Spokane County, WA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum sidewalk width
- 8 ft clear walking path
- Minimum planting strip
- 5 ft wide
- Minimum trunk diameter
- 1.75 in at planting
- Maximum tree spacing
- 25 ft apart
- Applies to
- Mixed-use zone projects $5,000+ in value
- Design review trigger
- >2 acres or 30,000 sq ft floor area
Summary
Spokane County's urban design standards set specific numbers for street trees planted along sidewalks in mixed-use zone development. Under SCC 14.900.720, the walking path must stay at least eight feet wide beside a separate planting zone, street trees need a minimum five-foot-wide strip, must be at least one and three-quarter inches in trunk diameter at planting, spaced no more than twenty-five feet apart, and drawn from the county's approved species list in appendix A.
Intent: To establish a consistent character for street right-of-ways, improve pedestrian safety, and enhance the natural, aesthetic and urban environment. Standards and guidelines: 1.Sidewalks shall consist of a clear walking path at least eight feet wide (in addition to a planting zone for street trees). Along arterial streets, tree grates shall be used. On other streets, either tree grates or a continuous planting strip along the curb are acceptable.2.Street trees shall be planted between the curb and the walking path of the sidewalk.3.Large trees with overhanging canopies or branches are desirable. However, species of street trees shall be of a type approved by the county (see appendix A).4.Street trees should be located in a planting area with a minimum width of five feet.5.Street trees shall be a minimum of one and three-quarters inches in diameter and shall be spaced no further apart than twenty-five feet.6.When planting street trees, consideration should be given to the location of existing utilities, lighting and proposed signs.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).
Full Breakdown
608; single-family and two-family residences that are not part of a larger mixed-use project are exempt. 720's intent is to give street rights-of-way a consistent character, improve pedestrian safety and enhance the aesthetic and natural environment. The standard requires an eight-foot-wide clear walking path in addition to a separate planting zone for the trees themselves; along arterial streets the trees must sit in tree grates, while on other streets either grates or a continuous curbside planting strip are acceptable. Trees go between the curb and the walking path, in a planting area at least five feet wide, and must be a minimum of one and three-quarters inches in trunk diameter at installation, spaced no more than twenty-five feet apart.
Species have to come from the list the county has approved in appendix A, and large canopy trees are the design preference. Placement must also account for existing utilities, lighting and any proposed signage. 300, and for parcels larger than two acres or buildings with thirty thousand square feet or more of gross interior floor area, the six-member design review board, which includes a licensed architect and landscape architect, reviews the proposal and makes a recommendation before the director issues a final decision.
Violations & Fines
Street tree and sidewalk plans are approved before permits issue, so noncompliance normally surfaces as a plan-review rejection by the director rather than a citation. If trees required under an approved plan are removed or never installed, that failure to complete approved conditions is enforceable as a zoning code violation under chapter 14.408, carrying a Level I ($200) or Level II ($500) civil notice plus $50 per day, appealable to the hearing examiner within 14 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every new building in Spokane County need street trees?
How far apart do street trees have to be planted?
Can I plant any tree species along the sidewalk?
Who reviews my street tree and sidewalk plan?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spokane County
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