Tree Protection - What & Why

What's Happening Now?

2023 Director’s Recommendations Report

Read our final recommendations to the Mayor and City Council with new information about our tree protections update. This report was prepared in consultation with the Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE) to amend Title 23 (Land Use Code) and Title 25 (Tree Protection Code). These updates also include two draft Director's Rules.

Our new tree protection updates respond to direction from the City Council to explore the strategies to increase tree protection. These updates are a result of Resolution 31902 which was adopted on September 16, 2019 to be consistent with the goals and policies of the 2015-2035 Comprehensive Plan and the 2020 Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP). 

Project Benefits

This legislation would:

• Allow for the modification of development standards and zoning incentives to help avoid impacting trees during development and preserving development potential
• Create clearer standards for tree protection during the plan review process
• Establish simpler tree categories to remove confusion over existing terminology
• Include more trees in the regulations by expanding and lowering thresholds for tree replacement; and establish a payment in-lieu program to provide flexibility for tree replacement and address racial inequities and environmental justice disparities

The End Result

Read our draft legislation.