Salt Lake City, UT Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum trees
- 1 street tree per park strip
- Spacing rate
- 1 small tree per 20 ft frontage
- Turf
- Prohibited in park strips
- Approval
- Urban Forestry Division required
- Paving cap
- 20% of park strip area
Summary
Salt Lake City requires at least one street tree per park strip, with more added based on frontage length, and Urban Forestry Division approval before any planting, pruning, or removal.
Minimum of 1 street tree planted on center between back of street curb and the sidewalk. Additional street trees shall be provided at the following rate per each frontage length: 1 small tree per 20 feet, or 1 medium tree per 30 feet, or 1 large tree per 40 feet. The largest tree that is appropriate to the park strip size shall be used.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City code requires a minimum of one street tree per park strip, centered between the back of curb and the sidewalk, with additional trees scaled to frontage: one small tree per 20 feet, one medium tree per 30 feet, or one large tree per 40 feet, using the largest species the strip can support. Species must come from the Urban Forestry Street Tree List, turf is prohibited in the strip, and paving can't cover more than 20% of the area. Planting, pruning, or removing a street tree requires Urban Forestry Division sign-off, and the abutting owner must irrigate it.
Violations & Fines
Unauthorized landscape changes, including street tree work done without Urban Forestry Division approval, violate Title 21A and are subject to the fines and penalties set in Chapter 21A.20.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need city approval to plant a street tree in Salt Lake City?
How many street trees does a park strip need?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle parkway planting.