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HOA Approval for Tree Removal in El Dorado Hills

Need tree removal in El Dorado Hills, in one of its neighborhoods? Call us now at (530) 907-1917. We'll find a local tree company and help you get the order of steps right.

The neighborhood sign-off comes first. A tree company that cuts before you have it can leave you with a fee, or worse. In El Dorado Hills, tree removal in a neighborhood starts with the form, not the saw.

Call (530) 907-1917or use the online form

Why El Dorado Hills neighborhoods have rules about tree removal

El Dorado Hills didn't grow up as one big pile of homes. It was planned. A master plan from developer Allan Lindsey, dating to the early 1960s, shaped El Dorado Hills. It called for separate, named neighborhoods, with open ground left between them.

That plan is why so many neighborhoods have names. The oldest are Governors, Crown, Saint Andrews, Park and Ridgeview. Serrano, Bridlewood, Woodridge and Laurel Oaks are some of the later ones.

Each neighborhood has its own CC&Rs. Those are the rules for your lot. They say what you may change, and what needs a yes first.

Who says yes: two kinds of neighborhoods

The El Dorado Hills Community Services District runs a Design Review Committee. The district says most neighborhoods in El Dorado Hills need that committee, or a neighborhood committee like it, to approve plans before exterior work.

The district lists tree removal as one of those exterior jobs. It also lists fences, roofs, paint, pools and solar.

Here's how to tell which one you have:

• Check the district's table of who handles each neighborhood. Some neighborhoods go through the district.
• If your neighborhood has its own architectural committee, call your HOA. They set their own steps.
• Read your CC&Rs. They name what needs approval.

Not sure? Call the district's Resident Services at 916-933-6624 ext.0. The office is at 1021 Harvard Way.

The approval path

Here's the order for a neighborhood that uses the district's committee.

1. Read your CC&Rs and confirm tree removal needs approval.
2. Have a tree pro inspect the tree, and ask for a written plan and price.
3. If it's an oak, work out the county side too. See the oak page.
4. Fill out the district's Property Improvement Application. Tree removal is on that form. The fee is $100.
5. Send it in before the deadline. That's 5:00 pm on the Tuesday before the next meeting.
6. The committee meets in person on most Tuesdays at 8:00 am. You can come, but you don't have to.
7. Watch your email. The district says applicants have 30 days from the first submission, to get an approval or a no.
8. Keep the approved minutes. They're your proof.
9. Book the work. The approval runs for one year from its date.

Approval doesn't replace the county

The district's minutes can serve as proof when you apply for county permits. But they don't replace those permits. The district says it's the owner's job to work out whether county approval is also needed.

For oaks, that's the county's oak rules. For fire clearing, it's the county's defensible space code. Both can apply to the same tree.

Fire clearing and the neighborhood

Sometimes a fire official tells you a tree must go, as part of clearing around a building. County code treats dead or dying trees as hazardous vegetation. That's a fire matter, not a style matter.

Even then, check your neighborhood's rules. Tell your committee what the fire official said. Get the official's findings in writing, if you can.

What tree removal in El Dorado Hills costs, all in

There are two kinds of cost. The first is the neighborhood fee. The second is the pro's price.

Sources: El Dorado Hills Community Services District design review page; Fixr tree removal guide and stump grinding guide (both updated January 2025).

Your own HOA may charge a different fee. Ask them. The district's fees are for neighborhoods the district reviews.

Some pros include the stump and the haul-off in the price. Others bill them apart, Fixr says. Ask what the number covers.

Why call us for tree removal in El Dorado Hills

• We tell you up front that your neighborhood may need to say yes first.
• We find pros who have worked in the neighborhoods and know the drill.
• The price comes in writing, so you can attach it to your application.
• We help you compare quotes, but the choice stays yours.

How tree removal in El Dorado Hills goes

1. You ring (530) 907-1917, or fill out the estimate form.
2. We ask which neighborhood you live in and what the tree looks like.
3. We pick a local pro and book a walk-through.
4. The pro examines the tree, then prices the job.
5. You file with your neighborhood or HOA.
6. Once you have the yes, the pro books the work.

Timing tips for tree removal in El Dorado Hills

The committee meets weekly, more or less. But "most Tuesdays" isn't every Tuesday. The district says meetings can be skipped for holidays or when there aren't enough members.

So don't plan a removal for the week after you apply. Give it a few weeks, and more if an oak is involved.

If the tree is dangerous right now, say so. Call the district and your HOA, and call us. Get the danger on record. Then ask what the fastest approved path is.