***This document is living. Refresh often.***

## Past Meetings

Wednesday, September 17 city counil passed the first reading of a new tree ordinance that has been pushed through the process haphazardly and manipulatively.  
Tuesday, September 23 (6:30) -- NREC meeting

## Upcoming Meetings

Wednesday, October 1 (7:00) -- City Council meeting for second and final reading

## Summary

Staff long ago stopped following the spirit of our tree ordinance. Unpermitted removals of healthy, significant trees receive $$200 fines. Hazardous exemptions are abused regularly. Replacement trees aren't going in the ground. Our urban forest is suffering. Our Co-Director of Public Works (responsible for trees), Michael Vartanians, showed up 18 months ago and almost proudly asserted "I don't know anything about trees." Now he's rewriting the tree ordinance.

What is being touted as removing red tape is in fact deregulation. It isn't a streamlining, it's a gutting.

Staff began by supposedly researching local cities but wound up ultimately comparing us to Claremont in their final presentation--a city with zero private property tree protections.

This completely new, not revised, ordinance:

1.  drops protection of *all* non-natives, nothing to stop removal, no replacement, no requirement not to damage/top/overprune, no requirement to have licensed/insured removal
2.  makes on-site replacement (for natives only) explicitly optional in all cases (see 34.5(k)(1), page 32 of the [Amended Additional Documents](https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/3617140/Memo_for_Item_No._21.pdf) -- added just hours before the council meeting where our City Attorney boasted having already had "4-5 public hearings")
3.  dramatically reduces replacement requirements (e.g. only 1 replacement tree for removal of a 20" coast live oak (with no requirement to replace on site), versus 8 replacement trees in Pasadena with 50% or at least 4 to be required on site)
4.  absolves public works of the requirement to pull a permit or notify residents of their intent to remove any tree anywhere in the city
5.  removes the notification and appeal process for neighbors (despite my appeal three years ago exposing a blatantly corrupted and off the rails tree authority)
6.  puts what remains, native removals, behind a single contracted city arborist's opinion (she doesn't take phone calls so I've never actually spoken to her in years of speaking to everyone)
7.  adds, with no details or clauses, fire/insurance defensible space removal/trimming (fire chief begins full scale landscape enforcement of entire hills Jan 2029)

## Comparison

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<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<td>
<th colspan=4>Protections
<th>Application
<th colspan=2>Replacement
<th>Violations
<th>Penalties
<th>Public Trees
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<th colspan=3>Healthy
<th>Exceptions
<td>
<th>Matrix
<th>On/Off-site
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<th>Native
<th>Non-Native
<th>Heritage
<td>
<td>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Current<br>(on paper)<br>
<a href=https://www.codepublishing.com/CA/SouthPasadena/#!/SouthPasadena34.html>code</a>
<td>>4"
<td>>12"
<td>yes?
<td>
<td>Notification upon approval, appeal by neighbors
<td>Non-native: 1 per 10"<br>
Native: 2 native per 10"
<td>ambiguous language -- director discretion
<td>ambiguous language -- requires adherance to ISA standards
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Current<br>(in practice)
<td>
<td>
<td>
<td>Poison/Earthquake/Fence/Foundation/Accident
<td>
<td>
<td>~$$400 per for off-site as default pathway
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Proposed<br>(City)<br>
[Latest 9/20/25 NREC agenda](https://www.southpasadenaca.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/boards-and-commissions/documents/natural-resources/00-september-23-2025-nrec-agenda-packet.pdf)
<td>>4"
<td>***NONE***
<td>
<td>
<td>Notification only upon denial, appeal by applicant
<td>
<td>
<td>
<td>
<td>No permit, no plan
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Proposed<br>(Community)
<td>>2"
<td>>8", encouraged removals list
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>San Marino <a href=https://cms9files.revize.com/cityofsanmarino/Tree%20Preservation%20(english).pdf>summary</a>, [trimming](https://sanmarinoca.gov/government/departments/community_development/tree_trimming_application.php), [ordinance](https://cms9files.revize.com/cityofsanmarino/Final%20Tree%20Protection%20Ordinance.pdf)
<td colspan=2>>4", >15' height (["heritage" species](#san-marino-heritage-species))<br>
>6", >15' height (all other species)
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Pasadena
<td>
<td>
<td>
<td>
<td>
<td>8-12", 6:1 15-gallon<br>
12-18", 8:1 15-gallon
<td>>50% on-site
</tr>
<tr>
<th rowspan=2>Alhambra [ordinance](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/alhambra/latest/alhambra_ca/0-0-0-136434)
<td>>12" or >15'
<td>>24" or >20'
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan=2>except sideyard
</tr>
<tr>
<th>San Gabriel [ordinance](https://www.sangabrielcity.com/1639/Tree-Preservation)
<td colspan=2>>6.5" front yard, >9.5" side yard, [protected list](#san-gabriel-protected-list)
<td>aura (age/location), >12" front yard, >19" side yard
</tr>
<tr>
<th rowspan=2>La Cañada Flintridge [ordinance](https://ecode360.com/43925956#43925956)
<td>R-1 Single-family RZ >12" Oak/Sycamore
<td>R-1 Single-family RZ (Historic Deodar District) >12" Deodar Cedar
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan=2>Non R-1 Single-family RZ >5' height
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Arcadia
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Sierra Madre
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Glendale
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Claremont
<td>***NONE***
<td>***NONE***
<td>Strong heritage program
<td>
<td>
<td>
<td>
<td>
<td>
<td>Strong street program
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Los Angeles City
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Los Angeles County
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Also: Burbank, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Monrovia, Culver City, Glendora, Covina, San Dimas, La Verne, Azusa, Baldwin Park, El Monte, West Covina, Duarte, Irwindale, South El Monte, Temple City, Montebello, Monterey Park, Rosemead

