back?

A native tree removed under the permit rules must be replaced by another native tree in at least a 36-inch box, under BHMC 10-3-2903. A tree taken from the front setback is replaced in the front setback, and one from the side setback in the side setback. The replacement then becomes protected itself and needs its own permit to remove later.

Section 10-3-2903 covers native trees only and sets no replacement size for heritage trees. The other replacement rule in Article 29 is the restitution option after a violation, described below.

What is exempt, and what applies during construction?

BHMC 10-3-2904 lists four exemptions. The two that matter most today:

• Trimming or pruning that does not damage the tree is exempt, including pruning for view preservation.
• Removal under a view restoration permit issued under section 10-8-106 is exempt. The city's FAQ says that, outside Trousdale Estates, the city generally does not regulate private trees that block a neighbor's view.

The other two exemptions cover approvals issued before November 19, 1991, and permits issued under Ordinance 91-O-2134.

During construction, BHMC 10-3-2905 lets the Building and Safety director require protection for any protected tree on the site, including a fence around the extended drip line and a ban on puncturing or scraping the trunk. Budget for that fencing in a remodel. It can shape where equipment and materials are staged.

What happens if a protected tree is removed without a permit?

BHMC 10-3-2906 makes a violation a misdemeanor, or a civil administrative matter, and each tree removed or damaged is a separate offense. On top of that, the city can require restitution: a healthy replacement tree of the same or similar species and size, or a cash payment equal to the tree's estimated replacement value as set by a city-approved arborist.

A mature tree missing from a front yard is worth a question to the seller about when and how it came out. A new owner's own project may also depend on a tree permit, so the tree's status shapes the plan before the first drawing.

Checklist before buying or redesigning a Beverly Hills lot

1. Confirm the parcel is inside Beverly Hills city limits.
2. Walk the front yard and any street-side yard and note every tree near 24 inches around at chest height.
3. Mark where the house face sits relative to the front setback, since that sets the protected zone.
4. Check species against both city lists and ask Planning about any ash or cottonwood.
5. Look for 50 or more trees with touching or close canopies anywhere on the lot.
6. If the plan removes a protected tree, find out whether it fits one of the nine staff-level conditions or needs the Planning Commission.
7. Price a 36-inch box native replacement and drip-line fencing into the budget.

Buyers comparing cities can see how Pasadena and Encino on the Los Angeles side handle the same question, and how Beverly Hills caps house size. Sellers with a mature tree in the front yard can start with a home valuation and the selling process; buyers can see how Alla works on the buying side.

This article summarizes Beverly Hills Municipal Code Article 29 and city publications as posted in October 2026 and is not legal or arborist advice. Confirm the current native tree list, fees and any pending amendments with the Beverly Hills Planning Division before removing or relying on a tree. Call Alla at (818) 699-5367 or use the enquiry form.

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More on the cities Alla covers: the area guides.