Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

I believe it depends in many cases upon the history of the public right-of-way, but there is a provision in the California codes, I think in the Streets and Highways Code, that gives ownership of the mature trees growing along a public street or highway to the public agency that owns and maintains the road. Sorry, that code isn't one I have in my library. However, I am certain that "my" trees growing in front of my house are really owned by Marin County, even though my property line technically extends all the way to the center line of the road! Kind of a surprising result, but it's handy to know that when a winter storm causes large limbs to fall into the road, the county has to come along and clean it up - and, I suppose, if there were an accident, the county would be liable. So, I think your first proposed answer is most likely to be correct in most cases.