Grand Prairie, TX Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Unified Development Code Article 8, Section 16 makes tree removal a permitting matter, not a private choice. Section 8.16.1(B) states flatly that no Protected Tree can come down unless it sits on land covered by a General Exemption (Section 8.16.2, which covers single-family/duplex lots already occupied, homeowners on 5 acres or less, dead or diseased trees, and emergency hazards) or an Exempt Development Application (Section 8.16.3), or unless the Tree Preservation Administrator has signed off on a tree protection plan under Sections 8.16.6 and 8.16.8.

Clear-cutting without city approval is separately prohibited. Every non-exempt plat, site plan, or building permit application must include a tree protection plan with a tree survey identifying each Protected Tree by species, caliper inches, and a unique key number (Section 8.16.6.A-B). The Administrator reviews the plan for completeness, decides on exemption claims in writing, and can approve, conditionally approve, or deny it under the criteria in Section 8.16.8.D; denial is grounds to deny the associated plat, site plan, or building permit. Removal not tied to a development project still requires written authorization from the Administrator under Section 8.16.5, submitted with the applicant's contact information, the property address, and identification of each tree to be removed.

Mitigation is mandatory for any removed Protected Tree not otherwise exempt: the applicant can transplant the tree, plant replacement caliper inches, or pay into the Urban Forest Fund at $200.00 per caliper inch under Section 8.16.9(B), with the Administrator's approval needed to instead preserve smaller trees as a substitute. No certificate of occupancy or single-family/duplex building permit is issued until all mitigation measures are completed and fees are paid (Section 8.16.8.F).