Sonoma-Marin Tree Service connects Penngrove property owners with local tree service contractors who work rural acreage: long driveways, pastures, fence lines, and oaks that were here before the house. Penngrove is unincorporated, so tree permits, oak woodland rules, and vegetation inspections all come from Sonoma County.
Sonoma County tree rules apply in Penngrove
Sonoma County updated its tree protection ordinance in 2024 with Ordinance 6478, the first major update since 1989. Outside the coastal zone, a zoning permit is required to remove protected native trees 6 inches or more in diameter, measured 4.5 feet up from the uphill side of the trunk. The protected list covers about 30 natives, including valley, coast live, and blue oak, California buckeye, madrone, big leaf maple, and redwood. Larger hardwoods, 36 inches and up, move to a use permit.
Removal comes with mitigation: replanting, preserving other trees, or an in-lieu fee that Permit Sonoma lists at $510 per arboreal value point. Some exemptions matter a lot on Penngrove lots:
- Defensible space work done under Public Resources Code 4291 or County Code Chapter 13A
- Dead, dying, diseased, or hazardous trees inside a structure's defensible space zone
- Removal an insurer requires to insure an occupied home, within 100 feet of it, with documentation from the insurer
Oak woodland on the Sonoma Mountain side
Oak woodland is the dominant plant community on the eastern slopes of Sonoma Mountain, and much of the higher ground above Penngrove, up Lichau Road and the roads that climb toward the mountain, is oak country. The county adopted a separate Oak Woodland combining district in 2024 (Ordinance 6469, Section 26-67). It applies to parcels with at least half an acre of mapped oak woodland and restricts converting oak woodland to other uses without discretionary review. Ordinary removal of a single dead or hazardous oak is a different question from clearing a stand, so describe the job to Permit Sonoma before clearing more than a few trees.
Old valley and coast live oaks on pasture land tend to fail at the root plate in saturated winter soil, or shed heavy limbs in summer. oak tree removal and structural pruning are the most common jobs here, along with tree risk assessment for big oaks near houses, barns, and driveways.
Fire clearance on rural lots
Penngrove's grassland and oak edges are classic wildland-urban interface. County Code Chapter 13A sets the hazardous vegetation standard for unincorporated parcels: a lean, clean, and green zone within 30 feet of structures and a reduced-fuel zone from 30 to 100 feet. Permit Sonoma and the fire districts inspect parcels, and violations that are not corrected can be abated by the County with costs liened to the property. Typical work is limbing oaks up off the ground, removing dead trees and brush near the house, clearing along driveways, and chipping the debris. See defensible space and fire clearance and lot clearing and brush chipping.
Local fire service has come from the Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District, which has a station on Main Street in Penngrove. A 2026 LAFCO proposal would dissolve the district into the Sonoma County Fire District, so check which agency handles inspections for your parcel when you get a notice.
Have a tree on your Penngrove property you are worried about? Call (707) 634-8593, or request an estimate from a local tree service contractor.
Tree services in Penngrove
- 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
Do I need a county permit to remove an oak in Penngrove?
Often, if it is a protected native 6 inches or more in diameter and no exemption applies. Exemptions include defensible space work under PRC 4291 or Chapter 13A, dead or hazardous trees inside the defensible space zone, and insurer-required removals within 100 feet of a home. Confirm with Permit Sonoma before cutting.
Is clearing brush for fire safety exempt from the tree ordinance?
Permit Sonoma states that defensible space work under PRC 4291 or County Code Chapter 13A is not subject to the tree protection ordinance. Clearing large areas of oak woodland is a separate issue under the oak woodland rules, so keep the work to what fire clearance actually requires.
Can equipment reach trees on a Penngrove pasture or hillside?
Usually, but soft winter ground, gates, septic fields, and slopes all change the plan. Many crews prefer to work large rural removals in drier months unless the tree is an immediate hazard.
What should I do with the wood and brush?
Options include chipping on site, hauling, or keeping firewood. Stack firewood well away from the house, since fire clearance guidance treats it as fuel near structures.
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