Alameda Municipal Code § 23-3 Trees and Shrubbery

a. The Public Works director is hereby vested with the supervision, control and management of the trees and shrubs upon the public streets and highways of the City, in accordance with the City's Master Tree Program. He/she may adopt regulations for the setting out, care and maintenance of such trees and shrubs. He/she may also cause any such trees or shrubs to be removed, trimmed, pruned or cut whenever in his/her judgement the same may be necessary for the public good.

b. Any of the powers granted to the Public Works Director in this section may be delegated by the Public Works Director to the Public Works Superintendent, to be exercised under the direction of the Public Works Director.

(Ord. No. 535 N.S. § 4-231; Ord. No. 2839 N.S. § 1)

No tree or shrub shall be planted or set out upon any public street or place in the City, and no tree or shrub located upon any public street or place shall be removed, trimmed, pruned or cut without written permission the Public Works Director to do so. When such permission is for the setting out of frees or shrubs it may prescribe the number, kind and distance apart thereof, and when for the removal, trimming, pruning or cutting thereof may prescribe the number of trees or shrubs to be affected thereby and the manner and the performance of the work. Such permission shall be operative only when exercised subject to such regulations as the Public Works Director may adopt under the previous subsection.

(Ord. No. 535 N.S. § 4-232; Ord. No. 2839 N.S. § 1)

All persons owning real property in the City of Alameda are responsible for keeping trees, plants, and shrubs which originate on their property from encroaching into the public right-of-way, from impeding pedestrian or vehicle traffic, or from obscuring traffic control devices.

Property owners are responsible for maintaining a minimum eight (8′) foot vertical clearance over the width of the sidewalk which abuts their property. Property owners are also responsible for maintaining a minimum vertical clearance of thirteen (13′) feet, six (6″) inches over any street adjacent to their property as measured from one (1′) foot, six (6″) inches from the face of the curb.

(Ord. No. 2887 N.S. § 1; Ord. No. 535 N.S. § 4-233)

Any surface root tree growing in any public street or sidewalk which is endangering or which may in any way endanger the security or usefulness of any public sewer or sidewalk is hereby declared a public nuisance.

(Ord. No. 535 N.S. § 4-234)

Whenever it may appear to the satisfaction of the Public Works Director that public necessity requires the removal of any tree or shrub coming under the provisions of the preceding subsection, the Public Works Director shall have authority to remove the same without delay.

(Ord. No. 535 N.S. § 4-235; Ord. No. 2839 N.S. § 1)

It shall be unlawful for the owners or occupants of any corner lot or premises in the City to keep, permit or maintain hedges, shrubs, trees or any growth between the curb line and the property line or within the private lot or premises for a distance of fifteen (15°) feet measured horizontally from the point of intersection of the property lines at street corners unless the hedges, shrubs, trees or other growth are so trimmed that the height of same shall not exceed four (4°) feet above the level of the street at the curb, except as follows:

a. That trees, the main stalks or trunks of which are exposed to a height of eight (8°) feet above the street level need not be so trimmed or cut unless said trees are determined to constitute and be a traffic hazard by the Traffic Division of the City Police Department, which determination of the Traffic Division may be reviewed by the City Planning Board upon written application for such review.

(Ord. No. 1048 N.S.)