Santa Rosa does not classify every large tree as a Heritage Tree. Heritage status depends primarily on the tree species and trunk diameter, although the Planning Commission may also separately designate a tree or grove because of historical or cultural significance.

The City's diameter measurement is taken approximately 4.5 feet above the average natural ground level, commonly referred to as DBH, or diameter at breast height.

A Valley Oak is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 6 inches DBH.

A Blue Oak is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 6 inches DBH.

A California Buckeye is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 6 inches DBH.

A Madrone is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 12 inches DBH.

A Coast Live Oak is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 18 inches DBH.

A Black Oak is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 18 inches DBH.

An Oregon Oak or White Oak is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 18 inches DBH.

A Canyon Live Oak is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 18 inches DBH.

An Interior Live Oak is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 18 inches DBH.

A Red Alder is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 18 inches DBH.

A White Alder is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 18 inches DBH.

A Coast Redwood is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 24 inches DBH.

A California Bay is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 24 inches DBH.

A Douglas-fir is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 24 inches DBH.

A Bigleaf Maple is considered a Heritage Tree when it reaches 24 inches DBH.

These thresholds come from Santa Rosa City Code Section 17-24.020.

For example, a Valley Oak can qualify as a Heritage Tree at only 6 inches DBH, while a Coast Redwood generally reaches the Heritage Tree threshold at 24 inches DBH.

Because the size requirement varies significantly by species, correct tree identification is important before assuming a tree can be removed without a permit.

Santa Rosa has two separate tree removal permit processes, and the correct one depends primarily on where the tree is located and how it is regulated.

If you are removing a Heritage Tree on private property, the permit is generally handled through the City of Santa Rosa Planning & Economic Development Department.

If you are removing a Protected Tree, including a tree designated for preservation through a previous development approval, the project is generally reviewed through Planning & Economic Development.

If tree removal is associated with a development, subdivision, construction project, design review, tentative map, or other entitlement, the tree may be reviewed as part of the development approval process through Planning & Economic Development.

If the tree is located in a sidewalk planting strip, it will generally fall under the Street Tree Removal Permit process administered by Santa Rosa Recreation & Parks.

If the tree is located within the public right-of-way or meets the City's definition of a Street Tree, the removal request is generally handled by Recreation & Parks.

A non-Heritage tree on a qualifying developed single-family residential property may be exempt from the standard Tree Removal Permit requirement. However, exemptions are not universal, and other restrictions can apply depending on the property, tree location, previous development approvals, Scenic Road requirements, or other City regulations.

Because a tree can sometimes fall under more than one category, Canopy Arborists can inspect the tree and help determine which City department and permit process applies before any removal work begins.

A professional arborist report gives the city objective documentation regarding the tree rather than relying solely on a homeowner's description.

Depending on the situation, a Canopy Arborists report can document:

Tree species and DBH; tree location; canopy and trunk condition; cavities or decay; included bark; codominant stems; root and basal defects; deadwood or canopy dieback; pest and disease evidence; proximity to homes and infrastructure; potential targets if failure occurs; utility conflicts; property damage; photographs; tree-risk observations; and professional recommendations.

The City's Tree Permit Checklist specifically recognizes that an arborist report may be required when condition, disease or structural stability is being used as justification for removal. 

Instead of trying to determine which City department to contact, what type of tree you have, how to measure it, or what documentation the city needs, Canopy Arborists can help manage the process from the first inspection through final removal.

Our Santa Rosa tree permit assistance can include: tree identification and DBH measurement; determining whether the tree appears to meet Heritage Tree thresholds; determining whether the tree may be a Street Tree; tree condition and risk evaluation; professional arborist report preparation; photographs and documentation; basic site-plan assistance; removal justification; replacement-tree recommendations; organizing permit documentation; coordinating with the property owner during City review; responding to requests for additional arboricultural information; and professional tree removal once approval is issued.

Where property-owner authorization or signatures are required, we work with the owner to complete the appropriate documentation.

We visit the property and identify the tree species, measure the trunk, inspect its condition and determine its location in relation to the property, sidewalk and public right-of-way.

We determine whether the situation appears to involve a Heritage Tree, Protected Tree, Street Tree, development-related tree or potentially exempt tree.

When needed, we prepare photographs, measurements, site information and an arborist report explaining the tree's condition and the arboricultural justification for removal.

