Glendale's Tree Protection: The Rules That Matter
Every city handles tree protection a little differently. In Glendale, Arizona, there are 2 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.
Parkway Planting
New development in Glendale must plant one tree and three shrubs for every 30 feet of street frontage, with groundcover covering at least 60 percent of the landscaped strip, inside the street right-of-way parkway or the front 25 feet of the site.
Key details: Governing section: § 19-76. Tree ratio: 1 tree + 3 shrubs per 30 ft frontage. Groundcover minimum: 60% of frontage landscaped area. Placement: ROW parkway or front 25 ft of site. Reverse-frontage exception: § 19-81 substitute ratio applies.
Section 19-76 is a development-approval standard enforced through the City's landscape plan review under this article; a project that fails to meet the tree, shrub and groundcover ratios cannot receive landscape plan approval under Section 19-82's cumulative-total calculation for the site.
Heritage & Protected Trees
Glendale does not have a formal heritage or landmark tree ordinance. However, mature native trees such as Palo Verde, Ironwood, and Mesquite are valued within the landscape code. Arizona state law protects certain native plants under the Arizona Native Plant Law (A.R.S. 3-904), and salvage permits from the Arizona Department of Agriculture may be required before removing protected native species, even on private property.
Key details: Heritage Tree Ordinance: No formal program. State Protection: Arizona Native Plant Law (A.R.S. 3-904). Protected Species: Saguaro, Ironwood, Palo Verde, Mesquite. Salvage Permit: May be required for protected native plants. Enforcement: Arizona Dept. of Agriculture.
The Bottom Line
Glendale's tree protection rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Glendale is broadly strict or permissive.
Keep in mind that Glendale can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.