Visalia, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Visalia, 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
- Authority
- Visalia Municipal Code Ch. 12.24 (Ord. 2025-06, eff. Sept 2025)
- Adopted (Original)
- 1971 (amended 1974, 1999, 2007, 2025)
- Permit Trigger
- Oak >=18 in DBH on public property
- Private Oaks
- No permit required (2025 amendment)
- Application Fee
- None
- Notice Posting
- 5 calendar days from application
- Decision Window
- 14 calendar days for inspection + intended decision
- Pruning Notice
- Required from public agencies for limbs >=10 in dia.
- Emergency Removal
- Allowed by city manager or on-duty PW/safety staff
Summary
Under Visalia Municipal Code Chapter 12.24 - as amended August 4, 2025 by Ordinance No. 2025-06 - any person who wants to destroy or remove an oak tree on public property with a trunk diameter of 18 inches or greater (measured at 4.5 feet above the root crown) must first apply to the City and obtain a removal permit; the application is free. The 2025 amendment removed the permit requirement for oak trees on private property, but pruning oak limbs 10 inches or greater in diameter still requires advance Intent-to-Prune notice from public agencies.
Section 12.24.030 Oak Tree Removal Permit Required. A. Any person desiring to destroy or remove an oak tree with a trunk diameter of eighteen (18) inches or greater at a point 4.5 feet above the root crown (Also referred to as '18 inches Diameter Breast Height (D.B.H.)') on public property must first apply for and obtain a removal permit. Such application shall be in writing to the city clerk, who shall forward such application to the city manager of the city or their designee. The application shall contain the number, size and location of the oak trees and a brief statement of the reason of the requested action. Submission of an application shall not require a fee. B. Within five calendar days of receipt of such application, the city manager or their designee shall post a notice on the subject tree, in a manner reasonably intended to inform the general public ... Within fourteen calendar days of receipt of such application, the city manager or their designee shall inspect the premises whereon such oak trees are located, and shall issue an intended decision in writing as to whether or not the application will be approved. Section 12.24.060 Pruning notice required. A. Except in cases of emergencies as described in Section 12.24.050, no public agency shall prune or cause to be pruned any oak tree limb of a diameter of ten inches or greater within the city without first submitting a completed oak tree intent to prune notice with the city manager, as provided herein. Section 12.24.050 Emergencies. A. In the case of emergency caused by the dangerous condition of an oak tree requiring immediate action for the protection of life or property, a tree may be cut down in whole or in part on the order of the city manager or any on-duty public works or public safety personnel.
Full Breakdown
24 of the Visalia Municipal Code (Oak Tree Preservation), originally adopted in 1971 and most recently amended on August 4, 2025 by Ordinance No. 2025-06. ' The 2025 amendment struck the words 'private or' so the removal permit now only applies to oaks on public property. Submission of an application requires no fee. Within 5 calendar days of receipt, the city manager (or designee) posts a public notice on the subject tree; within 14 calendar days, the city manager inspects and issues an intended written decision.
035 can be made based on substantial evidence, supported where necessary by a certified arborist's opinion. Mitigation requirements can be imposed and attach as a permit condition enforceable as a lien against the applicant's real property. 050 (Emergencies) allows immediate removal on the order of the city manager or any on-duty public-works or public-safety personnel when an oak presents a danger to life or property, and exempts state-PUC-regulated utilities from the permit requirement when maintaining safe facilities. 060 (Pruning Notice Required), as amended in 2025, requires any public agency that intends to prune an oak tree limb 10 inches or greater in diameter to file a completed Intent-to-Prune notice with the city manager before work starts; the notice must include the property owner contact, pruner contact, dates, tree description, proof of insurance (if in right-of-way), and proof of a valid Visalia business license.
A copy of the notice must remain with the pruner during work. 100 allows low-income, owner-occupied property owners to seek City financial assistance for necessary oak pruning or removal when conditions in subsection (A)(1)-(3) are met. Note: the City's Valley Oak Ordinance page states that as of September 2025, private property owners no longer need permits for pruning or removal, but public-property oaks still do. 20.
Violations & Fines
Removing or destroying an oak tree of 18 inches DBH or greater on public property without a permit is a Chapter 12.24 violation. Pruning an oak limb 10 inches or greater in diameter by a public agency without first filing an Intent-to-Prune notice is also a violation. Mitigation requirements that attach to an approved removal permit are enforceable as a lien against the applicant's real property under Section 12.24.030(D). The 2025 amendment kept the chapter consistent with state law by adding Section 3: 'The City Council intends this Ordinance to supplement, not to duplicate or contradict any applicable state law.'
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove an oak tree on my own property?
What about pruning an oak on public property?
What if an oak tree is about to fall?
Is there financial help to prune an oak I cannot afford to have done?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Visalia
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