We help organize the required information for submission to either Santa Rosa Planning & Economic Development or Recreation & Parks.

If the City requests clarification, additional photographs, measurements or arboricultural information, we can assist with the response.

Once the required City approval has been issued, Canopy Arborists can safely complete the tree removal and stump grinding as specified in the project scope.

If the permit includes replacement-tree requirements, we can assist with species selection, planting recommendations and required mitigation.

Possibly. Species and size are extremely important. A Valley Oak or Blue Oak can qualify as a Heritage Tree at only 6 inches DBH, while Coast Live Oak, Black Oak, Oregon Oak, Canyon Live Oak and Interior Live Oak generally reach the Heritage threshold at 18 inches DBH. 

A Coast Redwood generally meets Santa Rosa's Heritage Tree size threshold at 24 inches DBH. Other restrictions can also apply, so the tree's exact size, location and property status should be checked before removal. 

Santa Rosa measures tree diameter at approximately 4.5 feet above the average natural ground level surrounding the trunk. 

The City's Planning & Economic Development Department handles Planning Tree Removal Permits. 

Santa Rosa Recreation & Parks handles Street Tree Removal Permits. 

The City currently states that the Street Tree Removal Permit itself is free. 

Planning Tree Removal Permits use tiered review categories depending on the level of review, site inspection and noticing required. Santa Rosa periodically updates its Planning fee schedule, so the current fee should be verified when the application is submitted. The City states that its fee schedule is subject to revisions during the year. 

Both the standard Planning Tree Removal Permit and Street Tree Removal Permit are generally valid for 60 days, unless a different period is established by the City. 

Not necessarily without documentation or City authorization. The appropriate process depends on whether it is a Heritage, Protected or Street Tree and whether an immediate hazard exists. Contacting the City or obtaining arborist documentation before removal is the safer approach. 

Yes. Canopy Arborists can inspect the tree, document its condition, take the necessary measurements and photographs, and prepare professional arborist documentation to support the permit process when appropriate.

Yes. We can take the project from the initial tree assessment through permitting assistance, removal, stump grinding and replacement-tree recommendations when required.

Dealing with tree permits can become complicated quickly—especially when Heritage Tree thresholds, Street Tree rules, property boundaries, development approvals, structural defects and replacement requirements overlap.

Canopy Arborists can help you navigate the process from inspection to approval to final tree removal.

ISA Certified Arborist
Santa Rosa, Windsor, Healdsburg & Sonoma County

Call: 707-888-4635

Rooted in Trust, Growing with Integrity.

This is one of the most important sections for property owners.

Removing, relocating or improperly altering a regulated tree without the required approval can result in significantly more than simply paying for a permit afterward.

Santa Rosa City Code §17-24.100 states that violation of the City's Tree Ordinance is a misdemeanor. Section 17-24.110 applies the City's general criminal penalty provisions. 

Under Santa Rosa City Code Chapter 1-28, a misdemeanor conviction can carry a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment in County jail for up to six months, or both. The City Attorney has discretion to treat an offense as an infraction; the code establishes fines of up to $250 for a first infraction conviction and up to $500 for a second or subsequent conviction within one year. Each day a continuing violation exists can constitute a separate offense. 

Those are maximum statutory penalties and do not mean every unpermitted tree removal will result in criminal prosecution or the maximum fine.

There are additional enforcement consequences that can be especially expensive.

Instead of prosecution in certain circumstances, the ordinance allows a person responsible for an unauthorized removal to petition to replace the illegally removed tree.

The ordinance provides for as many as four replacement trees for every six inches or fraction of trunk diameter of the tree removed without authorization, generally with minimum 15-gallon replacement trees. Approval and conditions are determined by the City. 

For example, an unauthorized removal of a large, mature tree can potentially result in a substantial replacement obligation.

The City Attorney may also seek an injunction to stop or correct violations of the Tree Ordinance. 

One of the most serious and often overlooked provisions is §17-24.140.

Under qualifying circumstances following a violation determination, the property owner may be denied certain City approvals or permits for development or further improvement of the property for two years from the City's discovery of the violation. The ordinance identifies examples such as conditional use permits, variances and building or demolition permits, while providing an exception for permits necessary to maintain health or safety for occupants of existing improvements. 

For a homeowner or developer planning future construction, an unauthorized tree removal can therefore create consequences well beyond the value of the tree itself.

When in doubt, check first and cut second.