Tag Archives: City of Austin Heritage Tree Ordinance
BoA grants boat dock variance, swayed by trees
After being denied a variance to reconstruct an existing dock to 44 feet instead of the code-compliant 30 feet, the case of 1515 Manana St. returned before the Board of Adjustment at its March 11 meeting. Based on a “substantial”…
Planning • By Jessi Devenyns • Mar 22, 2019
Planning Commission approves the removal of a heritage tree downtown
The Planning Commission approved a rare heritage tree variance at a recent meeting. The commission only sees cases like this one, where people are looking to remove protected trees that exceed 30 inches in diameter, once a year or less.…
Planning • By Alyx Wilson • Oct 17, 2018
Tree removal permitting to change in October
Sometimes trees have the most powerful voices in our city. At the Sept. 5 meeting of the Environmental Commission, Max Elliott, who is a resident of the Govalle neighborhood, alerted the commission that recently a builder removed five heritage trees…
Environment • By Jessi Devenyns • Sep 12, 2018
Citing historical lessons, Environmental Commission opts for mitigation rather than preservation
It’s not often that a variance to remove heritage trees comes before the Environmental Commission. But when it does, the decision is no walk in the park. “Trees like this are one of the challenging cases for us,” City Arborist Keith…
Austin • By Jessi Devenyns • Sep 10, 2018
Austin can now access a database dedicated to the effects of development on trees
The City Arborist Program has just released a new, interactive tool where everyone has access to all active tree permits at any given time online. Not all trees are being tracked on this dashboard. The city arborist only reviews and protects…
Austin • By Jessi Devenyns • Apr 24, 2018
Dueling tree ordinance bills advance
The Texas House of Representatives on Thursday approved legislation that would allow developers to get credit for planting trees to substitute for mitigation fees that cities might otherwise require from them when they remove trees from their property. House Bill…
Texas State Legislature • By Jo Clifton • Jul 28, 2017
Subscribe to our newsletter
City of Austin welcomes Texas AG opinion on local tree rules
In Austin, and in about 60 other Texas cities, you need to get a permit before you cut down some large or historic trees. Opponents of those tree preservation rules – including Gov. Greg Abbott – call them a violation…
Texas State Legislature • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Jul 18, 2017
ZAP encourages heritage trees, connectivity
Before the Zoning and Platting Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a setback waiver for a new subdivision between Peaceful Hill Lane and Shallot Way, Vice Chair Jackie Goodman took a moment to express gratitude to Matthew Mitchell of Alm…
Development • By Jack Craver • Dec 3, 2015
Planning Commission OKs removal of one, maybe two, downtown heritage trees
At its recent meeting, the Planning Commission approved a variance that could save or destroy a downtown heritage live oak. The would-be developer of 504 East Eighth St. was seeking a variance to remove two heritage trees that have a…
Planning • By Elizabeth Pagano • Nov 25, 2015
Environmental Board sides with trees over variance
The future of two live oak trees in a downtown Austin parking lot sparked vigorous debate at a Wednesday meeting of the Environmental Commission, which ultimately recommended against the city granting a variance to its Heritage Tree Ordinance to make…
Development • By Tyler Whitson • Oct 27, 2015
City's 2014 heritage tree results a mixed bag
Austin’s heritage tree ordinance is effectively protecting the city’s healthy historical trees, though last year saw the loss of a considerable number of them due to poor health and related issues. That sums up what Keith Mars, environmental coordinator for…
Environment • By Tyler Whitson • May 13, 2015
Board may amend applications to protect city trees
On paper, Austin protects its trees. City code requires people to get approval from the city arborist before damaging or removing a tree. But representatives from the Austin Heritage Tree Foundation told the Environmental Board on Wednesday that these ordinances…
