Tree Permits in Los Altos Hills
Los Altos Hills requires a permit to remove any oak at 36″; council-designated heritage tree at any size. Measured as trunk circumference at 48″ above grade. Arborist report required in some cases. Permit fee from $814. Verified October 21, 2026.
Last verified · fees checked · Michael Schuck, ISA Certified Arborist WE-15750A, ISA Certified Urban Forest Professional WE-15750AF
Los Altos Hills tree ordinance at a glance
| Code section | LAHMC Title 12, Chapter 2 (Trees, Shrubs and Plants), Article 1 Definitions sec. 12-2.101 and Article 3 Heritage Oaks secs. 12-2.301 to 12-2.307 (Ord. 332, eff. June 1, 1990); Article 4 Heritage Trees secs. 12-2.401 to 12-2.405 (Council-designated trees); Article 5 secs. 12-2.501 to 12-2.503 (trees removed in anticipation of or during development) |
|---|---|
| Protected trees | Only the genus Quercus is regulated on private property: a 'Heritage Oak' is any oak (Valley Oak, California Live Oak, Black Oak, Blue Oak listed as examples) with a trunk or multiple trunk 36" in circumference (approximately 12" in diameter) at four feet above the root crown. Council-designated 'heritage trees' (any species, by resolution after a noticed hearing, Art. 4) may be removed only with City Council approval. Street trees in any street, park or public place need a permit under Art. 2. The Town page states 'No Tree Removal Permit is needed for other tree species.' A 2020 staff proposal (Exhibit A) to add a 94" circumference 'Protected Tree' class and an exempt-species list was not adopted; the current eCode360 text contains Art. 3 only. |
| Size threshold | 36" circumference (approximately 12" diameter) at 4 ft above the root crown, oaks (genus Quercus) only Code wording (12-2.101): 'a trunk or multiple trunk 36 inches in circumference (approximately 12 inches in diameter) at a point four feet above the root crown'. Measured at 4 ft (48") above the root crown, not 54". Non-oak species on private property are not regulated. |
| Multi-trunk trees | The definition reads 'a trunk or multiple trunk 36 inches in circumference' (12-2.101); the code does not say whether multiple trunks are summed or measured individually. Treat an oak as a Heritage Oak if any trunk, or the trunks together, reach 36" circumference at 4 ft and confirm with Planning. UNVERIFIED method. |
| Dead or hazardous trees | 12-2.302(b): no removal permit is required when 'The City Manager (or designee) has determined that the Heritage Oak presents an immediate danger to persons or property. Persons believing a Heritage Oak presents an immediate danger should call Town Hall during normal business hours and 911 at all other times.' Dead, diseased-beyond-reclamation, hazardous or crowded oaks still need the permit, but the Town skips the neighbor notice (12-2.304) and, per the Tree Removal Permit page, waives the fee and issues the permit over the counter when the oak 'poses an immediate hazard and/or is dead and creating a fire hazard'. Fee schedule P025 'Hazardous Oak Tree Removal (Dead/Emergency/Defensible Space)': No Fee. |
| Fire-safety removals | Expedited route. The code has no fire clause, but the adopted 2026 fee schedule charges no fee for 'Hazardous Oak Tree Removal (Dead/Emergency/Defensible Space)' and the Town page says a dead Heritage Oak creating a fire hazard is permitted over the counter with the fee waived; the permit itself is still required unless the City Manager finds an immediate danger. source · all cities |
| Permit fee (FY 2026-27) | Planning Department Master Fee Schedule (adopted June 18, 2026, effective August 1, 2026): P024 Oak Tree Removal (Volunteer) per request $814; P025 Hazardous Oak Tree Removal (Dead/Emergency/Defensible Space) per request No Fee; P026 Arborist Report Review: Actual Cost, $1,000 deposit ('collected when a peer review of an third party consulting arborist report is necessary'); P008 Appeal - Minimum Processing Fee $2,170 per appeal plus P008A additional processing at actual cost ($2,411 deposit). The Town's Tree Removal Permit page also states 'The fee for a Heritage Oak Tree Removal Permit is $814.00' and that the fee is waived for immediate-hazard or dead/fire-hazard oaks. fee schedule |
