JimmieJoe / KC6YRU

If you ask Google “what oak tree is common in the area of visalia, california?” the following are parts of it’s response:

The Valley Oak (Quercus lobata) is the most common and iconic native oak tree in the Visalia area. Visalia is home to the largest remaining stand of native valley oaks in California’s entire Central Valley.

Also,

Because these magnificent trees are tightly woven into the city’s heritage, Visalia strictly enforces a Valley Oak Ordinance. This policy requires public and private property owners to secure official permits before pruning, trimming, or removing any mature valley oak.

That is no longer true.

Something recently happened to change the status of oak trees, which had been protected by City ordinance since 1971.

Visalia’s webpage states: The City’s Valley Oak Ordinance establishes policies for the care, trimming, and removal of valley oaks. Public property owners are required to ensure the protection of these magnificent trees and must obtain permission to remove or prune valley oaks.

Check that bold text. Only “public property owners”, i.e. governments, are required to obtain permits and/or permission to trim or remove Valley Oaks in Visalia.

Here’s what went down.

On August 4, 2025, the City Council approved changes to the ordinance that essentially removed any city oversight of it’s oak forest, except on government property. A journalist, which I’m not, would be required to provide the City and the City Council’s rationale for gutting the ordinance. I won’t attempt to provide a detailed explanation, but I do at least recognize the problem created for homeowners due to insurers demanding the trees be removed or severely cut back to renew or issue policies on homes. I just don’t like the option the city went with. It seems like the easy way out. There was little to no public discussion on the matter.

On July 21, 2025, during the first reading of the proposed ordinance, I was the only person to comment on the issue.

From the minutes of that meeting:

5. Oak Tree Preservation Ordinance Amendment- Introduce the 25-0305
   first reading of Ordinance 2025-06 amending Chapter 12.24 of
   the Visalia Municipal Code Relating to Oak Tree Preservation.
   Parks and Facilities Manager Alvin Dias, provided a verbal report on the
   proposed revisions to the Ordinance.
   Mayor Taylor opened the public hearing at 8:11 p.m. Public comment was
   received from Jim Reeves.
   There being no further comments, Mayor Taylor closed the public hearing at
   8:12 p.m., and referred the matter back to Council.
   Council discussed tree management, supporting maintenance, with exceptions
   for safety or insurance concerns. Funding for mitigation efforts was addressed,
   with consensus on providing assistance in exceptional cases.
   A motion was made by Council Member Steve Nelsen, seconded by Council
   Member Brian Poochigian, to approve. The motion carried by the following vote:
   Brian Poochigian, Brett Taylor, Steve Nelsen, Emmanuel
   Hernandez Soto, Liz Wynn

The motion passed, 5-0.

The second reading on August 4, 2025, was a Consent Calendar item:

13. Oak Tree Preservation Ordinance Amendment- Second reading 25-0335
    and adoption of Ordinance 2025-06 amending Chapter 12.24 of
    the Visalia Municipal Code Relating to Oak Tree Preservation.

The destruction of the Valley Oaks began immediately.

On 3/2/26, I spoke during public comments, about at least four oaks removed from a property near my home.

Today, I drove by a different location than the one mentioned above. It’s a home my family had lived in since the mid-1980’s through about 2020. That property had four majestic oaks, trees that had been there well before the house was built in the 1920s or 1930s. They build the home and outbuildings around the existing oaks. Two of those trees are now gone.

The destruction of the Valley Oak forest, once heralded as something that made Visalia a special place to live, has begun. If you know of any trees that you want to remember, you better get some photos now. It’s likely they won’t be around much longer. Visalia will eventually look like any other valley city, with the only places to see the oak trees being Mooney Grove Park.

It’s a sad time for one of the things that made Visalia iconic.

AI image by Gemini.