Tree Protection in Ventura, CA (2026)
5 verified tree protection rules for Ventura, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Removal Permits
Free permit required from the Parks Division Urban Forestry Program to plant, prune, or remove any tree in a public parkway or easement. A separate Planning Division permit is required to trim or remove trees in protected wildlife habitat or Monarch Butterfly overwintering sites identified in the 2050 General Plan; civil penalties run $1,000-$15,000 per tree.
Ventura Tree Removal Permits
Heavy RestrictionsHeritage & Protected Trees
Ventura does not maintain a stand-alone numbered Heritage Tree list, but trees within Monarch Butterfly overwintering sites identified in the 2050 General Plan (Chapter 8, Figure 23) and trees inside federal critical habitat areas function as protected heritage resources. Removing or trimming any of these without a Planning Division permit triggers $1,000-$15,000 per-tree civil penalties.
Ventura Heritage and Significant Trees
Heavy RestrictionsTree Replacement Requirements
When a permit is issued to remove a parkway tree or a tree in a protected habitat area, the Parks Division or Planning Division requires replacement with a species drawn from the City Tree Master Plan. Replacement is also a mandatory corrective action for any unpermitted removal under the Emergency Tree Protection Ordinance.
Ventura Tree Replacement Requirements
Some RestrictionsProtected Tree Species
Ventura's local protections key off location (federal critical habitat and Monarch Butterfly overwintering sites) rather than a numbered species list. State law adds protection for trees that host listed species under the California Endangered Species Act and for active bird nests under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Protected Tree Species in Ventura
Heavy RestrictionsParkway Planting
The Parks Division Urban Forestry Program controls all planting, pruning, and removal in the public parkway strip and easement. Residents must obtain a free permit before planting a parkway tree and must select a species from the City Tree Master Plan; the City maintains roughly 30,000 public trees on a 6-year pruning cycle across 24 zones.
Ventura Parkway and Street Tree Planting
Some RestrictionsLooking for Ventura County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Ventura city rules.
Tree Protection in Ventura County →