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

Tree trimming in unincorporated Amador County is driven by the defensible-space rules in County Code Chapter 7.30, not by an arborist or street-tree trimming code. Within Zone 1 (the first 30 feet around a structure), Section 7.30.050(C)(2) requires owners to 'Remove dead tree or shrub branches that overhang roofs, below or adjacent to windows, or which are adjacent to wall surfaces, and keep all branches a minimum of ten feet (10 ft.) away from chimney and stovepipe outlets.' Dead and dying woody material must be cleared and roof and rain gutters kept free of leaves and needles. In Zone 2 (30 to 100 feet), Section 7.30.050(C)(3) requires horizontal and vertical spacing among shrubs and trees using the 'Fuel Separation' or 'Continuous Tree Canopy' methods described in the State Board of Forestry's General Guidelines for Creating Defensible Space (Feb. 8, 2006), which the chapter incorporates by reference. Dead and dying aerial fuels must be removed. The enforcement official may require additional clearance for safety. For trees protected during a development project, separate California Environmental Quality Act review and General Plan oak-woodland policies apply.