| Permit filing by this practice | $750 flat for one tree, $600 with an arborist report or if you post the notice yourself; city fee above is extra. Phone or written request to the City Manager's designee on the Zoning Permit form; Town mails the abutting-owner notice itself and issues after the 10-day protest window; no applicant posting; a Site Development Committee hearing only if a neighbor protests. Have it filed. |
| Penalties for removal without a permit | Article 3 contains no specific penalty; removing a Heritage Oak without a permit is a Municipal Code violation (fee schedule: violation fee 'per Municipal Code Section 10-2.1318, with the specific amount determined by the Planning and Building Director'). Trees removed in anticipation of development: Council may condition the project, including 'replacement of each tree removed or damaged by five 48 inch box trees' plus a multi-year maintenance bond (12-2.501); trees removed in violation of development conditions: stop-work order and a plan of restitution with up to five replacement trees per tree and a bond (12-2.502). Permit conditions may require up to five trees planted per oak removed (12-2.306). |
| Arborist report | Sometimes required. Not required with the application. 12-2.303: 'If there is a disagreement regarding the condition of the Heritage Oak between the applicant and the Town, an arborist's opinion must be obtained at the expense of the applicant.' The Town page repeats this. Development reviews: the reviewing authority 'may require the developer to provide recommendations by an arborist' (12-2.502(a)); heritage-tree designation hearings may use a Town-paid arborist report (12-2.401). Fee schedule P026 charges actual cost ($1,000 deposit) when the Town peer-reviews a third-party arborist report. Who may write it: 'Arborist means a person certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. The Town will maintain a list of arborists working in this area.' (12-2.101) |
| Who to call | Planning Department, Town of Los Altos Hills, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022; (650) 941-7222; planning@losaltoshills.ca.gov; fax (650) 941-3160; Zoning Permit Application (fillable) and online permitting via eTRAKiT (trakit.losaltoshills.ca.gov) · official page |
- : Fee schedule updated (FY 2026-27): Planning Department Master Fee Schedule (adopted June 18, 2026, effective August 1, 2026): P024 Oak Tree Removal (Volunteer) per request $814; P025 Hazardous Oak Tree…
Sources: ecode360.com · losaltoshills.ca.gov. Urban Forestry Guide is not a city line; for Los Altos Hills permit questions use the department above.
Does my tree need a permit in Los Altos Hills?
A permit is required when the tree is protected and meets the size rule. Los Altos Hills measures trunk circumference at 48″ above the ground.
- Any oak (genus Quercus: valley, coast live, black, blue oak and others): protected at 36″ circumference
- Council-designated heritage tree: protected at any size
Only oaks are regulated on private property. Street trees need an Article 2 permit; Council-designated heritage trees need Council approval.
Fee $814 per request (schedule effective 8/1/2026); no fee for dead, emergency or defensible-space oak removals. Abutting owners get mailed notice with a 10-day protest period unless the oak is dead, diseased, hazardous or crowded; conditions may require up to five replacement trees per oak.
An ISA-certified arborist opinion is required at the applicant's cost only if the Town disputes the tree's condition (12-2.303); Town peer review is billed at actual cost ($1,000 deposit).
Multi-trunk measurement method (code says "trunk or multiple trunk 36 inches in circumference").
Whether the $2,170 general Planning appeal fee applies to Heritage Oak appeals.
Check my tree in the permit checker
Street trees, city-designated heritage trees and trees required by a development approval are protected at any size in every city. Trees on lot lines belong to both owners.
Does Los Altos Hills require an arborist report?
Sometimes. Not required with the application. 12-2.303: 'If there is a disagreement regarding the condition of the Heritage Oak between the applicant and the Town, an arborist's opinion must be obtained at the expense of the applicant.' The Town page repeats this. Development reviews: the reviewing authority 'may require the developer to provide recommendations by an arborist' (12-2.502(a)); heritage-tree designation hearings may use a Town-paid arborist report (12-2.401). Fee schedule P026 charges actual cost ($1,000 deposit) when the Town peer-reviews a third-party arborist report.