## Timeline

### 2025-09-23 NREC

[agenda packet](https://www.southpasadenaca.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/boards-and-commissions/documents/natural-resources/00-september-23-2025-nrec-agenda-packet.pdf)

### 2025-09-17 City Council

[item 21](https://d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net/southpasadena/ef61bf704b592858092e13afffcfcb4d0.pdf)

[memo](https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/3617140/Memo_for_Item_No._21.pdf)

[presentation](https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/3612368/Presentation_for_Item_No._21.pdf)

[video](https://www.spectrumstream.com/streaming/south_pasadena/2025_09_17.cfm)

### 2025-03-25 NREC

[agenda packet](https://www.southpasadenaca.gov/files/content/public/v/67/your-government/boards-commissions/natural-resources-and-environmental-commission/00-march-25-2025-nrec-agenda-packet2.pdf)

## Public Comments

Focused on undesirables.

### Earlier Council Meeting

<ul><li>Son wants italian cypress adjacent mother's home removed. [Unclear who owns the trees from comment]</ul>

### Council Study Session

<ul><li>Developer having a hard time removing mexican fan palms and tree of heaven ahead of development.</ul>

### Group Chat with District 1 Councilperson

-   Wants to remove a mexican fan palm and replace with three natives. Told has to go through the entire process.
-   Just want to perform defensible space clearance.
-   Eucalyptus is flammable.

## Appendix

### Tree Lists

#### San Gabriel Protected List

Corrections via ChatGPT5:

    Cupaniopsis anacardiopsis → Cupaniopsis anacardioides
    Erythina → Erythrina
    Podocarpus gracilor → Podocarpus gracilior
    Fiscus rubiginosa → Ficus rubiginosa
    Chorisia → Ceiba speciosa (modern accepted name)
    Sequoia empervirens → Sequoia sempervirens
    Sequoia giganteum → Sequoiadendron giganteum
    Liquidamber stryaciflua → Liquidambar styraciflua

$ san_gabriel = [
$   "Alnus",
$   "Arbutus unedo",
$   "Betula",
$   "Cedrus atlantica",
$   "Cedrus deodara",
$   "Ceiba speciosa",
$   "Cinnamomum camphora",
$   "Cupaniopsis anacardioides",
$   "Erythrina",
$   "Fagus",
$   "Ficus rubiginosa",
$   "Fraxinus",
$   "Ginkgo biloba",
$   "Jacaranda mimosifolia",
$   "Lagerstroemia indica",
$   "Liquidambar styraciflua",
$   "Liriodendron tulipifera",
$   "Magnolia grandiflora",
$   "Olea europaea",
$   "Pinus canariensis",
$   "Pinus pinea",
$   "Platanus racemosa",
$   "Podocarpus gracilior",
$   "Quercus",
$   "Schinus molle",
$   "Sequoia sempervirens",
$   "Sequoiadendron giganteum"
$ ]

