Longmont, CO Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Planting rate (local/collector streets)
- 1 tree per 40 linear feet
- Tree lawn width
- 8 feet, curb to sidewalk
- Ground cover
- Low water-use only; nonfunctional turf banned
- Arterial rate
- 1 tree + 5 shrubs per 1,000 sq ft
- Installation deadline
- Before certificate of occupancy, or voucher at closing
- Alternative
- Cash-in-lieu to city's tree planting fund
Summary
Longmont requires deciduous canopy trees planted in the tree lawn or a tree grate along local and collector street rights-of-way at a rate of one tree for every 40 linear feet, inside an eight-foot planting strip between the curb and sidewalk on streets built with detached sidewalks.
K.Right-of-way landscaping.1.Local and collector streets. Local and collector street rights-of-way shall be landscaped as follows:a.Detached sidewalks, as addressed in the city standards, shall be installed to allow for a landscaped eight-foot planting strip (tree lawn) between the back of curb and the edge of sidewalk, except where attached walks are required or allowed.b.Deciduous canopy trees shall be planted in the tree lawn, or in a tree grate as addressed in the city standards in attached walks, at a rate of one tree for every 40 linear feet of right-of-way.c.Live irrigated lower water-consuming plant materials shall be the primary ground cover in tree lawns. Nonfunctional turf is prohibited.
Full Breakdown
1 governs right-of-way landscaping on local and collector streets. 2: at least one tree and five shrubs for every 1,000 square feet of landscaped right-of-way, still at a minimum of one tree per 40 linear feet, split 75 percent deciduous canopy species and 25 percent coniferous. Installation timing is tied to occupancy: trees in the local and collector right-of-way must go in before the certificate of occupancy is issued, or, if weather or another necessary delay makes that impractical, the builder must give the homebuyer a coupon or voucher for the tree planting, including delivery and installation, at closing, with a copy of that certificate provided to the city before occupancy is granted. Where right-of-way planting isn't feasible at all, the developer can instead pay into the city's tree planting fund so the trees get installed later.
Violations & Fines
A developer who occupies a building before installing the required right-of-way street trees, or who installs nonfunctional turf in the tree lawn instead of low water-use ground cover, is out of compliance with the landscaping standards that condition site plan approval, and the city can withhold a certificate of occupancy until the trees go in or the required coupon and documentation are provided at closing. The director can approve an administrative modification under § 15.02.080.B for a project whose scope makes strict compliance impractical, but only through that formal modification process, not by skipping the requirement outright.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far apart do street trees have to be planted in Longmont?
Can I plant grass in the tree lawn strip in front of my Longmont house?
When do street trees have to be installed for a new Longmont home?
How wide is the planting strip between the curb and sidewalk in Longmont?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Longmont
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Boulder County handle parkway planting.