Sheboygan, WI Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

Sec. 126-126 governs planting in public areas and under the city-approved forestry program. Subsection (a) requires the size, genus, species and variety of the trees and shrubs, and the manner of planting, to be submitted to the city forester for approval before the work starts. Subsection (b) bars planting within 35 feet of any street corner and sets a minimum of 35 feet between city parkway trees, or whatever distance the forester decides based on factors including genus, species and variety. The "city parkway" is the area between the curb, or proposed curb location, and the sidewalk, together with tree easement areas (Sec. 126-26).

Subsection (c) lists the permitted parkway trees: Norway maple (emerald queen, columnar, Cleveland, globe), red maple, sugar maple, hackberry, white ash (autumn purple), green ash (Marshall seedless), ginkgo, thornless honey locust (skyline, imperial morine), ironwood, red oak, and linden (littleleaf, redmond, chancellor, greenspire), plus improved varieties approved by the University of Wisconsin horticulture department, college of agriculture and life sciences. Subsection (d) prohibits poplar, ailanthus, box elder, catalpa, mountain ash, birch, willows, conifers, elm, silver maple and any fruit-bearing or nut-bearing trees, along with others that university department has not approved.

Planting is also tied to the city parkway master tree plan, a street-by-street written evaluation of space and site factors such as wires, lights, pavement, traffic, sidewalks, sewers and space availability, with the genus, species and variety for each street chosen by the city forester (Sec. 126-29). Before planting under the plan the forester publishes notice in the official city newspaper naming the streets and including how and when to appeal (Sec. 126-62(g)). An objector appeals to the public works committee within ten days of publication, and the committee hears the appeal within 30 days of receiving written notice (Sec. 126-30).

A permit under Sec. 126-96 is required to plant a tree in the right-of-way, and the permit must specify genus, species, variety, size, nursery grade and location (Sec. 126-99). Street projects that rebuild or resurface a street without existing parkway trees include planting as part of the project, at the city's cost rather than the abutting owner's, within one year of completing the rest of the project (Sec. 110-43). Trees and shrubs in the clear-sight triangle at an intersection cannot exceed a 30-inch height above street grade (Sec. 126-128).