San Mateo County Protected Tree Ordinance Update

You are subscribed to Tree Ordinance and Guidelines for San Mateo County, California. This information has recently been updated, and is now available.

 

 

Dear San Mateo County Resident,

The County's Planning and Building Department's update of the County’s Tree Removal Regulations, to improve management of individual trees and tree canopy in the County, was released for public comment on June 23, 2024. The Department made presentations to the Planning Commission (July 10), the Midcoast Community Council (July 24), and the North Fair Oaks Community Council (July 25). In response, the County received over 140 comments. A summary of the comments and the County's response is now available on the project web page, along with a tabulated list of all the comments for your perusal.

The Department has made changes to the ordinance based on some of the comments received, and will be presenting the update draft ordinance to the Planning Commission on September 11, 2024, seeking their recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for approval. The agenda and staff report for the Planning Commission can be obtained from here.

A companion guidance website (SanMateoCountyTrees.org) launched in June 2024 provides more information to the County’s residents about the value of trees, and outline the permit process steps, among other useful information.