Tree removal permit rules in Butte County, CA — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Butte County applies oak woodland mitigation requirements to discretionary development projects under its draft Oak Woodland Mitigation Ordinance and CEQA. Up to 10% canopy removal is generally not significant; 10%–70% removal triggers mandatory replacement; removal of more than 70% is prohibited.
The Oak Woodland Mitigation Ordinance (developed under CA Public Resources Code §21083.4) applies to discretionary projects that result in removal of oak trees or oak woodlands, including disturbance to the Critical Root Zone. Impact thresholds: less than 10% canopy removal — not a significant CEQA impact; 10–70% removal — requires replacement at biological-equivalence ratios with similar species mix, density, and viability; greater than 70% removal is prohibited (at least 30% of the woodland must remain). The ordinance does NOT cover routine tree removal on residential property by ministerial action — those are handled under Chapter 24 (Zoning) and any subdivision conditions of approval. Defensible space tree limbing under Chapter 38A is also exempt.
Failure to mitigate triggers CEQA non-compliance and stop-work orders from the Department of Development Services. Violations of subdivision tree-protection conditions are enforced as zoning violations under Chapter 24.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Butte County's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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