Nashville's Tree Protection: The Rules That Matter
Every city handles tree protection a little differently. In Nashville, Tennessee, there are 3 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
Where Metro has adopted a street tree and streetscape plan for an area, new development must plant right-of-way trees per the Metro Nashville Street Tree Specifications, and the property owner records a covenant to maintain them.
Key details: Governing section: Metropolitan Code § 17.24.075. Applies when: Area has adopted street tree plan. Planting standard: Metro Nashville Street Tree Specifications. Maintenance duty: Frontage owner, via recorded covenant. Variance path: Board of zoning appeals; tree bank.
Non-compliant plantings can be flagged on permits and blocked at inspection; the board of zoning appeals may require a tree bank payment as a condition of any variance from an adopted plan.
Protected Tree Species
Metro requires residential subdivisions and multifamily projects on land with a designated Cedar Glade environment to make reasonable efforts to preserve it, using the conservation development option in Title 17.
Key details: Section: Metropolitan Code § 17.28.060. Standard: Reasonable effort to preserve, no numeric minimum. Applies to: Residential subdivisions and multifamily development. Review body: Metro Planning Commission. Tool: Conservation development option under Title 17.
No fixed fine is set in this section; noncompliance blocks final site plan approval by the Metro Planning Commission, which can require redesign using conservation development to preserve the glade before signing off.
The rules around protected tree species in Nashville lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.
Heritage & Protected Trees
Metro Nashville designates heritage trees by trunk diameter thresholds, 24 inches for oak, maple and poplar, down to 8 inches for dogwood and holly, or registration in the historic/specimen tree program, and protects them with a mandatory construction buffer zone.
Key details: Largest DBH threshold: 24 inches (oak, maple, poplar). Smallest DBH threshold: 8 inches (dogwood, holly). Civil penalty: $50 per tree, per day. Protection zone: Fenced before grading starts. Enforced by: Metro urban forester / planning staff.
Civil penalties of $50 per tree, per day apply for any injury, damage, or unpermitted removal within a heritage tree's protection zone, and no prior notice of violation is required before the penalty is assessed.
This is one of the stricter rules in Nashville's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.
The Bottom Line
Nashville'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 Nashville is broadly strict or permissive.
All of the above reflects Nashville's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.