8 Best Tree Services in San Jose – Arborists Bay Area

San Jose has a Tree Preservation ordinance that allows some trees to be removed without a permit, while others will need permission from the city.

Heritage trees or street trees cannot be touched. Heritage trees are on both public and private land, so please see the Heritage tree list here to see if your tree is listed. There are about 100 of them in San Jose.

Trees you can remove

Referred to as “Ordinance-sized trees” these are trees that if smaller than the below specifications, can be removed without a permit. Any tree alive or dead that is greater in size than the below will need a permit.

Single trunk – 38 inches circumference or less when measured at 4.5 feet above ground level.

Multi-trunk – The combined measurement of each trunk circumference at 4.5 feet above ground is no greater than 38 inches.

A tree with a 38-inch trunk circumference is a fairly large tree, so in most cases, you will be able to remove a tree without a permit. These laws are quite lenient when compared to other cities.

Tree Preservation Ordinance

Here is a link to the Tree Preservation Ordinance for San Jose. If you have any questions or concerns you can always reach out to the city arborist directly at (408) 794-1901.

What’s the approval process?

If you have a tree that is larger than the above specifications, you will need to submit an application for removal.

If the tree is not dead or a hazard, you will a good reason for removal. Most of the time the tree will not be in a suitable location such as within 5 feet of your residence or other structures. In these cases, approval should not be a problem.

If the tree is of Ordinance size and is healthy and well situated, you have a very slim chance of getting approval for removal.

Process

Fill in the application form with the following:

1. Submit the application form with a tree description and site plan.
2. Photo or each tree.
3. Pay the non-refundable fee required.