Yolo County, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Code Citation
- Yolo County Code Sec. 8-2.1005
- Sight Triangle Trim Height
- 7.5 ft above curb grade
- Sight Triangle Distance
- Within 20 ft of intersected street lines
- Hazard Tree Program
- Title 6 Chapter 22 (mandatory removal)
- Oak Conservation
- Voluntary plan via County Parks
- Neighbor Tree Damage
- CA Civ. Code Sec. 3346 (treble damages)
Summary
Yolo County Code Sec. 8-2.1005 requires that trees located within 20 feet of intersected street lines have their main trunks trimmed free of branches to a height of 7.5 feet above the curb grade, preserving sight lines for vehicles. The County does not impose a general residential tree-removal permit, but it has adopted a Hazard Tree Removal Program (Title 6, Chapter 22) for fire-damaged trees, and an Oak Woodland Conservation and Enhancement Plan that encourages voluntary protection of oak habitat.
For wrongful injuries to timber, trees, or underwood upon the land of another, or removal thereof, the measure of damages is three times such sum as would compensate for the actual detriment, except that where the trespass was casual or involuntary, or that the defendant in any action brought under this section had probable cause to believe that the land on which the trespass was committed was his own or the land of the person in whose service or by whose direction the act was done, the measure of damages shall be twice the sum as would compensate for the actual detriment, and excepting further that where the wood was taken by the authority of highway officers for the purpose of repairing a public highway or bridge upon the land or adjoining it, in which case judgment shall only be given in a sum equal to the actual detriment.
Full Breakdown
Under Yolo County Code Sec. 1005 (Fences and walls, hedges, and trees), trees located within 20 feet of intersected street lines must have their main trunks trimmed free of branches to a height of seven and one-half feet above the curb grade so they do not obstruct sight distance at intersections. The same section regulates fence and hedge heights near corner-lot sight triangles (no fence, wall, or hedge over 3 feet within a 25-foot triangle from the sidewalk intersection). For fire-damaged hazard trees, Title 6 Chapter 22 (Hazard Tree Removal Program) was adopted following the LNU Lightning Complex Fire.
Sec. 301 establishes a mandatory hazardous tree removal program identifying trees in immediate danger of falling onto an eligible road or parcel; Sec. 305 declares that 'Maintaining a hazard tree is prohibited and a public nuisance subject to this article. ' Sec. 307 lets an owner opt into a Private Hazard Tree Removal Program to identify and remove the tree at their own cost as an alternative to the government program. Yolo County also adopted the Yolo County Oak Woodland Conservation and Enhancement Plan (administered through Parks), a voluntary incentive-based program for protecting and growing oak woodlands; oak removal tied to a development project triggers CEQA review.
Boundary-line tree trimming on private property between neighbors is governed by California Civil Code Sec. 833 and Sec. 3346 (treble damages for willful tree damage), not by Yolo County code.
Violations & Fines
Failing to trim a sight-obstructing tree at an intersection can be cited as a Title 8 zoning violation, which is enforced as a public nuisance under the County Code, exposing the owner to administrative citations and abatement costs. A hazard tree under Chapter 22 that the owner refuses to remove can be removed by the County under the mandatory government program with costs assessed against the property, and it is independently a public nuisance under Sec. 6-22.305. Willful injury to a neighbor's tree can carry treble (3x) damages under California Civil Code Sec. 3346 and Code of Civil Procedure Sec. 733.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to trim or remove a tree on my unincorporated Yolo County property?
Can the County force me to remove a fire-damaged tree?
Can I trim my neighbor's oak branches that overhang my yard?
Sources & Official References
- [1]Yolo County Code Sec. 8-2.1005 (Fences and walls, hedges, and trees)
- [2]Yolo County Code Sec. 6-22.301 (Hazard Tree Removal Program)
- [3]Yolo County Code Sec. 6-22.305 (Hazard tree public nuisance)
- [4]Yolo County Oak Woodlands Conservation and Management
- [5]California Civil Code Sec. 3346 (tree damage treble damages)
Other rules in Yolo County
California rules heatmap·Compare Yolo County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.