Tree removal permit rules in Monterey, CA — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Monterey County Code Chapter 16.60 (Preservation of Oak and Other Protected Trees) requires a Tree Removal Permit to remove most native trees - including coast live oak, valley oak, blue oak, Monterey cypress, Monterey pine, and redwood - on private property in the unincorporated county. MCC 16.60.040 sets standards for removal of 3 or fewer protected trees; removal of more requires a Use Permit. Coastal Zone removals also require a Coastal Development Permit.
Monterey County Code Chapter 16.60 protects 'oak and other protected trees' on private property in the unincorporated areas. Protected species include coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), valley oak (Q. lobata), blue oak (Q. douglasii), black oak (Q. kelloggii), Monterey cypress (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa), native Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), and coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). MCC 16.60.040 (Permit Required) requires a Tree Removal Permit from Housing and Community Development for removal of any protected tree. MCC 16.60.050 establishes additional standards for agricultural areas, requiring that 'the number of oaks on any acre shall not be reduced to less than twenty-five (25) percent canopy existing at the time of adoption of this ordinance.' For removal of more than three trees on a parcel, a Use Permit is required and may trigger CEQA review. Inside the Coastal Zone, a Coastal Development Permit under Title 20 is also required, and removal of native vegetation may require an Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area (ESHA) determination. Dead, dying, hazardous, or diseased trees may qualify for ministerial (over-the-counter) removal after arborist evaluation. CAL FIRE-required defensible space tree thinning is generally exempt but should be coordinated with Planning. Cities of Monterey (Ch. 37), Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Pacific Grove have separate stricter urban-forest rules.
Unpermitted removal is a misdemeanor or infraction under MCC general penalty provisions, with restitution requiring replacement planting (typically 1:1 to 5:1 by canopy size) and daily fines. Coastal Zone violations are separately enforceable by the California Coastal Commission under Cal. Public Resources Code section 30820. Penalty exposure can reach $15,000 per tree in egregious cases.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Monterey County.
See how Monterey's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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