Stockton, CA Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Protected species
- Valley Oak, Coast Live Oak, Interior Live Oak only
- Size threshold
- 16-inch trunk diameter at 24 inches above grade
- Multi-trunk rule
- Combines trunks of 6 inches or more
- Governing definition
- Development Code Division 8 (Glossary)
- Non-qualifying trees
- No permit or protection required
Summary
Stockton's protection extends to only three native oak species once their trunks reach a set size: Valley Oak, Coast Live Oak, and Interior Live Oak. Every other tree species in the city, and smaller oaks of these species, fall outside the heritage tree ordinance entirely.
Heritage Tree. Any Quercus lobata (commonly known as "Valley Oak"), Quercus agrifolia (Coast Live Oak), and Quercus wislizenii (Interior Live Oak) tree which is located on public or private property within the limits of the City, and which has a trunk diameter of 16 inches or more, measured at 24 inches above actual grade. For Oak trees of the species mentioned above, with multiple trunks, the combined total trunk diameter shall be used for all trunks measuring six inches or greater measured at 24 inches above actual grade.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4970744; v11 updated 2026-07-07).
Full Breakdown
The Development Code's glossary defines a heritage tree narrowly: any Quercus lobata (Valley Oak), Quercus agrifolia (Coast Live Oak), or Quercus wislizenii (Interior Live Oak) located on public or private property within the City, with a trunk diameter of 16 inches or more measured at 24 inches above actual grade. For those same species with multiple trunks, the combined diameter of all trunks measuring six inches or greater at that same height counts toward the 16-inch threshold. 130 permit. 050. 030) weighs the tree's condition, disease, and fall risk; whether the removal is truly necessary for proposed construction; erosion and drainage impacts; and how many similar trees remain nearby, and the Director's decision is appealable to the City Council.
Because the qualifying list is limited to three oak species and a specific diameter threshold, a homeowner or developer's first step before any tree work is confirming species and trunk measurement against this glossary definition, since smaller specimens of the same three oaks and any tree outside the list carry no heritage-tree obligations at all.
Violations & Fines
Treating a qualifying oak as unprotected, or removing it without first confirming its species and trunk diameter against the glossary definition, still exposes the owner to the § 16.130.040 fine and § 16.130.060 three-for-one replacement requirement that attach to any unpermitted heritage tree removal, regardless of whether the mistake was intentional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Stockton protect all mature trees, or just oaks?
How is trunk diameter measured for a multi-trunk oak?
Is a 12-inch Valley Oak protected in Stockton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stockton
California rules heatmap·Compare Stockton to another location·View the California tree protection overview
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