Supervisors Approve Updated Tree Ordinance

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — An expanded version of Sonoma County's tree protection ordinance was approved Tuesday by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and will preserve more trees and help combat climate change, given that woodlands pull carbon from the atmosphere.

The updated Tree Protection Ordinance protects more native species, lowers the size threshold of protected trees to support forest health, and exempts removals for affordable housing projects, public safety, defensible space and basic property maintenance. A second ordinance enhances protections specifically for oak woodlands, a sensitive and valued natural resource.

"Trees and woodlands are essential elements of Sonoma County’s rural and urban lands," said Supervisor Lynda Hopkins. "They provide a range of fundamental services to the community including clean air and water, wildlife habitat, natural cooling and climate moderation, cultural and historical value. Climate change, natural disasters and development continue to imperil the health, diversity and distribution of local trees and the benefits they provide. This action will help mitigate those hazards."

The original Tree Protection Ordinance was adopted in 1989 and protected 11 tree species with trunks 9 inches in diameter or greater. The updated ordinance includes 31 tree species with trunks 6 inches in diameter or greater. The protected species include big leaf maple, black oak, blue oak, boxelder, California black walnut, California buckeye, canyon live oak, coast live oak, two cottonwood species, interior live oak, madrone, Oregon ash, Oregon oak, red and white alder, valley oak, two willow species, two cypress species, grand fir, six pine species, redwood and western hemlock.

Bay trees and manzanita were considered but not included.

The ordinance protects these trees — about half of the county's land area— during construction projects, requiring mitigations for their removal. If trees are lost to removal, the ordinance requires planting new trees or paying an in-lieu fee. The supervisors increased those fees based on changes to the Consumer Price Index since 1989. Fees in the original ordinance were $200-$1,400; now the fees are $500-$3,500 per tree removed, depending on the tree size.

A use permit is required to remove protected hardwoods greater than 36 inches and redwoods greater than 48 inches, and an appraisal must be done to determine the fee for removing those trees.

The updated tree protection regulations will increase climate resiliency by preserving the county’s tree and forest resources, which act as important carbon sinks by pulling greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The policies will help the county achieve its carbon neutrality objective by 2030 by maximizing carbon sequestration and minimizing the loss of its carbon sinks.

The tree policy was developed after Permit Sonoma conducted an extensive three-year outreach campaign including eight public meetings, more than 30 meetings with representatives of targeted stakeholder groups and a community survey with more than 500 respondents.

The new policy is effective 30 days after Board of Supervisors' approval. Read the text of the adopted ordinances on the Comprehensive Tree Ordinance Update website.

• RELATED COVERAGE: Moratorium On Tree Removals Extended By Sonoma County