El Dorado County Oak Resources Management Plan
Many folks move to the foothills for the bucolic oak savanna setting, so it should not be that surprising the it is counted as a natural resource worth preserving. In 2001 CDFW codified the Oak Woodlands Conservation Act, with incentivized counties to preserve native oak trees and oak woodlands by offering grant funding to those who followed their guidance. Eldorado created their own Oak Resource Management Plan in 2004, which requires a fee or replacement plan for any removal of Oak trees due to new development. It has evolved over two decades and here is the rough run down of how it works for private homeowners looking to build a single home.
If a home is to built anywhere below 4000ft and is generally anywhere near trees, the county requires an ISA certified arborist or Registered Professional Forester create Oak Technical Report to record impacts to any Oak trees or Oak woodlands due to the proposed construction. Any Oaks that will be removed or some impacted by construction that it would likely die, require a mitigation fee be paid for their loss which then goes into a conservation fund. The amount paid is based either on Diameter of the tree or square footage of canopy coverage removed (based on a per acreage rate). Also according the ORMP, they define any Oak with a single stem of 36 inches DBH or greater it is categorized as a heritage tree and has a greater cost or tree replacement ratio if it must be removed. Most of the time the cost associated with these fees are nominal compared to most building expenses and help preserve the natural resources which is why many folks want to live here.
It’s best to talk with an arborist when in the early planning stages to help you understand impacts from any proposed construction to oak trees. Once the a site plan is created, a technical report can be created and submitted to county.
The fines are associated with un authorized removal of Oak trees (they do make many reasonable exceptions) can be hefty and will hold up construction projects.
