Tree Ordinances in Saratoga, Los Gatos, Cupertino, and Los Altos: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know
2026-11-07 · Bayview Landscape Co.
Mature trees are among the most valuable features of a Silicon Valley property—and among the most carefully protected. If you're planning a landscape project in Saratoga, Los Gatos, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Cupertino, or Monte Sereno, there is a real chance that one or more of your existing trees falls under a local protection ordinance. Removing or significantly pruning a protected tree without a permit can result in fines, mandatory replacement requirements, and civil liability for the assessed value of the tree. This guide covers what you need to know, city by city.
Why Cities Protect Private Trees
Local tree ordinances in California exist for several reasons that go beyond aesthetics. Mature trees provide significant stormwater absorption, reducing runoff and downstream flooding. They create habitat for protected birds and wildlife. In fire-prone communities, properly maintained tree canopy can reduce ambient temperatures and slow the spread of embers. And in a real estate market where mature landscaping can add tens of thousands of dollars to a home's value, cities have a direct financial interest in preventing unnecessary removal.
Saratoga: Article 15-50
Saratoga's tree protection rules are codified in Article 15-50 of the Municipal Code. The ordinance protects trees meeting certain size thresholds by species, with oaks, California bay laurels, and other native species typically protected at smaller trunk diameters than ornamental trees. Any removal, relocation, or root-impacting work within the drip line of a protected tree requires a City Arborist review and in most cases a formal tree removal permit.
The permit process in Saratoga involves submitting an application with an arborist report, paying an application fee, and in many cases posting a tree preservation bond before construction begins. The bond is forfeited if the tree is damaged or killed during the project. Tree preservation bonds are required for any permitted work that takes place within the drip line of a protected tree, even if tree removal is not planned.
Replacement requirements apply to removed trees. Saratoga typically requires replacement planting of comparable caliper or canopy value, and may require a cash payment into a city tree fund if on-site replacement is not feasible.
Los Gatos: Permit Fees and Replacement Requirements
Los Gatos administers its tree program through Chapter 29 of the Town Code. The Town charges $250 for a single-tree removal permit and applies an in-lieu fee of $500 per 36-inch box replacement tree if the applicant cannot accommodate the required replacement planting on-site. For multi-tree removal requests, the fees scale accordingly.
One rule that frequently surprises property owners: in Los Gatos, pruning more than twenty-five percent of a protected tree's canopy in any twelve-month period counts as removal under the Town's ordinance. This means that a tree company that aggressively crowns a large oak without a permit could expose the property owner to the same penalties as a full removal. If you're hiring a tree service for significant pruning work, verify with the Town whether a permit is required before the work starts.
Los Gatos's protected tree list includes coast live oaks, valley oaks, black oaks, California bay laurels, and other native species, as well as any tree with a trunk diameter of a certain size regardless of species. Confirm the current threshold with the Town's Planning Division.
Los Altos: The 12-Inch Threshold
Los Altos updated its tree ordinance in 2024, lowering the protected-tree trunk diameter threshold to twelve inches (measured at fifty-four inches above grade). Trees at or above this diameter require a permit for removal, significant pruning, or any work within the root protection zone. The 2024 update also increased the removal application fee to $300.
The practical implication for landscape projects on mature Los Altos lots is significant. A 12-inch threshold captures a large number of residential trees that would have been unprotected under earlier rules. Any landscape project involving grading, hardscape installation, irrigation, or planting near trees of this size should include an arborist report before work begins.
Cupertino: Permit Before You Cut
Cupertino's tree protection program, administered by the Planning Division, covers certain privately-owned trees across all zoning districts. The City's official guidance is blunt: it is much less expensive to apply for a tree removal permit before removing a protected tree than to pay the retroactive fee after the fact. Public noticing is required for tree removal applications in Cupertino, which adds time to the process—budget at least four to six weeks from application submission to permit issuance if noticing is required.
Heritage trees in Cupertino receive additional protection and cannot be removed without a City Council hearing. If you have a large specimen tree on your property—a mature valley oak, a 100-year-old bay laurel, or a large ornamental—check with the Planning Division about whether it carries heritage designation before making any plans.
Los Altos Hills: Trees and Grading
In Los Altos Hills, tree protection intersects heavily with the city's grading and site development permit process. Because almost every significant landscape project in Los Altos Hills involves grading, and because grading activity within root zones is one of the most common causes of tree decline on construction sites, the City requires arborist oversight for any project near protected trees. Tree fencing (physical protection barriers around the drip line) must be installed before any equipment is brought onto the site and must remain in place until the project is complete.
Planning Your Project Around Protected Trees
The most important step any homeowner can take before starting a landscape project is to have a certified arborist walk the property and identify every tree that might fall under local protection ordinances. This takes about two hours and costs a few hundred dollars—a small investment compared to the cost of an unauthorized removal or a construction-caused tree death. At Bayview Landscape Co., we routinely bring in a certified arborist at the design phase for projects on mature lots in these cities. It prevents delays, avoids penalties, and often leads to better design decisions that work with the existing tree canopy rather than against it.
If you need to remove a protected tree, the permit process typically takes two to six weeks depending on the city and whether noticing is required. Plan for this in your project timeline. Contact Bayview Landscape Co. at bayviewlandscaping.com for help navigating tree ordinance requirements in your city.
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