Tree Removal in Windsor, CA

Tree Removal in Windsor has one rule worth knowing before anything else: the town protects its native trees. When Windsor tightened its tree ordinance in 2003, the protected list covered ten native species, eight kinds of oak plus California buckeye and California bay, and they are protected throughout town, not only on big development sites. Removing one requires a permit from the town's Planning Department. Trees that are not on the list can generally be removed without a permit. Cutting or damaging a protected tree without one was made a misdemeanor, with civil penalties reported at up to $5,000 per tree or the tree's replacement value.

Why the list matters on suburban lots

Windsor incorporated in 1992 and grew fast, and many subdivisions were built around existing valley and live oaks rather than clearing them. That leaves a lot of homes with a mature oak in the backyard or over the driveway. Those trees can be wonderful. They can also be damaged by decades of lawn irrigation, root-zone grading for patios, and pruning cuts that were too big. When an owner asks about removing one, the first questions are whether it is actually failing and whether pruning or weight reduction would solve the problem. If removal is the answer, the permit application is part of the job.

Construction around protected trees

The ordinance also governs building near protected trees. Developers must fence a Tree Protection Zone that extends up to three feet past each tree's drip line, and keep workers and equipment out of it. Homeowners planning an addition, pool or new driveway near a big oak should think about that zone early. Compaction and trenching inside the drip line kill more oaks than saws do.

The Kincade Fire as a wake-up call

In October 2019 the Kincade Fire started near The Geysers, burned more than 77,000 acres and forced evacuations of Windsor, Healdsburg, Geyserville and parts of Santa Rosa. At its peak, orders and warnings covered nearly all of Sonoma County, about 190,000 people. Windsor's houses came through far better than many feared, but the evacuation changed how a lot of residents look at the trees around their homes. Common requests since then include removing dead pines and junipers near walls, clearing limbs over roofs, and thinning dense hedges that could carry fire to a house. Most of that is pruning and cleanup; full removals are only needed where the tree is dead or unsound.

Lots, gates and the Town Green

The 2020 census counted 9,672 housing units, and 76.3% of occupied homes were owner-occupied. Most lots are standard suburban size with side-gate access, so large removals are typically done in sections and lowered by rope. Windsor's Town Green, a large park that opened in 2001, anchors the downtown, and the town lies about two miles from the Russian River. Yard waste in Windsor is handled by Sonoma County Resource Recovery, not Recology.

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