Stanislaus County, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

For trees on private property in unincorporated Stanislaus County, there is no County tree-removal permit. The Planning & Community Development Department states plainly that the County does not have a tree ordinance and does not oversee trees located on private property; street trees on private property are the owner's responsibility. This means a homeowner can typically remove a yard tree without applying to the County, unlike many coastal California counties that require permits for heritage, oak, or significant trees. There are two important qualifications. First, when land is developed through a discretionary entitlement, the Zoning Ordinance's landscape and tree-planting requirements apply: new residential subdivisions must submit a tree planting plan and plant the specified trees before final inspection (Title 21, Section 21.102.040(H), Ord. CS 509, 1992), and project conditions of approval can require existing trees to be retained or replaced. Second, trees in the public right-of-way, on County roads, or as part of an approved landscape plan are not freely removable and may fall under Public Works or the conditions of the original permit. Trees subject to a recorded tree-planting condition, easement, or subdivision landscape plan must be maintained or replaced. Outside those situations, ordinary removal of a privately owned tree is unregulated by the County.