Rowlett, TX Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)
Key Facts
- DBH threshold
- 8 inches
- Circumference cutoff
- ~25 inches
- Excluded species
- 11 nuisance/invasive trees
- Governing law
- Ch. 98, Art. II, Div. 2
- Heritage list
- none: size-based only
Summary
Rowlett has no separate heritage-tree list: instead, Sec. 98-52 designates any tree with an 8-inch trunk diameter (about 25-inch circumference) as a legally "protected tree," triggering permit and replacement duties citywide.
Tree, protected means a tree the trunk of which has a DBH of eight inches (approximate 25-inch circumference), that is not one of the following trees: Tree of Heaven, Mimosa or Silktree, Sugarberry, Horseapple/Bois D'Arc, Chinaberry, Black Willow, Chinese Tallow, Siberian Elm, Cotton Wood, Hackberry (11-inch DBH or smaller), Lotus (Buckthorn Family).
Tree valuation means as established by the National Arborist Association per the Tree Valuation Schedule (appendix C) which is on file in the city secretary's office and made a part of this division by reference.
(Code 1982, § 9-17-2; Ord. No. 7-6-99C, § 1, 7-6-1999; Ord. No. 10-21-03B, § 1, 10-21-2003)
Cross reference— Definitions generally, § 1-2.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 29).
Full Breakdown
Under Sec. 98-52, 'protected tree' status turns on trunk size alone: any tree with a diameter-at-breast-height (DBH) of eight inches or more qualifies, unless it's one of eleven listed fast-growing or invasive species. Tree of Heaven, Mimosa, Sugarberry, Horseapple, Chinaberry, Black Willow, Chinese Tallow, Siberian Elm, Cottonwood, small Hackberry, or Lotus. Once a tree meets that threshold, Chapter 98, Article II, Division 2 requires a permit before removal (Sec. 98-103), review of tree surveys on every development plat (Sec. 98-101), and replacement or mitigation if the tree comes down (Sec. 98-141).
Violations & Fines
Damaging or removing a qualifying protected tree without following Division 2's process is a misdemeanor under Sec. 98-53, fined up to $500 per tree for each day it remains unreplaced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rowlett have a special "heritage tree" list?
Are any tree species excluded from protection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rowlett
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Rowlett to another location·View the Texas tree protection overview
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Heritage & Protected Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle heritage & protected trees.