Arvada, CO Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Under Section 4-6-2-2 of the Land Development Code, existing healthy trees must be incorporated into new development to the maximum extent feasible. Trees under 2 inches in caliper may be preserved, transplanted, or removed at the applicant's discretion under Table 4-6-2-2, but trees of 2 inches or greater in caliper may only be preserved in place or transplanted; outright removal is listed as "Not Allowed" for that size class. If an applicant fails to preserve a protected tree, the applicant must replace each tree that is damaged beyond remedy or destroyed at the rate set in Table 4-6-2-2, with replacement trees required to at least equal the total caliper inches removed (for example, four 5-inch caliper trees satisfy removing one 20-inch caliper tree).

An owner who chooses not to replant is penalized an amount equal to the caliper inch replacement cost plus 100 percent, and must spend that penalty amount on trees at the project; if the applicant declines to plant on-site, the City may plant the trees on nearby public property or a park instead. The Director determines, in consultation with the City Forester, when preservation or transplanting is not feasible, and may set a fee-in-lieu based on the size and value of the trees to be removed.

Four categories of trees are exempt from these preservation and replacement requirements: dead, dying, or naturally fallen trees, or ones the City finds threaten public health, safety, or welfare; trees that substantially obstruct clear visibility at driveways and intersections; and trees on the Colorado Department of Agriculture noxious weed list, unless the Director deems the tree a significant specimen.