Raleigh requires approved street tree species and spacing on planting strips between sidewalk and curb, coordinated by the Urban Forestry Division to maintain canopy continuity along city corridors and traditional neighborhoods.
Property owners maintain trees in the parkway strip, but planting and removal require coordination with Urban Forestry under City Code Ch. 8. The approved street tree list emphasizes species adapted to Piedmont conditions and resistant to pests, including willow oak, sugarberry, and zelkova. Spacing standards keep trees 30 to 40 feet apart and clear of utilities. Adopt-A-Tree programs allow residents to fund neighborhood plantings. The 2017 NeighborWoods initiative restored canopy in southeast Raleigh after Hurricane Matthew damage.
Unauthorized parkway planting may be removed at owner expense. Damaging street trees triggers replacement value fines based on appraised tree value, often $500-$5,000.
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh's sidewalk repair program, established under City Code Chapter 11, assigns primary repair responsibility for sidewalks to the city rather than the ad...
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh has one of the strongest tree protection ordinances in North Carolina under UDO Article 9.1, requiring preservation of existing trees, permits for re...
See how Raleigh's parkway planting rules stack up against other locations.
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