Tree Service in Buellton, CA
Native oaks, sycamores and cottonwoods 8 inches and up are protected in Buellton. That is the first thing we check on any Buellton tree service call, and we tell you before we trim or remove if the city must sign off.
Tree care in Buellton
A cattle ranch turned highway town, with its native trees counted
In Buellton, a native oak, sycamore or cottonwood 8 inches or wider needs the planning director's OK before it comes out. The town began in 1867 as a cattle ranch deeded to Rufus T. Buell and his brother. Highway 101 came through in 1927, and the Avenue of the Flags stayed the main street after the road moved in the early 1960s. Buellton became a city in 1992. Its tree code protects the native trees that grow along the river and its side creeks, and coast live oak is the most common. Dead trees, and trees within 50 feet of a home, are exempt.
In Buellton, cutting a protected oak too hard can count the same as cutting it down.
What we handle
Native trees in Buellton: pruning, stump grinding and replanting
Supreme Tree Experts prunes protected trees, grinds stumps and plants replacements in Buellton, where 8-inch oaks and sycamores are protected. When the city asks for three new oaks for each one removed, Buellton owners plant them with Supreme Tree Experts.
Tree Removal
We take down trees on Buellton lots once we know if the city must sign off. A native oak, sycamore or cottonwood 8 inches or wider needs the planning director's written OK first. Dead trees, and those within 50 feet of a home, are exempt.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Our crews prune native trees with light thinning cuts that keep the crown healthy. Buellton's code treats heavy pruning or topping that kills a protected tree as removal, which is an infraction without consent. So we never strip or top one.
Stump Grinding & Stump Removal
A clean grind below grade lets new trees go in near the old spot. The city asks for three oaks per oak removed, or two per sycamore or cottonwood. Replacements must be the same species, and a clean grind gives them room.
Palm Tree Trimming & Skinning
Dead fronds, seed stalks and old frond bases come off each palm we trim. Pindo palms and Mediterranean fan palms appear on the city's planting list as low-water trees. Short or tall, we work them from our lift truck with no spikes.
Emergency Tree Service
We take emergency calls around the clock when a storm splits an oak or drops a limb on a roof. Buellton's code lets a tree that is an immediate hazard skip the usual permit wait. We make the scene safe, then clear the wood.
Tree Maintenance
We check yard trees each year for deadwood, limb weight and trouble around the roots. Coast live oak is the most common oak here, the city's code says. These evergreens do best with steady, light care rather than big cuts.
Tree Height Reduction
We bring tall trees down in small steps, cutting back to side limbs rather than stubs. Sycamores here can reach 100 feet, the city's code notes. Our 75-ft boom trucks reach high limbs from the ground, so the crown keeps its natural form.
Estate Tree Care
We look after larger Buellton properties with a yearly plan for every protected tree on the land. Replacement oaks need five years of care, the last two without extra water. Each stays fenced until 8 feet tall, and we can handle that young-tree care.
Tree Shaping & Shrub Shearing
Shrubs and hedges stay full and clear of paths and drives with our regular shaping. Toyon, a native on the city's planting list, grows as a big shrub or small tree. We prune it to either form and haul the cuttings.
Landscaping
New yards here come from the city's Approved Tree and Shrub Planting List when we plan them. Most of town is Sunset climate Zone 15, and the list says olives must be fruitless kinds. Western redbud and California sycamore are two natives it includes.
Hardscape
We lay patios, paths and garden walls that keep tree roots undisturbed. A protected tree's zone runs 5 feet past the dripline or 15 feet from the trunk, whichever is more. We set new paving outside that ring.
Buellton tree questions, answered
Start here — these 6 cover most of what you need before booking tree work in Buellton. If yours is not here, call 877-787-7363 and ask.
Often, yes. A native oak, sycamore or cottonwood 8 inches or more across at chest height, or 12 inches combined for several trunks, is protected. The owner applies to the planning department, and the director answers in writing within ten business days. Dead or uprooted trees, and trees within 50 feet of an existing home, are exempt.