Who may write it: 'Arborist means a person certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. The Town will maintain a list of arborists working in this area.' (12-2.101). Code says the Town 'will maintain a list of arborists working in this area' (12-2.101); no list found on the Tree Removal Permit page or Planning pages.
“If there is a disagreement regarding the condition of the Heritage Oak between the applicant and the Town, an arborist's opinion must be obtained at the expense of the applicant.” municipal code
How to get a tree removal permit in Los Altos Hills
- Check whether the tree is a Heritage Oak: any oak (genus Quercus) whose trunk or multiple trunk measures 36 inches in circumference (about 12 inches in diameter) at 4 feet above the root crown. Other species need no Town permit on private property; Council-designated heritage trees need City Council approval; street trees need an Article 2 permit. If the oak is an immediate danger, call Town Hall (650) 941-7222 in business hours or 911 otherwise; a City Manager immediate-danger determination removes the permit requirement (12-2.302). source
- Apply to the City Manager or designee (Planning Department) by telephone or in writing; the Town uses the Application for Zoning Permit form (project description 'oak tree removal') submitted with the number, size and location of the oak(s), photos if available, and a brief explanation of the reasons (dead, diseased beyond reclamation, hazardous, crowded, interference with utilities or structures, or other net benefit) (12-2.303, 12-2.305). source
- Pay the fee before processing: $814 (P024 Oak Tree Removal) under the schedule effective August 1, 2026; no fee for a dead, emergency or defensible-space oak (P025), which the Town page says is issued over the counter. If the Town disputes the tree's condition you must obtain an ISA-certified arborist's opinion at your cost; a Town peer review of that report is billed at actual cost against a $1,000 deposit (P026). source
- Unless the reason is that the oak is dead, diseased beyond reclamation, hazardous or crowded, the Town mails written notice to the owners of all abutting properties; if no protest is received within 10 days of mailing the City Manager (or designee) may issue the permit; if a protest is filed the Site Development Committee hears the matter after at least 10 days' notice to applicant and protestant (12-2.304). source
- The permit may carry conditions, including 'the requirement that up to five trees be planted for each one removed' (12-2.306). Removal is approved only on one of the 12-2.305 criteria: dead/diseased/hazardous/crowded; interference with utilities, structures, improved surfaces or rights-of-way that pruning will not correct; or special conditions showing a net benefit to the Town. source
- Appeal: the applicant may appeal the City Manager's decision, and the applicant or protestant the Site Development Committee's decision, to the City Council under LAHMC 10-1.1009 (12-2.307); the 2026 fee schedule lists P008 Appeal - Minimum Processing Fee $2,170 per appeal plus additional processing at actual cost. source
| Timeline | No published processing time. Code: 10-day protest period after the Town mails notice to abutting owners (skipped for dead/diseased/hazardous/crowded oaks); if protested, a Site Development Committee hearing on at least 10 days' notice. Town page: immediate-hazard and dead/fire-hazard oaks are issued over the counter. “If there is no protest against removing the Heritage Oak within 10 days of the date of the mailing, the City Manager (or designee) may issue the removal permit pursuant to Section 12-3.305.” source |
|---|---|
| Appeal | Applicant may appeal the City Manager's (designee's) decision to the City Council; applicant or protestant may appeal a Site Development Committee decision to the City Council; conducted under LAHMC 10-1.1009. Fee: P008 Appeal - Minimum Processing Fee $2,170 per appeal, P008A additional processing at actual cost ($2,411 deposit), non-refundable (2026 Planning fee schedule, note *1). “An applicant may appeal the decision of the City Manager (or designee) to the City Council. The applicant or protestant may appeal the decision of the Site Development Committee to the City Council. The appeal shall be conducted in accordance with Section 10-1.1009 of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code.” source |
| Replacement | No fixed ratio. 12-2.306: the City Manager (designee) or Site Development Committee 'may attach reasonable conditions to the approval of a removal permit, including, but not limited to, the requirement that up to five trees be planted for each one removed.' Development context: up to five replacement trees per tree (five 48-inch box trees for trees removed in anticipation of development) plus a multi-year bond (12-2.501, 12-2.502). source |
| Forms | Application for Zoning Permit (fillable; used for oak tree removal) · Tree Removal Permit page (Planning Department) · Planning Department Master Fee Schedule (adopted 6/18/2026, effective 8/1/2026) · LAHMC Title 12 Ch. 2 Article 3 Heritage Oaks (eCode360) |
Process verified October 21, 2026 against the city's code, forms and department pages.
