Tree Maintenance

City tree trimming crews and our tree contractor (West Coast Arborists) work their way through the city by zones, tree species, as well as service requests. Some tree species grow faster than others and therefore need trimmed more often. Our city wide average is approximately a 2 - 6 year trim cycle. Emergencies, weather, and service request do have an effect on this schedule. 

The City of Torrance tree trimming policy is to only trim for the health and sustainability of our urban forest. The only exceptions are for public safety, power line clearance, traffic clearance, and structural clearance. We do not trim our trees for views. For questions regarding tree trimming or when your tree is scheduled to be trimmed please call the Public Works Department.

Tree Trimming Permit

If preferred, The City’s Street Tree Policy allows homeowners to have the City tree in front of their property trimmed by a City approved private contractor through a permit process. There is no charge for the City permit; however property owners are responsible for contacting the contractor and for all costs associated with the work. The list of approved contractors is issued with the trimming permit.   

Special Designated Areas

The Street Tree Policy established special designated areas in the City of Torrance where street trees are protected and preserved. These areas are exempt from the permit process.

• Beech Avenue between Carson Street and El Dorado Street
• Cabrillo Avenue between Plaza Del Amo and Lincoln Avenue
• Carson Street between Maple Avenue and Crenshaw Blvd.
• Gramercy Avenue South of Plaza Del Amo
• Seaside Rancho Area (Holiday Lights area)
• Torrance Blvd. between Madrona Avenue and Madrid Avenue & between Madrid Avenue and Portola Avenue
• Ocean Avenue between Carson Street and Sepulveda Blvd.

Trees are a vital part of our City. As the biggest plants on the planet, trees provide oxygen, reduce pollution, help keep a building and street surfaces cooler, and provide shelter to wildlife. Unfortunately, sometimes a tree must be removed and, in most cases, is replaced with a new tree. Below are common conditions/situations that trigger consideration to remove and replace a tree:

1. Dead, dying, disease/infestation, damaged
2. Rot, decay, tree instability
3. To make required infrastructure repairs (sidewalk, street, curb/gutter)

The City's Streetscape division of the Public Works Department has 5 Arborists who are certified by the International Society of Arboriculture on staff. Our certified staff perform a thorough inspection and assessment of a tree and also consider several alternatives to tree removal, prior to making a decision as to whether a tree should be removed and replaced. 

When our City Arborist determine there is justification to remove a tree, staff issues a notice to the property owner at the tree's location. The notice is issued 21 days in advance of the scheduled removal and contains information about the removal. No tree removal notice will be issued if tree is an immediate hazard.  Only the property owner at the tree location is notified. Subsequently, the property owner can then contact the City for further discussion or coordination. After all associated work at a location is completed (tree removal, stump grind, sidewalk, curb/gutter, street repair, etc.), staff replants a new tree and leaves a notice with the property owner explaining the watering needs of the new tree.  

The private tree contractors listed below have met the City's requirements in order to perform permitted trimming on City Trees. City requirements include appropriate State and City license, insurance coverage, and signed agreement to trim according to City specifications and practices. Requirements do not address contractor's fees, which must be negotiated between residents and the contractor, nor do they guarantee aesthetically superior trimming techniques. 

Contractors are listed alphabetically by business name and are not ranked in any preferential order.