Tree Service in Montecito, CA
Old oaks, tall palms and creekside trees fill Montecito's estates, and those creeks flooded in 2018. For tree service in Montecito, we prune or remove and help you know when the county has a say.
Tree care in Montecito
Fire from above, water from the creeks
Montecito trees face fire from the hills and floods down the creeks. The name is old Spanish for woodland, and bandits once hid in its oak groves. Today it is a town of estates and gardens with no city hall — Santa Barbara County sets the rules. In December 2017 the Thomas Fire burned the slopes above town. A month later, half an inch of rain fell in five minutes. Mud, boulders and tree branches rushed down Montecito Creek and San Ysidro Creek. Twenty-three people died, and over 100 homes were destroyed. Healthy, well-spaced trees matter here.
In Montecito, a tree plan has to think about flames in the fall and mud in the winter.
What we handle
Montecito estate care, fire-zone pruning and hedge shaping
Supreme Tree Experts shapes tall hedges and prunes estate trees in Montecito, where hedges have no height limit. With fire above and creeks below, estate managers who want trees spaced and sound call Supreme Tree Experts.
Tree Removal
Before any removal on a Montecito property, we check one thing: is the lot in the Coastal Zone? There, oaks and trees near a stream need a county permit at 6 inches across and 6 feet tall. Farther inland, most yard trees need none.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Our crews prune limbs back from roofs, with cuts made to a strong branch rather than a stub. The local district asks for branches cut 10 feet back from any chimney. We make that clearance part of every pruning visit.
Stump Grinding & Stump Removal
We grind out old stumps hidden in deep garden beds or under ivy, taking them below the soil. On large grounds, the grinder has to reach them without harming the plantings around. We work with care and rake the soil level.
Palm Tree Trimming & Skinning
We trim tall palms along drives and near the house, taking off dead fronds and the stalks below them. Dead fronds hanging near a house are dry fuel in a town that burned in the Thomas Fire of 2017. Skinning old frond bases from our lift truck finishes the trunk.
Emergency Tree Service
Heavy rain or fall downslope winds can bring trees across drives and creek crossings, and we come 24/7. In January 2018, mud, boulders and tree branches rushed down the creeks after rain on burned slopes. We clear access first, then cut and haul.
Tree Maintenance
We keep your trees healthy with yearly visits that remove dead wood and keep crowns spaced. The local district asks for 10 feet between trees near a home. We thin and prune to hold that gap as the trees grow.
Tree Height Reduction
We reduce the height of trees that have grown into a home's view, cutting back to side branches. Homes here climb from the beach up to the foothills, and many face the sea. Reduction keeps the tree's shape where topping would ruin it.
Estate Tree Care
We care for estate grounds with a steady plan for the old oaks and specimen trees on each property. Where gardens sit below a tree, our crew lowers heavy limbs on ropes instead of dropping them. Wood is chipped on site and carried out along the drive.
Tree Shaping & Shrub Shearing
We shape and shear the tall hedges common on estate lots, keeping them full to the base. Montecito has no height limit on hedges, and neighbor disputes are civil matters. If you agree on a new height, we bring the hedge down in stages.
Landscaping
We plan planting around the defensible-space zones Montecito Fire sets out for each home. The first five feet stay ember-resistant, and the next 30 feet stay lean, clean and green. It also offers a free Defensible Space Survey to check your lot.
Hardscape
We build patios, walls and garden paths that sit well on sloped grounds. Beyond the Coastal Zone, trees in creek areas, oak woodland or building projects can still need a permit. We plan the layout so those trees stay put.
Montecito tree questions, answered
Start here — these 6 cover most of what you need before booking tree work in Montecito. If yours is not here, call 877-787-7363 and ask.
It depends where you are. In the Coastal Zone, a tree 6 inches or more across and 6 feet or taller needs a county Coastal Development Permit if it is an oak, stands within 50 feet of a stream, grows in a county street right-of-way, or is used by monarch butterflies. Outside the Coastal Zone, most yard trees need no permit unless they are in a creek area or oak woodland, or part of a building project. Call County Planning & Development at 805-568-2000 to check.
Yes, with the right finding. In the Coastal Zone, the county can approve removal when a tree is dead, or so weakened by age, disease, storm or blaze that it puts people or property in danger. A diseased tree that threatens healthy trees nearby needs a certificate from a licensed tree surgeon. The owner files with the county, and we do the work once it is cleared.
Defensible space out to 100 feet, which state law requires. Keep the first five feet ember-resistant, keep plants lean, clean and green within 30 feet, and cut fuel back out to 100 feet. The district asks for 10 feet between trees and branches cut 10 feet back from any chimney. It offers a free Defensible Space Survey at (805) 969-7762.
No. Montecito has no height limit on hedges, and disputes over trees and hedges are civil matters between neighbors. The county does not step in. If you and your neighbor agree on a new height, we can bring the hedge down to it in stages so it stays green and full.
Yes — $600 for tree services, wherever the job is. On a large property, long drives, deep garden beds and how far the wood must be carried shape the price more than tree size.
Yes, 24/7. Heavy rain on burned slopes and fall downslope winds can bring trees down across drives and creek crossings here. Call 877-787-7363.
What happens after you call from Montecito
- 01.
Walk the grounds
An arborist walks the property with you. We note oaks, trees near a creek, and trees inside the 100-foot defensible-space zone.
- Creek and oak trees flagged
- Fire zone checked
- 02.
Check with the county
If the land is in the Coastal Zone, the owner asks County Planning & Development at 805-568-2000 if a permit is needed. We set the date once that is clear.
- Owner confirms permits
- Date set after that
- 03.
Crew on the estate
The crew cuts, lowers heavy limbs on ropes where gardens sit below, chips the wood and hauls it off the property.
- Wood chipped on site
- Gardens kept safe below
Why Montecito estate managers let our crew through the gate
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 walks your grounds first. Oaks, creek-side trees and butterfly trees are flagged before any plan or price is set.
Licensed, Bonded & Insured
Estate managers often want proof before a crew comes through the gate. Our CSLB license #1002853 covers C-27 landscaping and C-61/D-49 tree work, and we are bonded with insurance for every worker.
Southern California Since 1985
We have been family-owned since 1985. Montecito was evacuated five times in four months after the Thomas Fire, so we plan each job around flames and water.
Our Own Equipment
Homes on winding roads like Mountain Drive and East Valley Road often sit up long drives. Our own 75-foot boom trucks and chippers come in with the crew.
Reviews to read before you book in Montecito
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 Montecito: 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 Montecito.
“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
Montecito and the area around it
Montecito runs from the beach and Highway 101 up to the foothills along Mountain Drive.
- ZIP code
- 93108