Tree removal permit rules in Apple Valley, CA — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Removing an ordinary private tree in Apple Valley generally needs no Town permit, but desert native plants and western Joshua trees are heavily protected. Western Joshua tree removal requires a CDFW permit under the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, and the Town's Development Code Chapter 9.76 governs removal/relocation of desert native plants.
There is no broad Town permit for cutting down a typical non-native landscape tree on private residential property in Apple Valley. The strict regulation applies to the Mojave Desert's native vegetation. The Town's Development Code Chapter 9.76 (Plant Protection and Management) requires, for qualifying projects, that an application and fee be submitted to the Town for the removal or relocation of desert native plants before grading. Separately, the western Joshua tree is protected statewide: under the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, removing a western Joshua tree requires authorization from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), which issues Incidental Take Permits and a free permit to remove a dead western Joshua tree. CDFW mitigation fees vary by tree height (for example, in the reduced-fee area roughly $156.50 for a tree under 1 meter, scaling up for larger trees). Development-related plans must identify western Joshua trees on-site or within 40 feet of the area of disturbance. The broader California Desert Native Plants Act (Food and Agricultural Code, Division 23) also regulates harvesting/removal of protected desert plants such as Joshua trees, other yuccas, and certain cacti in desert counties including San Bernardino County, where Apple Valley is located.
Removing a western Joshua tree without a CDFW permit is unlawful take under state law and carries penalties. Removing protected desert native plants without the Town application/fee, or destroying trees during development without identifying them, can halt grading and trigger enforcement and mitigation requirements.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Apple Valley parks are open dawn to dusk under Municipal Code Section 11.68.050; remaining from dusk to dawn is a violation, with lighted facilities usable u...
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Apple Valley limits light trespass through Development Code Section 9.70.020(H). Lighting must be projected below the horizontal plane of the fixture and dir...
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Apple Valley, a High Desert town, protects night skies through Development Code performance and sign standards, not a stand-alone dark-sky chapter. Section 9...
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Per the Town of Apple Valley, signs advertising a garage or yard sale on any public street, alley, right-of-way, or publicly owned property are prohibited. G...
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Apple Valley regulates temporary political signs under Development Code Section 9.74.170. Election signs may go up 45 days before an election and must come d...
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Apple Valley has no separate "tiny home" category. A movable tiny house or manufactured home used as a second dwelling is treated as an accessory dwelling un...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Bernardino County.
See how other cities in San Bernardino County handle tree removal & heritage trees.
See how Apple Valley's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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