Sonoma-Marin Tree Service connects San Anselmo homeowners with local tree service contractors for removals, pruning, and fire clearance. San Anselmo's private tree ordinance is one of the clearer ones in Marin, with a single diameter threshold and a neighbor notice requirement, so it is worth knowing before you plan a removal.
The work people ask for most here is oak tree removal, tree trimming and pruning, arborist reports and tree permits, and defensible space and fire clearance.
Chapter 4-13: heritage trees in San Anselmo
San Anselmo's private tree rules are in Chapter 4-13 of the town code. A heritage tree is one measuring 22 inches or more in diameter at breast height (DBH, measured about 4.5 feet above grade). How the rule applies depends on the parcel:
- Developed parcels: a permit is needed to remove a heritage tree.
- Undeveloped parcels: a permit is needed to remove any tree 7 inches DBH or larger.
Neighbors within 300 feet are notified of the application, so a removal is not a private matter between you and the contractor. Plan for that time, and expect questions if the tree is visible from the street or a neighbor's yard. To check your own tree, measure the trunk's circumference at chest height and divide by 3.14: a circumference of about 69 inches is 22 inches in diameter.
An arborist report is often the backbone of an application. It documents species, size, condition, the reason for removal, and any alternatives like pruning or tree cabling and bracing. No one can promise a permit will be approved, but a clear report makes the town's review easier.
Oaks, bays, and redwoods along the Ross Valley
San Anselmo grew up around the railroad and San Anselmo Creek, with Victorian and early 1900s homes near downtown and the Seminary, then 1920s through 1950s houses spreading up Red Hill, Oak Knoll, and the side canyons. Many of those lots were cut into oak and bay woodland, with redwoods in the shaded draws and along the creek.
- Coast live oaks are the dominant native tree on the hillsides. Sudden Oak Death has killed oaks and tanoaks across Marin, and UC Cooperative Extension advises removing dead ones that pose fire or fall risk.
- California bay grows fast and multi-stemmed. It is also a host that spreads the Sudden Oak Death pathogen to nearby oaks, which is one reason arborists look at bays when an oak is declining.
- Redwoods near older homes crowd foundations, retaining walls, and sewer laterals.
Winter storms in the Ross Valley bring saturated soil and wind together, and that is when shallow-rooted or decayed trees come down on fences, cars, and roofs.
Ross Valley Fire and defensible space
San Anselmo is served by the Ross Valley Fire Department, a joint powers authority that also covers Fairfax, Ross, and the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District. Ross Valley Fire takes part in the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority's defensible space evaluations, funded by Measure C. Across Marin, about a third of residential parcels are evaluated each year, so each home is typically seen about every three years and gets a Wildfire Risk Report.
Tree items on those reports are usually limbs over the roof, dead branches, low limbs that connect brush to the canopy, and dead oaks near the house. Clearance pruning on a heritage-size tree is generally a different question from removing it, but if a report seems to call for removing a tree over 22 inches DBH, check with the town before cutting. If an oak may have died of Sudden Oak Death, ask the contractor how the wood will be handled; UC Cooperative Extension Marin publishes guidance on managing infected material.
Sleepy Hollow is county territory
Sleepy Hollow has a San Anselmo mailing address but is unincorporated, so Chapter 4-13 does not apply there. Tree removals fall under Marin County's Development Code Chapter 22.62 instead, with its own heritage and protected tree definitions. Ask the county planning division before removing a large native tree on a Sleepy Hollow lot. For fire service, Sleepy Hollow has its own fire protection district, which is a member of Ross Valley Fire.
Have a tree on your San Anselmo property you are worried about? Call (707) 634-8593, or request an estimate from a local tree service contractor.
Tree services in San Anselmo
- 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 San Anselmo?
On a developed parcel, a heritage tree, defined in Chapter 4-13 as 22 inches or more in diameter at breast height, needs a permit to remove. On an undeveloped parcel, any tree 7 inches DBH or larger needs one.
Will my neighbors find out about my tree removal permit?
Yes. Neighbors within 300 feet are notified when an application is filed for a heritage tree removal. It helps to talk to adjacent neighbors early, especially if the tree is shared, overhangs a property line, or frames a view.
How do I measure diameter at breast height?
Wrap a tape around the trunk about 4.5 feet above the ground and divide the circumference by 3.14. A trunk about 69 inches around is roughly 22 inches in diameter. Multi-stemmed trees and trees on slopes are measured differently, so have an arborist confirm if you are close.
Do I need a permit to prune a heritage oak?
Routine pruning is usually treated differently from removal, but heavy cutting that harms a protected tree can be regulated. Ask the town if the work is more than light thinning or deadwood removal, and hire a contractor who prunes to the ANSI A300 standard instead of topping.
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