General Information
Approved
by the City Council in April 1989, the City of Santa
Clarita ’s Oak Tree Ordinance (No. 89-10)
is the mechanism by which the City of Santa Clarita
draws its authority to regulate the pruning, encroachment,
and removal of oak trees within the City of Santa Clarita
. It serves as the backbone for all of the City’s
policies regarding oak trees.
In September 1990, as directed by the Ordinance,
the City Council passed the Oak Tree Preservation and
Protection Guidelines. This document established the
administrative procedures and rules for the implementation
of the Ordinance.
As a matter of general practice, the City of Santa
Clarita often revisits Ordinances as they age to ensure
relevance and modern practices. The Oak Tree Ordinance
and Preservation Guidelines are fifteen- and fourteen-years-old
respectively. At the Joint Study Session of the City
Council and Planning Commission on May 4, 2004 , City
staff was directed to examine both documents in order
to:
Streamline the Current Oak Tree Permit process.
- Examine the distinction in the permit application
process between individual residents and developers.
- Examine the current fee structure associated with
the Oak Tree Permit process.
- Examine the development of an oak tree re-forestation
program and tree tracking system.
- Update any and all language and/or terminology
in both documents that is no longer current.
- Develop a public education strategy regarding
the preservation and protection of oak trees.
Staff was also directed to receive input from the public
regarding all of the items listed above. The purpose
of this website is to provide information on the status
of the process to revise the Ordinance as well as the
Guidelines, and to provide an opportunity for members
of the community to provide the City with their comments.
Read an Index of Terms
associated wth Oak Trees
View the Current Oak
Tree Ordinance (PDF*
Format)
Why the Oak Tree Ordinance is Constitutional
Return to the Main Menu
Contact Information
Should you require information in addition to that presented on this site,
please contact:
Robert Sartain, Supervisor/Arborist
Public Works Department
(661) 294-2518
rsartain@santa-clarita.com
Byron Moline, General Services Manager
Public Works Department
(661) 294-2507
bmoline@santa-clarita.com
*Some of these documents are in Adobe Acrobat Reader format;
if you don't have the Reader, it can be downloaded for free. 
