Plano, TX Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Approval required
- Director's written OK before planting/removal
- Residential exemption
- Parkway next to residential streets exempt
- Parkway defined
- Curb line to street right-of-way/sidewalk edge
- Governing section
- Plano Code of Ordinances § 15-117(b)
- Contractor exemption
- Per approved city construction plans, § 15-117(d)
Summary
Plano requires the parks director's written sign-off before anyone plants or removes a tree, shrub, or plant in a parkway area, public street, park, or other municipal property, under Code of Ordinances § 15-117(b): except that residential-street parkways are exempt from the approval requirement. The parkway is defined as the strip between the curb and the far edge of the sidewalk.
It is unlawful to plant or remove, or permit or cause to be planted or removed any tree, shrub or plant on any public street, parkway area, park or other municipal property without the written approval of the director. This prohibition shall not apply to trees, shrubs or other landscaping planted in the parkway area adjacent to residential streets... The parkway area is that area lying between the street right-of-way line of any public street and/or alley, and the curb line of the street and/or alley; or if there is no curb line, the paved portion of the street and/or alley. Generally, the parkway area is the area between the edge of the road/curb and the farthest edge of the sidewalk.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 153).
Full Breakdown
' The director in question is the parks and recreation director, who under § 15-116 holds 'authority, control and supervision over all trees, plants and shrubs planted or growing in or upon the public highways and public places in the City of Plano,' coordinating with the public works department on streets, alleys, rights-of-way, drainage and easements. The one built-in exemption is significant for homeowners: the approval requirement 'shall not apply to trees, shrubs or other landscaping planted in the parkway area adjacent to residential streets,' so a resident can plant in the strip next to a residential street without first getting written sign-off, a carve-out that does not extend to commercial streets, parks, or other municipal property.
' Firms under city construction contracts can be exempted from the planting rule when their approved construction plans specifically identify the work, per § 15-117(d).
Violations & Fines
Planting or removing a tree, shrub, or plant on a public street, non-residential parkway, park, or other municipal property without the director's written approval violates § 15-117(b) and is a misdemeanor under the Code's general-penalty section, § 1-4(b), fined up to $500 per offense; the director can also require removal or relocation of unapproved plantings at the responsible party's expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant a tree in the parkway strip in front of my house?
Do I need approval to plant near a commercial street or in a park?
What exactly counts as the 'parkway area'?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Plano
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Plano to another location·View the Texas tree protection overview
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Collin County handle parkway planting.