Tree Service in Fremont, CA

Fremont tree service starts with a quick check against Municipal Code Chapter 18.215. On private property, a permit is required to remove, damage or relocate a tree that falls into one of several groups: a native or well-adapted species at 10 inches trunk diameter or more, any tree at 18 inches or more, a tree on a vacant or underdeveloped lot at 6 inches or more, and a few others. Measurements are diameter at breast height.

The species that matter

The chapter's native list includes oak, redwood, buckeye, madrone, sycamore, big-leaf maple, redbud and bay. It also names species of exceptional adaptability to Fremont: Fremont cottonwood, California pepper, European olive, black walnut and Deodar cedar. Any of those at 10 inches or more is covered. A tree measuring 54 inches or more is presumed to qualify as a landmark tree, which has its own rules.

The small-lot exemption

Many Fremont homeowners fall under an important exemption. A tree on a developed lot of 10,000 square feet or less, zoned R-1 or single-family detached planned district, and located behind the front face of the house, does not need a permit or mitigation. That covers a lot of backyard trees in typical tract homes. It does not apply to landmark trees or to trees the city required to be planted or kept. Front-yard trees and trees on larger lots still need the size check.

Get a Free Estimate

Other details worth knowing

• Six or more trees of the same species on one lot, each 6 inches or more, need a permit
• Trees required as mitigation or as a condition of a development approval are protected
• Emergency removals, such as storm damage or an imminent hazard confirmed by the city, are exempt
• When a permit is issued, it must be posted on the lot where it can be seen from the street while work is underway

We help you measure and identify the species, and coordinate an arborist report when the city needs one.

Five towns, many neighborhoods

Fremont was formed in 1956 from Mission San Jose, Centerville, Niles, Irvington and Warm Springs. Census estimates put the median year built at 1979, with most homes from the 1960s through the 1980s. Mission San Jose sits at the base of the steeper hills below Mission Peak; Niles is ringed by lower hills; the central flats are mostly tract housing. Hillside lots carry more native oak and bay, while the flats have planted ash, pine, olive and fruit trees.

Heat is rising

Fremont's climate is mild, with about 17 inches of rain a year, but the city hit a record 110 degrees on September 6, 2022. Heat waves stress shallow-rooted trees and expose weak limbs. Call (925) 966-3413 to set up a visit.