Roanoke, VA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

Subdivision Ordinance Sec. 1-400(b) and Table 400-1 require street paving, curb and gutter, a planted strip, large deciduous street trees and sidewalks whenever a major subdivision creates a new street in most residential and mixed-use zoning districts, including RA, R-12, R-7, R-5, R-3, RM-1, RM-2, RMF and ROS, as well as CN, CG, CLS, MX, D, I-1, I-2, IN, AD and UF. Table 400-2 sets the planted strip or extended-width sidewalk at a minimum of 6 feet wide for streets projected at 4,000 average daily trips or less.

Sec. 1-400(f) sets the actual planting math: the minimum number of street trees is the block length, minus 20 feet of required sight distance at each corner, divided by 40, rounded down, and that count can be trimmed by the number of street lights sitting more than 20 feet from an intersection. Trees go in the planted strip between sidewalk and curb, or in tree grates within an extended-width sidewalk, with trunks centered at least 3 feet back from the curb and at least 5 feet of clearance from underground utilities.

Sec. 1-400(f)(3) ties planting method to the Standardized Landscape Specifications for the Commonwealth of Virginia (2000), and Sec. , 1998) as the reference. In the CN, D and UF districts, the subdivision agent may approve small deciduous trees instead of large ones where planting space is inadequate.