#### San Marino Protected List

Corrections via ChatGPT5:

    Cedrus deodara (not deodora)
    Pinus thunbergii (instead of thunbergiana)
    Magnolia × soulangeana (proper hybrid notation)
    Ceiba speciosa (modern name for Chorisia speciosa)
    Corymbia citriodora (current accepted name for Lemon-scented Gum)
    Melaleuca quinquenervia (not Melaleauca)
    Jacaranda mimosifolia (not mimosifloria)
    Butia capitata (not capitate)
    Syagrus romanzoffiana (not romanzoffianam)
    Fixed Latin endings: siliqua, spp.

$ san_marino = [
$   "Alnus rhombifolia",
$   "Arbutus unedo",
$   "Aesculus californica",
$   "Brachychiton discolor",
$   "Brachychiton populneus",
$   "Brahea edulis",
$   "Butia capitata",
$   "Calocedrus decurrens",
$   "Callistemon spp.",
$   "Cassia spp.",
$   "Cedrus atlantica",
$   "Cedrus deodara",
$   "Ceiba speciosa",
$   "Ceratonia siliqua",
$   "Cinnamomum camphora",
$   "Citrus sinensis",
$   "Corymbia citriodora",
$   "Cupaniopsis anacardioides",
$   "Cupressus sempervirens",
$   "Ficus microcarpa",
$   "Fraxinus uhdei",
$   "Ginkgo biloba",
$   "Grevillea robusta",
$   "Jacaranda mimosifolia",
$   "Juglans californica",
$   "Koelreuteria spp.",
$   "Lagerstroemia indica",
$   "Liquidambar styraciflua",
$   "Magnolia grandiflora",
$   "Magnolia × soulangeana",
$   "Melaleuca quinquenervia",
$   "Olea europaea",
$   "Persea americana",
$   "Phoenix canariensis",
$   "Pinus canariensis",
$   "Pinus halepensis",
$   "Pinus pinea",
$   "Pinus thunbergii",
$   "Platanus racemosa",
$   "Podocarpus gracilior",
$   "Populus fremontii",
$   "Populus trichocarpa",
$   "Prunus caroliniana",
$   "Pyrus kawakamii",
$   "Quercus agrifolia",
$   "Quercus engelmannii",
$   "Quercus ilex",
$   "Quercus lobata",
$   "Quercus suber",
$   "Salix lasiolepis",
$   "Sambucus mexicana",
$   "Sambucus nigra",
$   "Schinus molle",
$   "Sequoia sempervirens",
$   "Syagrus romanzoffiana",
$   "Tabebuia spp.",
$   "Taxodium mucronatum",
$   "Umbellularia californica",
$   "Ulmus parvifolia",
$   "Washingtonia filifera",
$   "Washingtonia robusta"
$ ]

