Tree Service in the San Fernando Valley
Tree service across the San Fernando Valley, where most towns below share City of Los Angeles tree rules. Burbank, Agoura Hills and Calabasas write their own.
What trees in San Fernando Valley are up against
In the San Fernando Valley, the city line decides your tree rules. Eighteen of the 21 towns below are City of Los Angeles neighborhoods. There, native oaks, bays, western sycamores and black walnuts are protected once the trunk reaches 4 inches, measured 4.5 feet up. Agoura Hills sets its bar at 6 inches and adds every scrub oak. Calabasas asks for a permit just to prune an oak. In Burbank, pruning a parkway tree takes a written city permit.
The Valley's hilly rim carries the fire and wind risk, while the flat middle mostly fights heat. Porter Ranch has recorded 70 mph gusts. The 2008 Sayre Fire in Sylmar was driven by winds as strong as 80 mph. The 2018 Woolsey Fire emptied Agoura Hills and pushed evacuations into West Hills. On the valley floor, Woodland Hills reached 121°F in 2020, and North Hollywood has hit 112°F.
Tree permit rules across San Fernando Valley
This table shows whose tree rules cover each Valley town; you, the owner, file any permit with your city or HOA.
| Town | Rules set by | What needs a permit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Encino, Granada Hills, North Hills, North Hollywood, Northridge, Porter Ranch, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Sylmar, Tarzana, Tujunga, Valley Village, Van Nuys, West Hills, Woodland Hills | City of Los Angeles | New street trees need a no-fee city permit. Pruning Monument street trees needs written Urban Forestry approval. Native oaks are protected. | Policies and Guidelines - Bureau of Street Services |
| Toluca Lake | City of Los Angeles | Native oaks except scrub oak, black walnut, sycamore and bay at 4 cumulative trunk inches (4.5 ft up): removal needs a permit. | Photographic Guide to the City of Los Angeles Protected Trees and Shrubs (September 2024) |
| Agoura Hills | City of Agoura Hills | Removing or harming any oak, sycamore or black walnut 6 inches wide at 4.5 feet, or any scrub oak, takes a permit. | On the town page |
| Calabasas & Hidden Hills | City of Calabasas | In Calabasas, pruning any oak, removing most oaks, or digging within an oak's protected zone takes an Oak Tree Permit. | On the town page |
| Burbank | City of Burbank | Pruning or altering a parkway tree takes a written Parks and Recreation permit. City crews prune parkway trees for free. | On the town page |
Rules change. Check with your city or HOA before work is booked — filing a permit is the property owner’s job, not ours.
Towns we serve in San Fernando Valley
Pick your town to see its tree rules, local trees and common questions.
West Valley
Hills west of the Valley
North Valley and foothills
Central, south and east Valley
- Tree service in Burbank91501 · 91502 · 91504 · 91505 · 91506
- Tree service in Encino91316 · 91436
- Tree service in North Hollywood91601 · 91602 · 91605 · 91606
- Tree service in Sherman Oaks91403 · 91423
- Tree service in Studio City91604
- Tree service in Toluca Lake91602
- Tree service in Valley Village91607
- Tree service in Van Nuys91401 · 91405 · 91406 · 91411
Tree services across San Fernando Valley
Tree Removal
We name the species and measure the trunk before any removal. Protected natives need a permit at 4 inches in City of Los Angeles towns and 6 in Agoura Hills.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Calabasas needs a permit for any oak pruning. Agoura Hills allows permit-free cuts under 3 inches, up to 20% of the crown. Burbank prunes its own parkway trees.
Stump Grinding & Stump Removal
Much of the Valley was orchard first, from Sylmar's olives to Granada Hills apricots and North Hollywood walnuts. We grind out stumps of failing old fruit trees below the soil.
Palm Tree Trimming & Skinning
Queen palms line Sherman Way in Canoga Park, and dry fronds feed fires on foothill lots from Burbank to Porter Ranch. We trim from our own palm lift truck.
Emergency Tree Service
Our crews answer 24/7 across the Valley. Porter Ranch has logged 70 mph gusts, and a 1998 winter storm felled Encino's 1,000-year-old oak.
Tree Maintenance
Valley heat shows first as a thin crown. Woodland Hills reached 121°F in 2020 and North Hollywood 112°F, so we check for water stress and dead wood before summer.
Tree questions from San Fernando Valley
Answers that apply across San Fernando Valley. Your town's page has its own rules. If yours is not here, call 877-787-7363 and ask.
It depends on which city your street sits in. Eighteen towns on this page are City of Los Angeles neighborhoods and share one set of rules. Burbank, Agoura Hills and Calabasas each run their own. Find your town in the table above, then call your city or HOA before any cut. The owner files every permit, not us.
The towns on the hilly rim carry the most. Porter Ranch, Sylmar, Tujunga, Chatsworth, West Hills, Agoura Hills and Calabasas all back onto brush. Each has a wildfire on record, from the 2008 Sayre Fire to the 2018 Woolsey Fire. On those lots, cut out deadwood and old palm fronds, and lift low branches away from the roof before fall.
On the flat floor, tenants and tight lots shape the job more than fire does. Roughly 75% of Van Nuys homes were rented at the 2000 census. Many North Hills apartments date from the 1960s, and Valley Village houses stand close together. We book a day with the owner or manager, then lower limbs in small pieces over cars and walkways.