Lakewood, CO Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

Article 6, "Residential Building and Site Design Standards," sets the street tree requirement at Section 17.6.5.2 for "all residential additions greater than 20 percent or new construction": "One deciduous street tree shall be provided for every 35 lineal feet of street frontage. Street trees shall be evenly spaced along the street frontage." Placement then depends on the sidewalk configuration: where a sidewalk is detached from the street, subsection A.1 puts the tree "between the edge of asphalt or curb and sidewalk"; for single-family and duplex lots where the sidewalk is attached to the street, subsection A.2 requires shade trees "established in an area ranging from 4 to 8 feet behind the sidewalk"; and for attached-dwelling and multifamily projects with an attached sidewalk of 9 feet or more, subsection A.3 requires "planting cutout areas that are a minimum of 25 square feet."

Subsection B lets the Director maintain "a recommended list of trees which shall be acceptable" as approved shade or street trees. Subsection C requires trees to "avoid significant interference with overhead or underground utilities," though a mature canopy is allowed to project over a right-of-way or easement. Subsection D permits substituting ornamental trees for shade trees where overhead lines would prevent normal growth. Subsection E sets a clearance rule separate from the Municipal Code's public-way clearance standard: "Plant materials shall not project over sidewalks, paths, or trails below a height of 8 feet at maturity."

The requirement is triggered by project scale, not by lot ownership alone. It does not apply citywide to every existing lot; it attaches specifically to new construction and to residential additions exceeding 20 percent of the existing structure, tying the planting duty to zoning permit review for that project rather than to a standalone tree ordinance.