Sonoma-Marin Tree Service connects Sonoma homeowners with local tree service contractors for pruning, removals, stump grinding, and arborist reports. The first question on any Sonoma job is which rules apply: inside city limits the City of Sonoma has its own tree ordinance, while the Springs neighborhoods just north of town are unincorporated and follow Sonoma County's.
City of Sonoma tree rules
The City of Sonoma regulates trees under Municipal Code Chapter 12.08. The chapter makes it unlawful, except in an emergency, to alter, remove, or relocate a "significant tree" without first getting a written permit from the city. A 2021 Sonoma Sun article quoting the code described a significant private tree as one whose single trunk is more than 4.5 feet in circumference at 4.5 feet high, on residential property within the front or street-side yard setback. Confirm the current definition with the city before you rely on it, since the chapter has been amended over time. Trees in the public right-of-way, such as parkway strips, are under the Public Works Director.
A separate chapter, 12.09, covers heritage trees, which are individually designated rather than defined only by size. If you are unsure whether a tree on your lot is designated or significant, ask the city with the address before work is scheduled. Where a permit is needed, a written report from a certified arborist often helps; see arborist reports and tree permits. No one can promise approval.
Inside city limits vs. the Springs
Boyes Hot Springs, Fetters Hot Springs, Agua Caliente, El Verano, and Temelec sit outside the city and follow Sonoma County's tree ordinance (Ordinance 6478, adopted 2024). Under the county rules, protected natives such as oaks, madrone, buckeye, and redwood need a zoning permit at 6 inches in diameter or more, with exemptions for defensible space work and for dead or hazardous trees inside a home's defensible space zone. The two systems are different enough that a removal one neighbor did without paperwork may need a permit across the city line, or the reverse.
Valley oaks, olives, and old plantings
Valley oaks are the signature tree of the Sonoma Valley floor, and many in town are well over a century old. They are long-lived but drop heavy limbs, sometimes on calm summer days, and old trees with decay at the base or major unions need a careful look before anyone decides between pruning, tree cabling and bracing, and removal. Older yards also hold coast live oaks, walnuts, and fruit trees planted generations ago.
Olive trees are part of the town's history and many backyards. Old olives respond well to thinning cuts that open the center to light and air, and badly to heavy topping. See fruit tree and olive pruning for timing and technique on olives and backyard orchards, and tree trimming and pruning for oaks and shade trees.
Fire and storms in the Sonoma Valley
The Sonoma Valley Fire District provides fire protection for the City of Sonoma under a service agreement, along with the surrounding valley communities. The 2017 Nuns fire burned more than 56,000 acres and destroyed more than 400 Sonoma Valley homes, according to the City of Sonoma, and fire clearance has been a regular part of tree work here since. Limbing trees back from roofs and removing dead wood near the house is covered on defensible space and fire clearance.
Winter storms bring the other kind of tree call: oaks and big ornamentals uprooted in saturated clay soil, and limbs on fences, cars, and roofs.
Have a tree on your Sonoma property you are worried about? Call (707) 634-8593, or request an estimate from a local tree service contractor.
Tree services in Sonoma
- 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 permit to remove a tree in the City of Sonoma?
If it qualifies as a significant tree under Chapter 12.08, yes, a written permit from the city is required before removal except in an emergency. Designated heritage trees have their own protections under Chapter 12.09. Ask the city with your address to find out whether your tree qualifies.
My house is in Boyes Hot Springs. Whose rules apply?
Boyes Hot Springs is unincorporated, so Sonoma County's tree ordinance applies, not the City of Sonoma's. Protected native species 6 inches in diameter or more generally need a county zoning permit unless an exemption, such as defensible space work, applies.
When should old olive trees be pruned?
Timing depends on the tree and the goal, but heavy pruning is usually done outside the coldest part of winter so fresh cuts are not exposed to frost and wet weather. A contractor who prunes olives regularly can suggest the right window for your trees.
Is it safe to keep a huge valley oak over the house?
Often it is, with the right pruning and periodic inspection. A tree risk assessment looks at decay, cracks, root condition, and what the tree would hit, and gives you options short of removal where they exist.
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