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Citys Internal Tree Spacing Guidelines / Policy and Infrastructure Improvements / Modernize

Council File 26-1050

Approved — the City Council has cleared a push to loosen restrictive tree-planting rules so more neighborhoods can add street trees for heat relief and climate resilience. Departments now have 90 days to recommend specific updates to their spacing standards.

Introduced
2026-08-04
Last changed
2026-09-15
Status
open
Expires
2028-09-15
Mover
JOHN S. LEE
Second
EUNISSES HERNANDEZ

Brief

Councilmember John S. Lee introduced a motion to establish or modernize the city's internal tree spacing guidelines and policies for infrastructure improvements. The Energy and Environment Committee approved the item on August 18, 2026. On September 15, 2026, the full Council adopted the motion with two amendments—one by Yaroslavsky and Lee, and another by Harris-Dawson and Lee—by a vote of 14-0-1. The file is now closed as adopted.

Full summary

Councilmember John S. Lee's motion targets what USC Dornsife's Spatial Sciences Institute and Public Exchange identified as some of the nation's most restrictive internal street tree spacing standards — decades-old administrative policies that limit where the city can plant new street trees. The motion argues that updating these guidelines, most of which exist as internal departmental rules rather than city ordinances, could meaningfully expand viable planting locations, particularly in neighborhoods that bear the greatest urban heat burdens. The underlying rationale is climate resilience: trees reduce the urban heat island effect, improve air quality, cut stormwater runoff, and lower energy consumption. The directive instructs the Bureau of Street Services Urban Forestry Division, the Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Street Lighting, the Bureau of Engineering, the Department of Water and Power, the Department of City Planning, and any other relevant departments — with assistance from the City Administrative Officer — to report back within 90 days with specific recommendations for modernizing the tree spacing guidelines. Because most of these standards are administrative rather than codified in ordinance, the city has flexibility to update them through coordinated departmental action rather than a full legislative process. The motion was referred to the Energy and Environment Committee on August 4, 2026, and approved there on August 18 by a 3-0 vote among members present (Nazarian, Raman, and Padilla in favor; Yaroslavsky and Jurado absent). A Community Impact Statement from the Palms Neighborhood Council was submitted on September 6, signaling active community interest in the outcome. On September 15, 2026, the full Council adopted the item as amended by two amending motions — one by Yaroslavsky and Lee, and a second by Harris-Dawson and Lee — by a vote of 14-0-1. The adoption was made subject to reconsideration under Council Rule 51, a standard provision allowing the Council to revisit the action within a set window. The file is now adopted, with multiple city departments on the clock to deliver modernization recommendations.

Activity (6)

  • 2026-09-15 Council adopted item as amended by Amending Motion 13A (Yaroslavsky - Lee) and Amending Motion (Harris-Dawson - Lee), subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
  • 2026-09-11 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on September 15, 2026.
  • 2026-09-06 Community Impact Statement submitted by Palms Neighborhood Council.
  • 2026-08-18 Energy and Environment Committee approved item(s) .
  • 2026-08-14 Energy and Environment Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on August 18, 2026.
  • 2026-08-04 Motion referred to Energy and Environment Committee.

Documents (6)

Council votes (1)

  • 2026-09-15 Vote — 14-0-1 · Regular

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