Noblesville, IN Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)

Noblesville's Tree Board (seven members) is statutorily responsible for the master plan covering 'the care, preservation, pruning, planting, removal and disposition of street trees' on City property and within the rights-of-way. Among the published lists maintained by the Board and the Urban Forester is the Heritage Tree List (downloadable as a PDF from the City's Street Trees page at noblesville.in.gov/267/Street-Trees). This list catalogs exceptional, historically significant, or large-specimen trees in Noblesville. While Chapter 97 directly regulates only public/ROW trees, UDC § 159.083 (Preservation of Existing Natural Features) requires that 'existing features that would add value to residential development or to the community as a whole, such as trees, watercourses and water bodies, beaches, historic spots, and similar irreplaceable assets' be preserved in the design — a heritage tree falls squarely within this requirement. Trees designated as 'specimen' or 'heritage' on an approved Tree Preservation Plan, or made the subject of a development condition of approval requiring retention, cannot be removed without City review. Trees on the Approved Street Tree Species List are species permitted for new street tree planting (per § 97.10); the Successful Tree List documents species that perform well in Noblesville's microclimate; the Undesirable Tree Species List flags species that should not be planted (this is where many of the 44 prohibited invasive species under 312 IAC 18-3-25 are typically captured).