Terrebonne Parish, LA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

Parish Code § 2-538 governs what may be planted in the public right-of-way along parish streets. Because roots, disease and visibility problems arise from larger species used as street trees, § 2-538(b) restricts street trees to small trees that top out at 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Section 2-538(c) requires every street tree to sit at least 2 feet from the curb and 2 feet from the sidewalk, and bars planting a street tree closer than 30 feet to another street tree unless the Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government approves an exception.

Section 2-539 layers on clearance from intersections and fire infrastructure: no street tree may be planted closer than 35 feet to any street corner, measured from the nearest intersecting curb lines, and none may sit closer than 10 feet from any fireplug. Section 2-540 further bars any tree other than a qualifying small tree from being planted under or within 10 lateral feet of an overhead utility wire, or above or within 10 lateral feet of a buried water, sewer or transmission line. The parish tree board, a nine-member body appointed by the parish council under § 2-533, develops the parish's tree plan and recommends species and placement standards under § 2-536.