Tree Removal in Petaluma, CA

Tree Removal in Petaluma can require a city permit even when the tree is entirely on private land. The Planning Division may require a tree removal permit when a tree is protected under Chapter 17 of the Implementing Zoning Ordinance. Protected trees fall into three groups: certain native species, trees designated as heritage trees, and trees that were protected as a condition of a development approval. That third group surprises people. If your subdivision was approved with specific oaks to be preserved, those trees may carry protection that you never heard about when you bought the house.

The heritage tree registry

Petaluma also has a Heritage Tree Ordinance, and owners can nominate trees for the City Tree Registry, which protects them from removal. The city keeps an online Register of Heritage and Landmark Trees, and a Tree Advisory Committee advises on tree issues. If you are buying or selling a home with a very large or old tree, it is worth checking the register.

Street trees need an encroachment permit

Trimming or removing a tree in the public right-of-way, usually the planter strip between the curb and the sidewalk, requires an Encroachment Permit. Some street trees are protected and need staff review first. Property owners are also responsible for keeping up the sidewalk and street planters in front of their homes, which is why so many root-and-sidewalk problems end up as the owner's project. The city's Building and Planning counter at 11 English Street is the place to start.

West side and east side are different jobs

The city was relatively unharmed in the 1906 earthquake, and pre-1906 buildings and Victorian homes still stand on the west side of the river. Those older lots often have large, old trees, sometimes planted a century ago, crowding houses, garages and overhead lines. Removals there are slow, careful, piece-by-piece work. East of the river, newer tracts have younger trees but smaller yards and shared fences. Many of the requests there are for fast-growing species that were planted too close to a house.

Living in a floodplain

Petaluma sits at the head of navigation on the Petaluma River, a tidal estuary, and a significant part of the city lies in its floodplain. The river overflows every few years, notably in the Payran neighborhood. Trees in repeatedly saturated soil lose root strength, and after floods we see more leaning and uprooted trees. The heaviest storms also bring south winds against soaked ground.

Heat, fog and sudden oak death

Summer mornings are often foggy and cool, but the city also recorded 111 degrees on September 6, 2020. Drought and heat stress add up in shallow-rooted trees. The 2019 sudden oak death survey also found an outbreak in southwestern Petaluma, where coast live oaks and bays grow together on the hills toward Helen Putnam Regional Park.

Getting an estimate

Call (707) 385-5238 or use the form. We will tell you if your tree may be protected, flag any right-of-way issue and give you a written, itemized estimate. Get a free estimate