Whatcom County, WA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

WCC § 20.80.385 gives Whatcom County discretion to require an applicant to plant street trees, shrubs, or ground cover within the county right-of-way adjacent to a development, but only where the county has adopted a street tree plan for that particular street. Where planting is required, § 20.80.325 supplies the design standard that governs it: deciduous trees are required parallel to all public rights-of-way, and spacing runs by tree size, small trees at approximately 25 feet on center, medium trees at 35 feet on center, and large trees at 45 feet on center. A developer may substitute an informal cluster of coniferous, broad-leaved evergreen, or deciduous trees instead of a straight row, as long as the cluster provides the visual equivalent of a 25-foot-on-center row. The specific small, medium and large tree, shrub and ground-cover species approved for planting in county rights-of-way are listed in the Whatcom County Development Standards, Chapter 5 (Road Standards), Appendix I, not in the zoning code itself.

On Point Roberts, the requirement isn't left to the same discretion: § 20.72.657(1) requires commercial development or redevelopment along Tyee Drive, Gulf Road, Marine Drive, or APA Road to plant street trees along the road frontage under the § 20.80.325 spacing standard whenever Whatcom County public works determines frontage improvements are needed under the county road standards. That planting duty, and the accompanying curb, sidewalk and lighting work, can be waived only if a local improvement district, road improvement district, or transportation benefit district is formed to fund the same improvements instead.