Grand Prairie, TX Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

The nine-member city tree board, whose members also sit on the park board, administers a written plan for the care, preservation, pruning, planting, replanting and removal of trees and shrubs in parks, along streets and in other public areas, presented annually to the city council. Sec. 9-7(e) sets the official street tree species list for the city, sorted into small trees (Redbud, Crepe Myrtle, Mesquite, Mexican Plum), medium trees (Golden Raintree, Bald Cypress, Sweetgum, Caddo Maple) and large trees (Live Oak, Bur Oak, Red Oak, Cedar Elm, Pecan); no other species may be planted as a street tree without the board's written permission.

Sec. 9-7(f) gives the city the right to plant, prune, maintain and remove trees, plants and shrubs within street, alley and public-ground rights-of-way for public safety or to preserve the area's symmetry, and lets the tree board order removal of any tree that is unsafe or injurious to sewers, power lines, gas lines or water lines; adjacent property owners may still plant their own street trees from the approved list. Sec. 9-7(g) bans topping, defined as cutting limbs back to stubs larger than three inches in diameter within the crown so as to remove the normal canopy and disfigure the tree, with exceptions for storm-damaged trees or trees tangled in utility lines where standard pruning is impractical.

Sec. 9-7(h) requires stumps of removed street and park trees to be cut below ground so no part projects above the surface. Sec. 9-7(i) makes it unlawful to prevent, delay or interfere with the tree board or its agents while they plant, cultivate, mulch, prune, spray or remove street or park trees. The city council reviews the tree board's conduct and decisions, and Sec. 9-7(k) lets any person appeal a tree board ruling to the council for a hearing and final decision.