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

San Benito County protects mature and native trees in its unincorporated areas through two parts of the County Code. The Tree Protection ordinance, adopted by the Board of Supervisors on April 8, 2015 and located in Chapter 25, Article 7 (Section 25.07.018), applies countywide in single-family residential (R1) and residential-multiple (RM) zoning districts. It defines a protected tree as any living tree with a single trunk eight inches or more in diameter, or a multi-trunked tree with an aggregate diameter of ten inches or more, measured at four and one-half feet above the ground (diameter at breast height). The ordinance was created to 'protect and preserve mature trees' after disputes over tree removal in the Ridgemark area south of Hollister, and it exempts certain fruit- and nut-producing trees. Separately, Chapter 19.33 (Management and Conservation of Woodlands) limits removal of native trees and woodlands in the unincorporated county, and provides that 'no person shall do any tree cutting or removal without first obtaining a permit from the Planning Director,' with a separate permit required for each site. Because two overlapping rules can apply, confirm with County Planning which permit your specific tree and location require before any removal.