San Ramon, CA Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)

The protection sits inside the City's Tree Removal Permit process for protected trees under Division D5, Chapter II. B requires a Tree Removal Permit before any protected tree is relocated, removed, or cut down, whether standalone or as part of a building, grading, or discretionary project approval. 3 makes an active bird nest a mandatory denial ground: if the tree targeted for removal contains an active nest of a bird species covered by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, identified either through the project's environmental review or otherwise known to the review authority, and a qualified professional determines the nest cannot be relocated without harming the nestlings, the City must deny removal of that tree until nesting is complete.

The rule does not extend to non-protected trees or ordinary landscaping trimming outside the Tree Removal Permit process, and it applies whether the removal is a standalone application handled by the Planning Services Division under Section D5-9 or bundled into a Development Plan, Use Permit, Minor Use Permit, Variance, or subdivision map application. Because the finding is tied to the environmental review conducted for the underlying permit, an applicant proposing removal of a protected tree during nesting season should expect the City to require a qualified biologist's nest survey before it will act on the application.