San Benito County, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in San Benito County, CA, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Applies to
- R-1 and RM zones only
- Permit validity
- One year, one extension available
- 3+ trees
- May go to Planning Commission
- Decision maker
- Planning Director
Summary
In unincorporated San Benito County's R-1 and RM residential zones, removing, killing or seriously harming any tree, or grading or filling within its dripline, requires a tree removal permit from the Planning Director.
(C) Permit required; application requirements. (1) A tree removal permit is required to trench, grade or fill within the dripline of any tree or destroy, kill, remove, or seriously harm, any tree, as defined, on all property, public or private, in the R-1 and RM zones. (2) All tree removal permits shall remain valid for one year from the date of permit issuance. An additional one-year extension shall be granted upon receipt of a written request from the permit applicant.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-28: current through Ordinance 1078).
Full Breakdown
Under § 25.07.018(C), a tree removal permit is required before anyone trenches, grades or fills within the dripline of a tree, or destroys, kills, removes or seriously harms it, on any public or private property in the R-1 and RM zones. The Planning Director decides most applications; requests to remove three or more trees, or applications tied to a project already headed to the Planning Commission, can be scheduled for a Commission hearing instead. Permits are valid for one year, with a one-year extension available on written request.
Violations & Fines
Removing, killing or seriously harming a tree without a permit, or grading or filling within its dripline, is an infraction under Chapter 1.03; each day the violation continues counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in unincorporated San Benito County?
How long is a tree removal permit good for?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Benito County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Benito County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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