Tree Protection in Franklin, TN (2026)
2 verified tree protection rules for Franklin, Tennessee, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Heritage & Protected Trees
Franklin's 2026 zoning ordinance bars removing, harming, or disturbing any specimen tree, a canopy tree 24 inches or greater in diameter, without meeting an approved exemption, permit exception, or arborist-certified root zone review.
Franklin, TN Specimen Tree Protection
Significant RestrictionsFranklin Zoning Ordinance § 17.2.5.A (2026 ordinance, eff. 1-13-2026)
Specimen trees shall not be cut, removed, pushed over, killed, or otherwise harmed, except as exempted by Subsection 17.2.1, Exemptions. The area within the critical root zone, known as the tree protection zone, of any specimen tree shall not be subject to any disturbance unless the disturbance is based on an ISA certified arborist report stating that the proposed construction shall cause no ha...
Parkway Planting
Franklin's 2026 zoning ordinance requires street trees along both sides of every street and internal drive, planted in tree wells, six-foot planting strips, or bulb-outs.
Franklin Street Tree Planting Rules
Some RestrictionsFranklin Zoning Ordinance §§ 12.8.1, 12.8.3(A), (C)
Street trees shall be required along both sides of all streets and internal drives, except undeveloped edges of natural areas and as required in Section 4.9, Scenic Corridor Overlay District. Street trees shall be planted within tree wells, planting strips or bulb-outs. ... Planting strips shall have a minimum width of six feet. The trunks of street trees shall be a minimum of three feet from t...
Looking for Williamson County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Franklin city rules.
Tree Protection in Williamson County →