Tree removal permit rules in Solano 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 Solano County has no standalone countywide tree-protection or tree-removal-permit ordinance for trees on private residential land; the Solano County Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 28) contains no general tree-preservation chapter. Tree and oak-woodland protection arises mainly through the 2008 General Plan resource policies, CEQA review on development projects, and permit conditions - not a blanket cut-a-tree permit.
Solano County's land use regulations in Chapter 28 (the Zoning Ordinance) do not establish a general tree-preservation or removal-permit program comparable to those in some neighboring counties; the zoning code's only landscaping reference is a narrow provision tying an accessory dwelling unit's front-yard landscaping to that of the primary dwelling (Section 28.72.10). For a typical homeowner, removing a tree on your own parcel does not require a county tree permit. Tree protection in unincorporated Solano County instead operates through three indirect channels: (1) the 2008 Solano County General Plan, whose Resources element sets policies favoring retention of oak woodlands, riparian vegetation, and significant trees; (2) the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), under which discretionary development projects must assess and mitigate impacts to woodland, riparian, and habitat resources - Chapter 2.2 (Agricultural Lands and Operations), Section 2.2-150, expressly cross-references 'woodland and riparian habitat and species protection' for certain land conversions; and (3) conditions of approval attached to subdivision, grading, or use permits. Riparian and oak resources tied to streams may also implicate state and federal agencies (CDFW, regional water board). Owners contemplating large-scale clearing should confirm with Planning Services (707-784-6765) whether a discretionary permit or CEQA review applies.
Because there is no general county tree-removal permit, removing a tree on your own land is usually not a code violation. However, removing protected trees in violation of a permit condition, a CEQA mitigation measure, or a subdivision/grading approval can trigger code-enforcement action and revocation or penalty under the underlying permit. Unauthorized clearing of riparian or stream-side vegetation may also draw state agency (CDFW) enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Solano County's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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