Not a protected one. Buellton's code treats excessive pruning or topping that leads to a tree's death as removal, and removing a protected tree without consent is an infraction. We lower tall trees with light reduction cuts instead, so the crown stays healthy and the work stays pruning.
Three oaks for each oak, and two for each sycamore or cottonwood. They must be the same species. Oaks should come from local acorns, sit at least 20 feet apart, and be cared for five years, the last two without extra water. Each one stays fenced until it is 8 feet tall.
The ones on its Approved Tree and Shrub Planting List. Most of Buellton is Sunset climate Zone 15. The list includes natives such as California sycamore, western redbud and toyon. Olives must be fruitless kinds, and Chinese pistache and ginkgo must be male clones.
Yes — $600 for tree services, wherever the job is. Here, price mostly turns on trunk size and how far the tree stands from the house and drive.
Yes, 24/7. An oak that splits in a storm can land on a roof, and Buellton's code lets an immediate hazard skip the permit wait. Call 877-787-7363.
What happens after you call from Buellton
- 01.
Tape at chest height
Our arborist measures protected trees 4½ feet up, the way the city does, and marks each protection zone.
- Protected or not
- Free estimate
- 02.
Director's letter
If a permit is needed, you apply to the planning department. The director answers in writing within ten business days and sets what must be replanted.
- Owner applies
- Replant terms set
- 03.
Crew, chipper, grinder
We do the work the letter allows, chip the brush and grind the stump. If you want, we plant the new oaks too.
- Letter followed
- Replanting on request
Measured at chest height: why Buellton owners pick Supreme Tree Experts
Tree work goes wrong when it is rushed or under-equipped. We run our own 75-foot boom trucks, lift trucks, chippers and stump grinders, and every crew works under an ISA Certified Arborist — so the job gets done right the first time.
We hold California license #1002853 for both landscaping and tree and palm work, we are bonded, we carry general liability and every employee is on workers’ compensation.
ISA Certified Arborist
Before any price, an arborist measures your native tree at chest height. A single trunk under 8 inches is outside Buellton's protected-tree rule.
Licensed, Bonded & Insured
Work on a protected tree gets looked at closely here, so check who you hire. Ours: state license #1002853 for C-61/D-49 tree work and C-27 landscaping, a bond, and insurance for each worker.
Southern California Since 1985
We started in 1985, seven years before Buellton became a city in 1992. The same family still runs the company.
Our Own Equipment
Sycamores can reach 100 feet, the city's code notes. Our own 75-foot boom trucks get to high limbs from the ground, with a chipper and stump grinder on the same trip.
Reviews to read before you book in Buellton
Every word below was written by a customer on Google, not by us. Long reviews are shortened to fit the card — never reworded. None of them was left in Buellton: they come from customers across Southern California. Read them for how a crew behaves on a job, then decide whether that is who you want in Buellton.
“Great pricing & service. Highly competent with tricky jobs. We have used them for more than 10 years.”
Melanie Butler
Local Guide
“We got bids from five contractors. After I talked to them all and checked out their licenses and work, we decided to go with Supreme. … The job took a day and a half, and when they were done, they left the place immaculate.”
Hank Shaeffer
“Great tree trimmers! I’ve used Supreme Tree Experts twice to trim the palm trees in my yard. … The guys who come out are quick thorough, and clean. And very careful not to damage property.”
Emilie Pacheco
“These guys have worked on my property 3 times now. They are always on time and do a fantastic job. I highly recommend them!”
Ray Thompson
“After soliciting several quotes on some difficult yard work, we chose Supreme because of their licensed Arborist Temis … The crew was extremely hard working and we couldn’t believe their continuous work ethic on one of the hottest days of the year.”
Gary Brown
Local Guide
Buellton and the area around it
Buellton sits where Highway 101 meets Highway 246, with the river along its south edge.
- ZIP code
- 93427