Tree trimming in unincorporated Santa Barbara County is driven by wildfire defensible-space rules rather than a general pruning permit. The Fire Department's Standard #6 sets vertical clearances and limb-trimming distances within the 100-foot defensible-space zones around structures and along access roads.
There is no countywide ordinance requiring a permit simply to prune an ordinary tree on private land. Instead, trimming obligations come from the County Fire Department's Defensible Space Development Standard #6 and County Code Chapter 15 (Fire Code). Within Zone 1 (the structure out to 30 feet) owners must remove dead tree or shrub branches overhanging roofs or adjacent to walls and windows, and remove tree limbs within ten feet of chimney openings (§6.5.1–6.5.2). In Zone 2 (30 to 100 feet) mature trees must be trimmed so there is a minimum vertical clearance of six feet, or one-third the height of the tree, whichever is less (§7.4.4), and deadwood, including palm fronds, must be removed. Along driveways and roads (Zone 3) tree limbs must be cleared to thirteen feet six inches above the road surface (§8.5.2). Note that pruning a protected deciduous oak so severely that it kills the tree can count as a regulated "removal" under the County's Oak Tree Protection ordinance (see tree-removal-permits). Routine ornamental pruning outside fire zones is generally unregulated by the County.
Trimming violations are enforced through the fire-hazard abatement process under County Fire Code Section 4911: the fire chief issues an order, and non-compliance after the stated period (not less than ten days) is an infraction with County-performed abatement costs added to the property tax bill. Excessive pruning of a protected oak may trigger Oak Tree Protection ordinance enforcement and penalties.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Santa Barbara County, CA
Curb colors in unincorporated Santa Barbara County follow California Vehicle Code 21458: red means no stopping, yellow is loading only, white is brief passen...
Santa Barbara County, CA
Fences in unincorporated Santa Barbara County must comply with LUDC Section 35.30.070: stay within the height thresholds for their location, never exceed the...
Santa Barbara County, CA
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County, a retaining wall that retains earth only and is not over four feet (footing to top) and needs no grading permit is ex...
Santa Barbara County, CA
Santa Barbara County does not have a standalone animal-hoarding ordinance. Hoarding and neglect are addressed through County Code Chapter 7 nuisance and impo...
Santa Barbara County, CA
We found no Santa Barbara County ordinance that specifically bans feeding wildlife in unincorporated areas. Feeding wild animals is instead controlled by Cal...
Santa Barbara County, CA
Santa Barbara County does not require cats to be licensed — cat licensing through County Animal Services is voluntary. Cats are not subject to a leash law, b...
See how Santa Barbara 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.