Olympia, WA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

Chapter 12.44 of the Olympia Municipal Code, Street Trees, sets the planting rules for parking strips in the City of Olympia, Thurston County, Washington. Section 12.44.010 applies on all streets that have been paved, or will be paved, with some permanent material, wherever there is a parking strip, and points to the Engineering Design and Development Standards for the technical detail.

Section 12.44.020 requires uniformity: trees on each street must match. Where the property owners can agree on a variety, each owner can plant in front of their own property, with trees not closer than forty feet apart. If owners cannot agree, § 12.44.030 lets the city council decide, and if owners along a street do not provide trees, the council provides them under the local improvement statutes of the state by resolution and ordinance.

Section 12.44.040 names the species rule in the code's own words: no maples or other such spreading trees, but ash, poplar and such similar trees. Section 12.44.050 covers undergrowth: shrubbery and small trees such as holly can go in the parking strip, with not more than one planted between each two trees, and the shrubbery must be planted uniformly and of similar character throughout one entire street.

Once planted, the tree belongs to the city. Section 12.44.060 declares ornamental, shade and other trees in the streets or parking strips public property subject to the control of the city, and § 12.44.070 requires the street superintendent's supervision and permission for any trimming or pruning.

Maintenance for street trees in development projects sits in § 16.60.100, which applies in perpetuity: trees are kept vigorous and healthy under the Urban Forestry Manual, and a tree that becomes diseased, severely damaged or dies must be removed by the owner no later than 60 days after notification by the city and replaced under the approved Soil and Vegetation Protection plan.