FAQs Archive - Precision Tree Care

Q: What trees are most common in San Mateo County?

The Peninsula splits into three tree zones. On the coastside (Pacifica, Montara, Half Moon Bay), blue gum eucalyptus groves shape the canyons, with Monterey pine and cypress through the older neighborhoods and willows in the creek corridors - salt wind and steep ground stress everything equally. In the hills (Belmont, San Carlos, Hillsborough, La Honda), coast live oaks dominate the woodland with redwoods and Douglas fir in the deeper canyons. On the bayside flats (Burlingame, San Mateo, Foster City, Palo Alto), mature street trees, estate oaks, and ornamentals fill compact lots. The species mix explains most of our work: eucalyptus weight reduction near homes, retiring 60 to 70 year old Monterey pines weakened by pitch canker, protecting native oaks, and keeping healthy trees pruned so the winter wind finds nothing loose to take.

Q: What does a free estimate include?

A walk of the property with you, a straight verdict on each tree you are concerned about - keep, prune, cable, or remove - and a written price that includes dump fees, haul-away, and cleanup. We also flag local specifics while we are there: your city's permit thresholds, and defensible space exposure if your land meets open hillside or brush. No obligation and no sales theater; if a tree does not need work, we say so. Call (650) 355-1277 or use the contact form.

Q: Which cities and neighborhoods do you serve?

All of San Mateo County - 22 communities: Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, Burlingame, Colma, Daly City, El Granada, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, La Honda, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Montara, Pacifica, Palo Alto, Pescadero, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo, and South San Francisco. Within each city we cover every neighborhood, and the crew plans for the local profile - compact lots and mature street trees in The Willows, estate oaks in Atherton, hillside conifers in Sharon Heights, coastal eucalyptus in Pacifica. Estimates are free anywhere in the county, and city permit paperwork is handled in-house.

Q: Do I need a permit to remove a tree in South San Francisco?

For protected trees, yes - and SSF protects them in tiers (Chapter 13.30): Heritage species - oaks, California bay, buckeye, cedars and others: protected at 30 inches in circumference Most other species: protected at 48 inches around Even the problem species - blue gum eucalyptus, black acacia, myoporum, sweetgum, privet: protected once they reach 75 inches around The process is per-tree: each removal gets its own permit through Parks and Recreation, neighbors within 100 feet are notified with a comment period, and permits expire after four months - so the timeline needs active management. That is what we do: solid arborist findings, clean applications, and work scheduled inside the permit window.

Q: Do I need a permit to remove a tree in San Carlos?

Yes for most established trees - San Carlos rewrote its rules in 2022 (Ordinance 1580, Municipal Code 18.18.070) and tightened nearly everything: Any species: protected at 11 inches in diameter Native heritage species - coast live oak, valley oak, madrone, buckeye: protected at 9 inches Coast redwoods: protected at 15 inches Pruning more than 25 percent of canopy or roots requires a permit too Penalty: $5,000 or the tree's appraised value, whichever is greater Exempt: acacias and palms. We prepare the reports and notices that make approvals routine, and our estimates flag the permit before work is scheduled.

Q: Do I need a permit to remove a tree in San Bruno?

Almost certainly yes - San Bruno runs the strictest thresholds on the Peninsula (Municipal Code Chapter 8.25): Native bay, buckeye, oak, redwood, and pine: heritage trees at just 6 inches in trunk diameter Every other species: heritage at 10 inches Replacements required: two 15 gallon trees or one 24 inch box, with a refundable deposit or in-lieu fee In practice, nearly every established tree in town is regulated. The difference between a smooth project and a code problem is doing the paperwork first - which is our daily work: assessment, permit application, replacement plan, then the tree work itself.

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FAQs

What trees are most common in San Mateo County?

What does a free estimate include?

Which cities and neighborhoods do you serve?

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in South San Francisco?

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in San Carlos?

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in San Bruno?

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