Fort Worth Urban Forestry Ordinance

Fort Worth’s urban forestry ordinance outlines the city’s requirements for tree protection and preservation. The ordinance includes a definition of it’s purpose, that: “Trees have a positive economic effect on the city by enhancing property values, mitigating drainage and flooding issues, improving air quality, helping save energy, and improving health and quality of life, making the city a more attractive place in which to live, visit and do business.” Among other provisions, the ordinance describes protections for trees’ critical root zones, including that placing “underground utility lines such as electric, phone, gas, etc., is encouraged to be located outside the critical root zone of preserved trees,” and that “[b]oring is required for all underground utility lines that cross the critical root zone.” See § 6.302(g)(2).

The standards also provide for specific requirements by land use. Those requirements include, for example, on residential lots: minimum 40% canopy coverage, reducible to 25% with additional plantings; on multifamily: minimum 50% canopy coverage of open space: on institutional and commercial: minimum 30% canopy coverage; on mixed use: 50% canopy coverage of open space; and surface parking areas: minimum 40% canopy coverage.