<!--Platanus racemosa (Western Sycamore), Juglans californica (California Black Walnut), Sambucus nigra (Elder),
Sambucus Mexicana (Mexican Elderberry), Aesculus californica (California Buckeye), Salix lasiolepis
(Arroyo Willow), Populus fremontii (Fremont Cottonwood), Alnus rhombifolia (White Alder),
Umbellularia californica (California Bay Laurel), Populus trichocarpa (Black Cottonwood),
Ginkgo biloba (Maidenhair), Cedrus deodora (Deodar Cedar), Pinus canariensis (Canary Island
Pine), Pinus halepensis (Aleppo Pine), Pinus pinea (Stone Pine), Pinus thunbergiana (Black Pine),
Sequoia sempervirens (Coast Redwood), Taxodium mucronatum (Montezuma Cypress),
Calocedrus decurrens (California Cedar), Cupressus sempervirens (Mediterranean Cypress),
Podocarpus gracilior (African Fern Pine), Magnolia grandiflora (Southern Magnolia), Magnolia
xsoulangeana (Chinese Magnolia), Cinnamomum camphora (Camphor), Persea Americana
(Avocado), Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweetgum), Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm), Ficus
microcarpa (Chinese banyan), Quercus agrifolia (Coast Live Oak), Quercus engelmannii
(Engelmann or Pasadena Oak), Quercus ilex (Holly Oak), Quercus lobata (Valley Oak), Quercus
suber (Cork Oak), Brachychiton discolor (Lacebark), Brachychiton populneus (Kurrajong),
Chorisia speciose (Silk Floss Tree), Arbutus unedo (Strawberry Tree), Prunus caroliniana
(Carolina Cherry-Laurel), Pyrus kawakamii (Evergreen Pear), Cassia spp (Golden Shower Tree),
Ceratonia silique (Carob), Lagerstroemia indica (Crepe Myrtle), Callistemon spp (Bottlebrush),
Eucalyptus citriodora (Lemon-Scented Gum), Melaleauca quinquenervia (Paper Bark Tea Tree),
Grevillea robusta (Southern Silky Oak), Cupaniopsis anacardioides (Carrotwood), Koelreuteria
spp (Chinese Flame Tree), Schinus molle (California Pepper Tree), Citrus sinensis (Sweet
Orange), Fraxinus uhdei (Shamel Ash), Olea europaea (Olive Tree), Jacaranda mimosifloria
(Blue Jacaranda), Tabebuia spp (Tabebuia), Brahea edulis (Guadalupe Palm), Butia capitate
(Jelly Palm), Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island Date Palm), Syagrus romanzoffianam (Queen
Palm), Washingtonia filifera (California Palm), Washington robusta (Mexican Fan Palm), Cedrus
atlantica (Atlas Cedar),and Cedrus atlantica (Blue Atlas)-->

#### Arcadia Unprotected List

Corrections via ChatGPT5:

    Betula pedula → Betula pendula (Silver Birch)
    Populous fremontii → Populus fremontii (Fremont Cottonwood)
    Liquidambar → Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweetgum, standard spelling)

$ arcadia_unprotected = [
$   "Acer saccharinum",
$   "Ailanthus altissima",
$   "Alnus rhombifolia",
$   "Betula pendula",
$   "Ceratonia siliqua",
$   "Cupressus sempervirens",
$   "Eucalyptus",
$   "Ficus macrophylla",
$   "Fraxinus uhdei",
$   "Fruit and Nut trees",
$   "Grevillea robusta",
$   "Liquidambar styraciflua",
$   "Morus",
$   "Palm",
$   "Populus fremontii",
$   "Populus sp.",
$   "Populus trichocarpa",
$   "Salix lasiolepis",
$   "Schinus terebinthifolius"
$ ]

Source: [Arcadia website](https://www.arcadiaca.gov/shape/public_works_services_department/protected_trees___regulations.php)

<table>
$for species in san_gabriel + arcadia_unprotected:
    <tr>
    <td></td>
    </tr>
</table>

##### Palms

The City could provide complimentary pruning of native California Fan Palm and non-native Canary Island Palm and Mexican Fan Palm on private property for safe keeping as a class of heritage trees. They can cover removals as well when desired/warranted.

### Fire

"High" and "Very High" are in the hills. Slopes need "mosaic" of native shrubs and trees. Removals *must* *require* replantings. Trimming cannot break ANSI standards.

#### Elderberry

Good native for wildlife, slope stability and fire zones, heavily underplanted.

### ADUs

Two-story to spare footprint to save trees where appropriate should be required. Can be appealed. Driveway is not required by state, only external access (walkway down side of primary dwelling).

### Public works -- sidewalks

We don't need public works to rapidly remove trees to place concrete flush. We need them to find solutions to preserve the tree. The solutions are out there and they are not as expensive as the tree removal itself. The City of Trees should be flush with these methods and ideas not sneakily skirting them.

Potential solution: use a root bridge with permeable asphalt atop, in between and flush with two concrete pads on either side of a surface root.

### On-site Replacement

How many removals have gone without replacement?

### Replacements

State legislation does not prevent discretionary process for non-development. Development standards *can* require on-site replacement so long as allowable footprint is allowed.

### Notification and Appeals

https://ragt.ag/south-pasadena/trees/radius-map

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