Solano County does not have a county-wide tree preservation, heritage tree, or tree trimming permit ordinance for unincorporated areas. Trimming or removing trees on private property generally requires no County permit, except that significant tree removal tied to a development project is reviewed under Chapter 28 zoning and General Plan oak woodland protection policies, and grading-related vegetation removal is regulated by Chapter 31.
Unlike the cities of Vacaville (VMC Sec. 14.09.250.060 - Tree Preservation Ordinance, prohibits removal of trees with 6 inch+ DBH without permit) and Benicia (Chapter 12.24 Trees and Street Trees), unincorporated Solano County has not adopted a corresponding county-wide tree ordinance. Routine pruning, topping, or removal of a tree on a privately owned residential parcel in unincorporated Solano County does not require a County permit. However, three County-level constraints still apply: (1) Solano County General Plan Resource Conservation Element requires that new development resulting in loss of oak woodland or savannah habitat must mitigate impacts by preserving similar tree canopy at a 3 acres preserved : 1 acre impacted ratio; (2) Solano County Code Chapter 31 (Grading, Drainage, Land Leveling and Erosion Control), Ordinance 1087 (effective January 25, 1980), requires that 'exposure of soil to erosion by removal of vegetation be limited to the smallest area practical and for the shortest time practical' on grading projects; and (3) trees overhanging a public right-of-way that pose a hazard may be ordered abated as a public nuisance under Chapter 10. Trimming someone else's tree or boundary-line trees is governed by California Civil Code Section 833 and case law (not by County code).
Improper pruning of your own trees on private property: no County penalty. Cutting a neighbor's tree or branches that grow on your side: governed by California Civil Code Section 833; civil damages (up to treble damages under CCP Sec. 733 for willful tree damage) may apply, but no County citation. Removal of oak woodland tied to a development project without required mitigation: handled through the development application and CEQA review. Vegetation removal during grading without an approved erosion control plan: enforced as a Chapter 31 violation through Chapter 10 abatement (public nuisance) procedures.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Solano County, CA
Solano County Code Section 2.2-70 (added by Ordinance 2015-1761) regulates 'noise making devices' (gas cannons, scare guns, automatic exploders) used to frig...
Solano County, CA
Solano County does not regulate aircraft noise directly. Federal Aviation Administration regulations preempt local aircraft-noise rules. The Solano County Ai...
Solano County, CA
Solano County Code Sec. 19-230 makes it a misdemeanor to camp, squat, or sleep in any vehicle (including motor homes, camp trailers, and campers) on any publ...
Solano County, CA
Solano County does not impose a county-wide hour limit on on-street parking in its code; instead, Sec. 17-12(r) delegates the Director of Transportation to a...
Solano County, CA
Solano County does not have a stand-alone commercial-vehicle parking ban; instead, commercial vehicles kept at a residence are limited by the zoning code's h...
Solano County, CA
Solano County Code §28.94 requires adequate off-street parking and driveway treatment to control dust on private property in unincorporated areas. Driveway e...
See how Solano County's tree trimming rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.