Sunnyvale, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Sunnyvale, 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
- Protected tree size
- 38 in circumference @ 4.5 ft (single-trunk)
- Multi-trunk threshold
- 113 in combined circumference
- Filing deadline
- 10 working days before removal
- Approval body
- Director, no hearing at staff level
- Appeal
- Owner only, to planning commission
- Penalty
- $5,000-$50,000 per tree, civil
Summary
Sunnyvale bans removing or damaging any 'protected tree,' meaning a tree 38 inches or more in trunk circumference measured 4.5 feet above grade, without a protected tree removal permit from the department of community development. Applications must be filed at least 10 working days before the planned removal (Muni Code Sec. 19.94.040, 19.94.050).
"Protected tree" means a tree of significant size... "Significant size" means a tree thirty-eight inches or greater in circumference measured four and one-half feet above ground for single-trunk trees... (a) It is unlawful to damage or kill any protected tree. (b) It is unlawful to remove any protected tree from private property in any zoning district or from any city owned golf course or park, without a protected tree removal permit... Tree removal permits shall be filed at least ten working days prior to the proposed date of tree removal.
Full Breakdown
94 defines a 'protected tree' as any tree of 'significant size': a single-trunk tree with a circumference of 38 inches or more measured four and one-half feet above the ground, or a multi-trunk tree where one trunk reaches 38 inches or the combined trunk circumferences reach 113 inches (Sec. 030). Sec. ' Applications go to the department of community development and must be filed at least 10 working days before the planned removal date (Sec. 050(b)). The director may approve a removal, without notice or hearing, only if the tree meets one of the criteria in Sec.
060: it is diseased or damaged, it is a hazard to people or structures, or it is sound but unreasonably restricts the owner's reasonable use of the property, evaluated against the eight factors listed in Sec. 060(c), including topography, the tree's age relative to its life span, and erosion effects. Removal of orchard trees as part of farming operations, or on order of the county agricultural inspector, is exempt (Sec. 050(c)). A director's decision can only be appealed by the property owner to the planning commission, whose decision is final (Sec. 065).
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 19.94, including removing a protected tree without a permit, exposes the owner to a civil penalty the city attorney recovers in court: not less than $5,000 nor more than $25,000 if a tree is substantially injured, and not less than $10,000 nor more than $50,000 if it is destroyed or improperly removed, applied separately per tree (Sec. 19.94.160(a)(1)). The director can also order an administrative hearing and recover attorneys' fees if the city prevails.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big does a tree have to be before I need a permit to remove it in Sunnyvale?
How far ahead do I need to apply for a removal permit?
What reasons let the city approve a removal?
What's the fine for cutting down a protected tree without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sunnyvale
California rules heatmap·Compare Sunnyvale to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle tree removal & heritage trees.