Mendocino County, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

For most unincorporated, inland Mendocino County property, ordinary pruning and trimming of trees on your own land is not separately regulated by the County Code and does not require a County permit. The main trimming-related rules come from two sources. First, fire safety: because all unincorporated land is a CAL FIRE State Responsibility Area, Public Resources Code 4291 defensible-space standards require pruning lower tree branches up (commonly to about 6 to 10 feet from the ground) and keeping spacing between tree canopies within the 100-foot defensible-space zone. Second, the Coastal Zone: under the County Coastal Zoning Code, removal or harvesting of 'major vegetation' is treated as 'development' (Sec. 20.308.035(D)) and requires a Coastal Development Permit. 'Major Vegetation, Removal or Harvesting' is defined in Sec. 20.308.080 to include removing more than 15 trees or 10 percent of the trees on the parcel (whichever is less) of 12-inch diameter / 38-inch circumference, or clearing within 6,000 square feet of canopy area. Routine, smaller-scale trimming below those thresholds is generally not 'major vegetation.' In designated Highly Scenic Areas, the County may condition permits to require tree thinning so trees do not block ocean views (Sec. 20.504.015).