Raleigh, NC Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Understory tree spacing
- 1 tree per 20 ft on center, avg
- Shade tree size at planting
- 3-inch caliper, 10 ft tall min
- Shade tree mature size
- 35 ft height, 30 ft spread min
- Planting season
- Oct 1 – Apr 30
- Occupancy tie-in
- Required before letter of final acceptance
- Damage penalty
- $1,000 first tree + $100/caliper inch
Summary
Raleigh's Unified Development Ordinance requires street trees along new and reconstructed streets, with placement priority, spacing, and sizing set by UDO §§ 8.4.1 and 7.2.7. Shade trees need a 3-inch caliper and 10-foot height at planting; understory trees replace them under overhead power lines, spaced every 20 feet on center. Trees must go in before the City issues a letter of final acceptance for the street.
Sec. 8.4.1: "Sidewalks, streets, and street trees must be installed and constructed in accordance with this Article and the Raleigh Street Plan Map." "Where overhead electric utilities exist, one understory tree shall be planted every 20 feet on center, on average." "All required street trees must meet the design and installation requirements of Sec. 7.2.7." Sec. 7.2.7: "All shade trees planted to meet the landscaping requirements must be a locally adapted species with an expected mature height of 35 feet or greater and an expected mature crown spread of at least 30 feet or greater...must have a minimum caliper of 3 inches and be at least 10 feet tall at time of planting."
Full Breakdown
5 feet exists and no building sits within 10 feet of the right-of-way; and only if none of those work, on private property within 15 feet of the right-of-way line. D). Every required street tree "must meet the design and installation requirements of Sec. 7," which fixes plant sizing: shade trees need a mature height and crown spread of at least 35 and 30 feet, a minimum 3-inch caliper, and must stand at least 10 feet tall when planted; understory trees need at least a 15-foot mature height and spread, with single-stem trees at 1½-inch caliper and 6 feet tall. 3.
Violations & Fines
Section 7.2.7 backs the planting standard with a damage penalty: anyone who unlawfully prunes, cuts, or damages required landscaping, including required street trees, faces "a civil penalty of a minimum of $1,000 for the first tree plus $100 per caliper inch of any other tree," processed under § 10.4.2, plus mandatory replacement with an equal-diameter tree at a minimum 3-inch caliper and 10-foot height.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Raleigh require street trees on a new development?
What size do new street trees have to be?
Does Raleigh reduce the tree requirement where power lines run overhead?
What happens if a required street tree is damaged after planting?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Raleigh
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wake County handle parkway planting.