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

Two separate frameworks govern tree removal in unincorporated Nevada County. First, for fire safety, the Hazardous Vegetation Abatement ordinance (Sec. G-IV 7.4.C) actually requires owners to 'remove all dead or decaying trees and tree limbs' within the defensible-space area; no permit is needed and removal is mandatory when a Public Official issues a Notice to Abate. Second, for land-use and habitat protection, the County's Land Use & Development Code resource standards - recodified into Title 12 (Zoning Regulations), Chapter 4, Division 4.3 Resource Standards (e.g. Sec. 12.04.203, formerly Section L-II 4.3.x) - protect oak woodlands and heritage trees. Per the County's Conservation Element and development standards, a Management Plan is required for protection of oaks (especially Blue and Valley Oak) when trees or groves are disturbed, heritage trees are defined at 36-inch dbh, and trees removed during development must be replaced on an inch-for-inch basis or a fee paid to the Tree Preservation Fund. In the Nevada City Sphere of Influence, tree removal review applies to trees of about 10-inch dbh. This means a homeowner clearing a single dead pine for defensible space is in a very different position from a developer grading an oak grove - the former is permit-free, the latter requires planning review. Because exact thresholds vary by zone and project, confirm the current Title 12 / Division 4.3 standards with the Community Development Agency (530-265-1222).