Tag Archives: City of Austin Heritage Tree Ordinance
Tree ordinances continue to take root in Austin
Since 2020, Austin’s tree regulations and protections have preserved a total of 1,397,678 inches of trees within city limits. Thus far in Fiscal Year 2025, 4,670 inches of trees have been surveyed and 4,250 inches have been preserved, with 91…
Environment • By Hunter Simmons • Nov 14, 2024
Environmental commissioners brush up on tree preservation 101
On Wednesday, the Environmental Commission revisited heritage tree ordinances, general preservation efforts going on around Austin and the rules for protecting and building around trees, with city arborist Naomi Rotramel and Community Tree Preservation Division Manager Keith Mars. Austin’s original…
Environment • By Seth Smalley • Aug 27, 2021
City mistakes and heritage tree pave the way for East Austin variance
Unaware that it was prohibited by city code, Daniel Salazar carefully nestled his new home against his back property line. The project was approved by the city and the mistake was not identified until after the structure was built. As…
Land Development Code • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jul 9, 2021
Environmental Commission recommends removal of two West Campus heritage trees
The Environmental Commission has recommended the conditional removal of two heritage trees from a property near UT Austin that is being developed as student housing. The 32-inch red oak, in “fair” condition, and a 25-inch pecan tree in poor condition…
Environment • By Sumaiya Malik, Reporting Texas • Apr 13, 2021
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Board of Adjustment debates request to sacrifice heritage tree or waterfront overlay
The Board of Adjustment exists to help residents achieve variances from the Land Development Code’s building regulations, but only if an applicant is willing to provide information and evidence of a valid hardship. Dan Coops, the owner of 71 Julius…
Land Development Code • By Jessi Devenyns • Jun 17, 2020
Land use code to protect transit-oriented trees and increase canopy cover
A recent amendment to the draft Land Development Code could change how heritage tree preservation impacts new development on corridors. Council Member Paige Ellis offered a concept last week, the Supplemental Heritage Tree Preservation Program, that she said would help…
Environment • By Ryan Thornton • Feb 24, 2020
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How heritage tree regulations change under new draft code
Transition zones have proved to be a divisive topic at City Hall during the ongoing discussions about the Land Development Code draft. These zones, which are meant to promote “missing middle” housing options and increase density, are raising eyebrows due…
Land Development Code • By Jessi Devenyns • Nov 20, 2019
At Robinson Ranch, the apple may fall far from the tree
When Apple Inc. announced its plans to build a $1 billion campus late last year, there was a wave of speculation about what the company’s expansion would mean for Austin in terms of traffic congestion and employment opportunities. However, there…
Planning • By Jessi Devenyns • Oct 14, 2019
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Environmental Commission discusses how to make the Heritage Tree Ordinance even more tree-centric
Austin values its trees. According to the city arborist’s office, trees are a $16 billion asset to the community. In 1982, in an effort to better protect its trees, Austin implemented its inaugural tree ordinance, which was unique both then…
Environment • By Jessi Devenyns • Sep 6, 2019
Reporter's Notebook: Trees, fiber, petition
Heritage tree transplants see high success rates… Moving heritage trees within the city of Austin is no easy feat. It is, however, almost always successful. Out of the 20 transplant sites listed on the City Data Portal, all of the…
Reporters' Notebook • By Austin Monitor • Jun 3, 2019
Planning commissioners strike heritage tree compromise
When it comes to preserving heritage trees, when should development take precedence? That was the question planning commissioners sought to answer at their most recent meeting, where developers of a property at 2111 Rio Grande St. were seeking variances to…
Planning • By Elizabeth Pagano • May 6, 2019
Tree protection outweighs density concerns for Environmental Commission
There are only four reasons a heritage tree can be removed in the city of Austin: it must be dead, diseased, an imminent hazard, or prevent reasonable use of a property. Even if a tree meets one or more of…
