Tree removal permit rules in Modoc County, CA — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Unincorporated Modoc County has no tree-preservation or tree-removal permit ordinance for private trees on developed residential parcels. Removing trees on your own land is generally unregulated by the county. Commercial timber harvesting on Timberland Production zoned land is instead governed by California's Forest Practice Act and CAL FIRE.
The Modoc County Code does not establish a heritage-tree, oak-protection, or tree-removal permit program, and the zoning code (Title 18) contains no tree-removal standards. Homeowners on developed parcels may generally remove trees without a county permit. The county's tree-related rules instead address specialized contexts. Commercial timber operations fall under the Timberland Production (TP) zone in Chapter 18.10 and the Open Space Forestry and Grazing (OFG) zone in Chapter 18.14; actual harvesting on those lands is regulated by the State of California under the Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act and CAL FIRE's Timber Harvesting Plan process, not by a county removal permit. In the Airport Hazard (AH) zone, trees that obstruct airport approach surfaces are treated as nonconforming obstructions under Section 18.90.130. The county subdivision code (Section 17.04.020) defines 'clearing' to include removal of trees, brush, grass, and weeds when grading or developing land, so vegetation removal tied to a subdivision or grading project is reviewed through that process and may require CEQA review. There is no general prohibition on cutting a tree on your own developed lot.
With no tree-removal permit for private parcels, there are no county removal fines in the ordinary case. Unpermitted commercial timber harvesting is enforced by CAL FIRE and the Board of Forestry under state law. Clearing or grading done as part of a subdivision without required approvals is enforced through the subdivision and zoning enforcement provisions (Chapters 17 and 18.158). Removing a tree that is an airport-approach obstruction issue is handled under the Airport Hazard zone rules.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Modoc County's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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