Sonoma-Marin Tree Service connects Novato homeowners with local tree service contractors for removals, pruning, storm cleanup, and arborist reports. Novato has its own tree ordinance, Chapter XVII of the Municipal Code, and it treats big trees and fire-prone species differently, so it pays to know where your tree falls before calling for a quote.
Novato's heritage tree rules
Under Section 17-1.2 of the Novato Municipal Code, a heritage tree is any tree, native or not, with a trunk 24 inches in diameter (75 inches in circumference) or more, measured 24 inches above existing grade. The City Council can also designate trees for historical reasons. The city's tree permit form, updated in December 2025, restates the 24-inch threshold.
- Permit required. Altering or removing a heritage tree on any parcel in the city needs a permit from the director. Removing trees on an undeveloped parcel needs a permit too, where a "tree" means a trunk of 6 inches in diameter or more.
- Waiting period. Work cannot start for 10 calendar days after a permit is granted, while the decision can be appealed, and the city's form describes a 10-day public notice before a decision.
- Dead or fallen trees. The heritage permit rules do not apply to trees that are dead or fallen.
- Fast track. The director may waive notice and appeal and issue a permit right away when a tree is dying, diseased, or substantially damaged and a licensed professional verifies the threat in writing. Fast track also covers the species the code calls pyrophytes: Monterey pine, Bishop pine, acacia, and eucalyptus.
Parts of the Novato area, including Black Point and Bel Marin Keys, are outside city limits, where Marin County's rules apply instead. A written assessment helps either way; see arborist reports and tree permits. No one can promise a permit will be approved.
Eucalyptus, pines, and oak hills
Blue gum eucalyptus is common in Novato, in windbreak rows, on hillsides, and along roads, and many are now very tall and close to homes. They shed bark and limbs, burn hot, and resprout from the stump. Because the code lists eucalyptus among its fast-track pyrophytes, a heritage-size eucalyptus can move through the permit process faster than a healthy oak. See eucalyptus removal for how big gums are taken down and how regrowth is handled.
The western neighborhoods, Indian Valley, San Marin, and the hills above Ignacio, sit against oak and bay woodland and open space. Coast live and valley oaks there need deadwood pruning and occasional removal, and Sudden Oak Death has killed oaks and tanoaks in parts of Marin.
Storms and the December 2024 outage
Novato's wind exposure shows in winter. On December 14, 2024, after a storm moved in the night before, Novato police reported a citywide power outage, with downed wires and trees, flooded roads, and dark traffic signals, and asked residents to stay home. PG&E's map showed about 7,440 Novato customers out that morning and roughly 30,000 across Marin, according to CBS News Bay Area.
Big eucalyptus and pines over houses and streets are what fail in storms like that. Pruning out weak limbs and removing failing trees before the season helps; for trees already down, see storm-damaged and fallen tree removal. Stay away from any tree touching a power line and call PG&E first.
Novato Fire District and defensible space
The Novato Fire Protection District is a member agency of the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, whose home evaluation program reaches about a third of Marin's residential parcels each year and gives each home a wildfire risk report. In a 2026 filing, the district stated that over half of its service area is in high or very high fire hazard severity zones, and described programs to help homeowners remove ground fuels, ladder fuels, and hazard trees within up to 200 feet of structures. If your report calls for limbing trees off the roof or removing junipers and dead trees, see defensible space and fire clearance.
Have a tree on your Novato property you are worried about? Call (707) 634-8593, or request an estimate from a local tree service contractor.
Tree services in Novato
- Tree Removal → Removal of dead, leaning, diseased, and unwanted trees, including large oaks, redwoods, and eucalyptus on tight or sloped lots.
- Storm-Damaged & Fallen Tree Removal → Fallen trees, split trunks, hanging limbs, and trees on roofs, fences, or driveways after North Bay winter storms.
- Tree Trimming & Pruning → Crown thinning, deadwood removal, structural pruning, and clearance pruning for oaks, redwoods, and ornamentals.
- Stump Grinding & Removal → Grinding stumps and surface roots below grade so you can replant, lay lawn, or build, plus full stump removal where needed.
- Arborist Reports & Tree Permits → Arborist reports for city and county tree removal permits, protected and heritage trees, and construction near trees.
- Defensible Space & Fire Clearance → Limbing up, juniper and brush removal, dead tree removal, and chipping for Marin evaluations and Sonoma inspections.
- Oak Tree Removal & Sudden Oak Death → Dead and dying coast live oaks, tanoaks, and valley oaks, including Sudden Oak Death losses and protected-oak permits.
- Eucalyptus Tree Removal → Taking down tall, brittle blue gum eucalyptus near homes, roads, and fire zones, and dealing with regrowth.
- Redwood Tree Removal & Trimming → Redwoods crowding foundations, driveways, and sewer lines, thinning redwood groves, and removals where a permit allows.
- Crane Tree Removal → Crane-assisted removals for big trees over houses, on steep hillside lots, and anywhere there is no room to drop or rig.
- Dead & Hazardous Tree Removal → Dead, dying, cracked, and leaning trees that threaten the house, the street, or the neighbors, with the paperwork hazard removals need.
- Roof Clearance & Limb Removal → Lifting limbs off roofs, gutters, chimneys, and decks for fire clearance, insurance letters, and plain peace of mind.
- Tree Risk Assessment → A qualified look at a leaning, cracked, or hollow tree before a storm decides for you, with a written recommendation.
- Lot Clearing & Brush Chipping → Clearing overgrown lots, thinning small trees and brush, and chipping or hauling the debris for building, fire safety, or sale.
- Fruit Tree & Olive Pruning → Dormant and summer pruning for backyard orchards, old olives, and heritage fruit trees on wine country properties.
- Palm Tree Trimming & Removal → Skinning and trimming tall palms, removing dead fronds and seed pods, and taking out palms that have outgrown the lot.
- Tree Cabling & Bracing → Support systems for split trunks and heavy limbs on trees worth keeping, installed and inspected to industry standards.
- Insurance-Required Tree Removal → Clearing trees and limbs an insurer has flagged before a policy renewal or non-renewal deadline, with documentation.
- View Pruning → Opening up bay, hill, and valley views with selective thinning and reduction that keeps the tree healthy and the neighbors on side.
Frequently asked questions
What size tree needs a permit in Novato?
A heritage tree, one with a trunk 24 inches in diameter (75 inches around) or more measured 24 inches above grade, needs a permit to remove or alter. On an undeveloped parcel, removing trees 6 inches in diameter or more needs a permit as well.
Can I take down a big eucalyptus in Novato quickly?
If it is heritage size it still needs a permit, but the code lets the director fast-track permits for eucalyptus, acacia, Monterey pine, and Bishop pine, waiving the usual notice and appeal steps. Dead or fallen trees are outside the heritage permit rules.
Does a dying heritage oak need the full permit process?
The director can issue a fast-track permit when a tree is dying, diseased, or substantially damaged and a licensed professional verifies the threat in writing. An arborist letter is the usual way to show that.
Who evaluates defensible space in Novato?
Home evaluations in Marin are run through the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority with local fire agencies; in Novato that is the Novato Fire Protection District. Your evaluation report lists what to fix.
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