Tree Service in Monrovia, CA
Two things decide whether Monrovia's oak rules apply: trunk size and where the tree stands. On foothill and valley lots, we trim and remove trees, and our Monrovia tree service points out when the city must sign off first.
Tree care in Monrovia
An old foothill town that counts its oaks
In Monrovia, an oak 10 inches thick at 2 feet up is covered by the city's oak rules if it grows in a front yard, a street-side yard or on a vacant lot. Removing it, cutting more than a third of its crown, or grading under its drip line needs a permit. The town began in 1884 when William Monroe bought 120 acres, and it became a city in 1887. Bears, bobcats and deer live in the mountains just above. In the 2011 windstorm, gusts hit 100 mph in parts of town, and the city lost more than 100 of its own trees.
In Monrovia, the tape goes around an oak 2 feet above the ground, not at chest height.
Who governs tree work in Monrovia
City of Monrovia
Tree work in Monrovia follows the city's own tree rules. This code identifies which trees are subject to the ordinance and when a permit for removal or trimming is required. An oak tree preservation permit is needed when any of the oak trees that meet the above conditions are: To be completely removed by any means Substantial pruning that involves the removal of more than one-third of the crown and/or pruning of the root system. Rules change. Confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction before work begins — filing a permit is the property owner's responsibility, not ours.
Source: Oak Trees
What we do here
Monrovia oak pruning kept under one-third, plus palm and stump work
Supreme Tree Experts prunes oaks, trims palms and grinds stumps in Monrovia, where 2011 gusts hit 100 mph in places. To keep an oak cut under the one-third line, Monrovia owners rely on Supreme Tree Experts.
Tree Removal
We take down trees on Monrovia lots and check first whether an oak is covered. An oak 10 inches thick at 2 feet up in a front or street-side yard needs a permit. The Development Review Committee decides.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Our crews prune oaks with cuts that stay well under a third of the crown. Taking more than that counts as substantial pruning and needs a permit. Removing only dead wood is exempt, so we start there and keep live cuts small.
Stump Grinding & Stump Removal
Near a living oak, we grind stumps shallow, with care around its roots. Pruning a covered oak's roots can need a permit too. Away from oaks, we grind deeper and clear the chips so you can replant or lay turf.
Palm Tree Trimming & Skinning
Our crews cut dead fronds and seed pods from tall palms before mountain winds drop them. Using our lift truck, the crew then skins old frond stubs off the trunk from the crown down. No climbing spikes go into the bark.
Emergency Tree Service
Our crews respond 24/7 when a tree lands on a home or car. In the 2011 windstorm, gusts hit 100 mph in parts of town, and 150 trees were down by evening. Old trees can fail fast here.
Tree Maintenance
Our regular checks spot decay, girdling roots and bad old cuts before they spread. The city says many oaks here are lost to poor care, not to old age. A yearly look from our crew keeps yours on the right path.
Tree Height Reduction
We bring tall crowns down in small amounts, back to strong side limbs. On a covered oak, height cuts count toward the one-third crown limit. We plan each cut so the total stays inside the rule and the tree stays balanced.
Estate Tree Care
Larger foothill lots often hold several oaks, and we map each one on our first visit. An oak permit request needs a scaled map of the oaks, photos and your reason. Our notes give you a clear start on that paperwork.
Tree Shaping & Shrub Shearing
Hedges and shrubs sit outside the oak rules, so we shear them on a set cycle. Near oaks, the crew keeps tools, ladders and foot traffic off the root zone. Clippings go through our chipper before we leave.
Landscaping
We place new lawns, beds and sprinklers outside the drip line of covered oaks. Installing irrigation within that ring needs a permit in Monrovia. We water new plants by drip, well away from any oak trunk.
Hardscape
Our patios, walls and steps go outside the drip line of a covered oak. Cutting or filling soil within that ring needs an oak permit. We mark the drip line with paint before any grading starts, so the crew knows the edge.
Two measurements and one licensed crew: our approach in Monrovia
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
An arborist visits free, measures any oak 2 feet above the ground and notes if it stands in a front or street-side yard. Those two facts decide if the oak rules apply.
Licensed, Bonded & Insured
Tree service (C-61/D-49) and landscaping (C-27) are both on our state license, #1002853. The company is bonded, and insurance covers each worker on the crew.
Southern California Since 1985
Family-run since 1985 — about a century after William Monroe bought his first 120 acres here in 1884.
Our Own Equipment
We own our 75-foot boom trucks, lift truck, chippers and stump grinders, so the crew arrives with everything the job needs.
From your first call in Monrovia to the final clean-up
- 01.
Measure at two feet
An arborist measures each oak's trunk 2 feet above the ground and notes where it stands on your lot.
- 10-inch line checked
- Yard location noted
- 02.
Committee review
If a permit is needed, the owner files with the Planning Division. The Development Review Committee looks at the tree's health and the reason.
- Tree map and photos
- Arborist report if asked
- 03.
On the day
The crew does only the approved work, lowers the limbs with care and chips them before leaving.
- Dead wood out first
- Wood hauled off
Reviews to read before you book in Monrovia
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 Monrovia: 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 Monrovia.
“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
Questions worth asking before you book in Monrovia
The 6 worth settling before tree work starts in Monrovia. If yours is not here, call 877-787-7363 and ask.
Usually not, on a single-family lot. The rule covers oaks 10 inches or more, measured 2 feet up, in the front yard or street-facing side yard. It also covers oaks in apartment, business and industrial zones and on vacant lots. Check with the Planning Division if your lot is unusual.
Less than a third of the crown. Taking more than one-third, or pruning the roots, counts as substantial pruning and needs a permit. Removing only dead wood is exempt. If a tree poses an imminent hazard, the city may allow emergency removal. Light, regular pruning is also kinder to the tree.
The Development Review Committee. You file with the Planning Division and send a scaled map of the oaks, photos and your reason. The city may ask for a certified arborist's report. The committee weighs the tree's health, how close it is to buildings, and good forestry practice.
Not without a permit, for a covered oak. Installing irrigation, or cutting or filling soil within the drip line, needs an oak permit. The drip line is the ring on the ground under the outer edge of the leaves. Plan new lawns, beds and patios outside it.
Yes — $600 for tree services, wherever the job is. Oak permits, slope and how far the crew carries brush to the truck all shape the cost here.
Yes, 24/7. Winds reached 100 mph in parts of town in 2011, and the city logged 150 fallen trees by that evening. Call 877-787-7363.
Where Monrovia sits
Monrovia climbs from the valley floor into the foothills, with Canyon Park and wild land above the homes.
- ZIP code
- 91016