Noblesville, IN Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Noblesville Code §§ 97.10, 97.14
- Enforcing official
- City Urban Forester
- Approved species list
- Required for all street trees
- Resident planting options
- 3: self-fund, cost-share, city-funded
- Unauthorized planting
- Removal/replacement cost to planter
- Max fine
- $500 per day per offense
Summary
Any tree planted in the public right-of-way in Noblesville, the parkway strip between the sidewalk and the street, has to come from the Urban Forester's approved species list under Code § 97.10. Residents can pay for their own tree and contractor, split the cost with the city, or simply request a free city-funded planting.
(A) The Urban Forester shall provide lists of species, varieties, and cultivars desirable to be planted in public places in the city so as to ensure public safety and welfare. No trees other than those included on the Urban Forester's list may be planted as street trees without special written permission of the Urban Forester. ... (D) A resident has several options regarding tree planting in the right-of-way. Residents can: (1) Fund 100% of the purchase and planting. This includes purchase of tree and expenses of hiring certified contractor to plant tree. (2) Participate in a cost share program. Resident purchases tree and city crews plant tree at no additional cost. (3) Request the city plant a tree when funds are made available with no cost to resident.
Full Breakdown
Street trees in Noblesville's rights-of-way are governed by Chapter 97 of the Code of Ordinances, administered by the city's Urban Forester within the Street Department. Under § 97.10(A), the Urban Forester keeps an approved list of species, varieties and cultivars sized for public safety, sorted into small, medium and large categories tied to specific planting-location sizes detailed in the Arboricultural Specifications Manual; no one may plant a different species as a street tree without the Urban Forester's special written permission. Section 97.10(B) separately maintains an undesirable-species list; planting one of those without permission makes the planter responsible for the cost of removing and replacing it.
A resident who wants a tree in the parkway strip has three options under § 97.10(D): pay for the tree and a certified contractor to install it, buy the tree and have city crews plant it at no extra charge under a cost-share program, or simply request that the city plant a tree at its own expense when funds allow. Every planting still needs Urban Forester approval and, under § 97.14(A) and (C), must follow the spacing and location standards in the Arboricultural Specifications Manual, accounting for lot width, fire hydrants, driveways and curbs.
New subdivisions face additional requirements under § 97.15, including a one-year performance bond and a three-year maintenance bond on new plantings before the developer's bond is released.
Violations & Fines
Planting an unapproved species as a street tree, or planting without Urban Forester approval, makes the planter responsible for the cost of removal and replacement under § 97.10(B). More broadly, § 97.99(A) makes it unlawful to remove, trim or damage any tree, shrub or plant on city property without a license, and sets a fine of up to $500 per day for each separate offense, with each day of a continuing violation counted separately. A contractor who repeatedly disregards the chapter's requirements can also lose the license needed to do street tree work in the city under § 97.99(B).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant any tree I want in the strip next to the street in Noblesville?
Does the City of Noblesville pay for street trees?
What happens if I damage a city tree in Noblesville without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Noblesville
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