Tree Removal in Sebastopol, CA

Tree Removal in Sebastopol goes through one of the more careful review processes in the county. The city adopted its Tree Protection Ordinance in 1992 to protect native trees, and requests can end up before the Design Review Board acting as the Tree Board. Under Section 8.12.060.D, a removal permit may be approved when an ISA Certified Arborist verifies at least one of five conditions: the tree is diseased or structurally unsound and likely to be a significant hazard within two years; it poses a foreseeable threat that pruning or other management cannot reasonably fix; recurring maintenance is unreasonably onerous; improvements cannot reasonably be designed around it; or it is out of scale with nearby structures and utilities.

Size thresholds

For multifamily, commercial and industrial properties, the code's thresholds are a protected native tree of 10 inches DBH or more, and any other tree of 20 inches or more with a single trunk, or with at least one 20-inch trunk if it has two or more. Smaller non-native trees on those properties do not need a permit. Rules for single-family lots should be confirmed with the city's planning staff, since the ordinance treats property types differently. Recent Tree Board cases have included heritage oaks of about 18 and 22 inches and a pair of Douglas firs where staff found the conditions were not met, so a strong arborist report matters.

Old orchards, new houses

Sebastopol's apple industry declined in the later 20th century, and vineyards and housing replaced many orchards. Plenty of homes still have a few old Gravenstein or other apple trees in the yard, often 60 or more years old, hollow, leaning and propped up. Old fruit trees are rarely protected and are often worth keeping with careful pruning, but trunks with heartwood rot can split without warning. We can tell you which ones are worth saving.

Wet ground on the east side

The city borders the Laguna de Santa Rosa, a wetland that frequently floods in winter and cuts off State Route 12. Low-lying homes on the east side flood too. Trees in soaked ground are more likely to tip, and crews and trucks can tear up soft lawns. For non-urgent work in those areas, late summer and fall are often better.

Before you apply

Gather photos of the whole tree and any defects, a simple site sketch showing the house and the tree, and the arborist's written findings. Applications that clearly tie the tree to one of the five conditions tend to move faster than ones that only say the tree is a nuisance.

A small, older city

Sebastopol covers just 1.88 square miles. Census QuickFacts reports that 27.9% of residents are 65 or older and the median owner-occupied value is about $845,700. Yard waste is handled by Sonoma County Resource Recovery. Many lots are older and irregular, with outbuildings and garden beds that need protecting during removal.

Call (707) 385-5238 or send the form. If your tree likely needs a permit, we will say so on the estimate. Get a free estimate