Frequently asked questions about tree permits in Los Altos Hills
Do I need a permit to remove a dead tree in Los Altos Hills?
12-2.302(b): no removal permit is required when 'The City Manager (or designee) has determined that the Heritage Oak presents an immediate danger to persons or property. Persons believing a Heritage Oak presents an immediate danger should call Town Hall during normal business hours and 911 at all other times.' Dead, diseased-beyond-reclamation, hazardous or crowded oaks still need the permit, but the Town skips the neighbor notice (12-2.304) and, per the Tree Removal Permit page, waives the fee and issues the permit over the counter when the oak 'poses an immediate hazard and/or is dead and creating a fire hazard'. Fee schedule P025 'Hazardous Oak Tree Removal (Dead/Emergency/Defensible Space)': No Fee.
What is the fine for removing a tree without a permit in Los Altos Hills?
Article 3 contains no specific penalty; removing a Heritage Oak without a permit is a Municipal Code violation (fee schedule: violation fee 'per Municipal Code Section 10-2.1318, with the specific amount determined by the Planning and Building Director'). Trees removed in anticipation of development: Council may condition the project, including 'replacement of each tree removed or damaged by five 48 inch box trees' plus a multi-year maintenance bond (12-2.501); trees removed in violation of development conditions: stop-work order and a plan of restitution with up to five replacement trees per tree and a bond (12-2.502). Permit conditions may require up to five trees planted per oak removed (12-2.306).
How long does a tree removal permit take in Los Altos Hills?
No published processing time. Code: 10-day protest period after the Town mails notice to abutting owners (skipped for dead/diseased/hazardous/crowded oaks); if protested, a Site Development Committee hearing on at least 10 days' notice. Town page: immediate-hazard and dead/fire-hazard oaks are issued over the counter.
Does Los Altos Hills require an arborist report for a tree removal permit?
Sometimes required. Not required with the application. 12-2.303: 'If there is a disagreement regarding the condition of the Heritage Oak between the applicant and the Town, an arborist's opinion must be obtained at the expense of the applicant.' The Town page repeats this. Development reviews: the reviewing authority 'may require the developer to provide recommendations by an arborist' (12-2.502(a)); heritage-tree designation hearings may use a Town-paid arborist report (12-2.401). Fee schedule P026 charges actual cost ($1,000 deposit) when the Town peer-reviews a third-party arborist report.
Can I remove a tree for fire safety in Los Altos Hills without a permit?
Expedited or fee-waived route. The code has no fire clause, but the adopted 2026 fee schedule charges no fee for 'Hazardous Oak Tree Removal (Dead/Emergency/Defensible Space)' and the Town page says a dead Heritage Oak creating a fire hazard is permitted over the counter with the fee waived; the permit itself is still required unless the City Manager finds an immediate danger.
How does Los Altos Hills measure a tree for the permit threshold?
Trunk circumference at 48 inches above grade. Circumference at 4 ft (48") above the root crown: 36" (about 12" diameter). Oaks only; no other private species is regulated.
Tree permits in nearby cities
Atherton · Belmont · Burlingame · East Palo Alto · Foster City · Hillsborough · Menlo Park · Pacifica
Compare all 56 cities in the 56-city ordinance table, or run the permit checker.
Not sure what Los Altos Hills will ask for?
A 20-minute call with an ISA Certified Arborist usually settles it: permit or no permit, report or no report, and what it will cost.