Los Angeles County, CA Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)
Key Facts
- Heritage size
- Single trunk 36 inches or more, or two trunks 54 inches combined
- Thin or diseased trunks
- At least 60 feet tall or 50 years old
- Removal permit
- Conditional Use Permit under Chapter 22.230
- Mitigation ratio
- 10:1 native replacement trees per heritage tree removed
- Monitoring period
- Seven years for all mitigation trees
- Protected zone
- Dripline plus 5 feet, or 15 feet from trunk, whichever is greater
- Notice radius
- 700 feet, expanded to reach at least 15 parcels
Summary
In the Santa Monica Mountains North Area of unincorporated Los Angeles County, any tree, native or non-native, with a single trunk of 36 inches or more in diameter is a heritage tree. Removing one requires a Conditional Use Permit, and Table 22.336-A sets a 10:1 replacement ratio, monitored for seven years.
Heritage Trees. Any species of tree, whether native or non-native, is considered a heritage tree when it has a single trunk that measures 36 inches or more in diameter, or two trunks that collectively measure 54 inches or more in diameter; or for trees with naturally occurring thin trunks when full grown, and trees with unnaturally enlarged trunks due to injury or disease (e.g., burls and galls), the tree must be at least 60 feet tall or 50 years old. Age shall be determined from historical accounts, photographs, or associations with historic structures; age shall not be determined by growth ring counts in cores taken from the edge to the center of the tree. ... A Conditional Use Permit shall be required to remove any heritage tree. ... Mitigation ratios may be increased depending on the review type and any associated hearings. All mitigation trees shall be monitored for a period of seven years. ... TABLE 22.336-A: PROTECTED TREES MITIGATION RATIOS ... Removal of heritage or historic tree(s) Conditional Use Permit 10:1 ... each individual tree cut, destroyed, removed, relocated, or damaged in violation of these provisions shall be deemed a separate offense.
Full Breakdown
The rule sits in County Code § 22.336.060.B, the Trees subsection of the Biological Resource Standards for the Santa Monica Mountains North Area Community Standards District. The text was adopted by Ord. 2021-0021 and last amended by Ord. 2024-0014. It applies only inside that district, which is unincorporated county land, not the incorporated cities and not the rest of the unincorporated area.
Section 22.336.060.B.2.d defines a heritage tree by size, not species. A tree qualifies with a single trunk of 36 inches or more in diameter, or two trunks that together measure 54 inches or more. Species with naturally thin trunks when full grown, and trees with trunks enlarged by injury or disease such as burls and galls, qualify at 60 feet tall or 50 years old instead. Age is proven through historical accounts, photographs, or ties to historic structures. Growth ring counts from cores do not count as proof.
Removing a heritage tree always takes a Conditional Use Permit, processed under Chapter 22.230 (B.8.d.iii). The Table 22.336-A row for removal of heritage or historic trees requires a 10:1 mitigation ratio: ten native replacement trees planted for every tree removed. That is double the 5:1 ratio for removing a protected tree with a trunk of 36 to 54 inches. The County can raise ratios further depending on the review type and hearings. Every mitigation tree is monitored for seven years, and if a natural disaster destroys one, it must be replaced and the seven-year period continues from the original approval date. Replacement trees must be the same genus and species as the tree removed unless the County Biologist names a more suitable species.
Every development application must carry a signed statement from the owner or agent disclosing whether heritage-size trees exist on the property, with each tree's location, species, trunk size, and drip line shown on the plans. A certified arborist prepares a tree report, and the County Forester and County Biologist review it and inspect the site before a permit issues. Notice goes to every parcel within 700 feet of the project, expanded until at least 15 parcels are included. Approval also requires findings, including that the action is necessary for reasonable economic or other enjoyment of the property and that no feasible design alternative avoids the tree.
A non-native tree can also gain protection as a historic tree through discretionary review, if the County identified it as a historic resource or it is listed or eligible for the California Register of Historic Resources or National Register of Historic Places. Removal of a historic tree follows the same Conditional Use Permit and 10:1 ratio.
Violations & Fines
Cutting, destroying, removing, relocating, damaging, or encroaching into the protected zone of a protected tree without the required permit violates § 22.336.060.B. The protected zone is the area within the dripline plus at least five feet, or 15 feet from the trunk, whichever is greater. A relocation is processed as a removal. Each individual tree cut, destroyed, removed, relocated, or damaged is deemed a separate offense, so clearing four trees counts as four violations. The section itself prints no fine amount.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my tree is a heritage tree in the Santa Monica Mountains North Area?
How many replacement trees does a heritage tree removal require?
Can I prune a heritage tree without a permit?
What counts as an emergency removal of a protected tree?
What is a historic tree and how does it differ from a heritage tree?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles County
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles County to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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