LA County Proposed Oak Tree Permit Ordinance Amendment

A proposed amendment to Title 22 (Planning and Zoning) of the Los Angeles County Code Oak Tree Permits Ordinance. The amendment will update Title 22 pruning standards to be consistent with Fire Department requirements, define and specify regulation of deadwood, and add a new exemption to allow the Fire Department to adopt and implement their draft Healthy Oaks Ordinance. The amendment will not directly or indirectly allow the pruning or impact of trees for development.
The Forestry Division of the Los Angeles County Fire Department (Forester) proposed the Healthy Oaks Ordinance in order to allow property owners to prune or treat protected oak trees for health purposes without requiring an oak tree permit from Regional Planning. The Healthy Oaks Ordinance would allow property owners to maintain their trees by obtaining a permit from the Forester. The Healthy Oaks Ordinance permit will allow maintenance pruning on limbs greater than two inches in diameter and other arboricultural treatments to enhance the general health, vigor and safety of oak trees. Any construction or development activity affecting oak trees or unpermitted pruning will require an Oak Tree Permit administered by the County of Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning. The Oak Tree Permits ordinance, Part 16 of Chapter 22.56 in Title 22, must be modified in order for the Forester to implement the Healthy Oaks Ordinance.