Waco, TX Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

Article III of Chapter 25, "Trees and Other Sight Obstructions," is Waco's parkway-planting rulebook. Section 25-46 defines "street trees" as trees, shrubs and other woody vegetation growing between the curb, pavement line and the property lines on either side of any street, avenue or way in the city, which is the parkway strip most homeowners plant. Section 25-48 creates a city tree board made up of the parks and recreation advisory commission plus one ex officio parks department staffer, chaired by the commission's chairman; Section 25-49 charges that board with developing and updating, at least annually, a written plan for the care, preservation, trimming, planting, replanting, removal or disposition of street trees, park trees and shrubs.

Section 25-50 is the operative planting standard: it enumerates the only species the city recognizes as "official street trees," split into large trees (Walnut, Live Oak, Bur Oak, Red Oak, Lacy Oak, Monterrey Oak, White Oak, Chinquapin Oak, Cedar Elm, Pecan, Elderica Pine, Southern Magnolia, Chinese Pistachio), medium trees (Bald Cypress, Sweetgum, Western Soap Berry, Little Leaf Elm) and small trees (Yaupon Holly, Possum Holly, Bradford Pear, Callary Pear, Mexican Plum, Japanese Black Pine, Redbud, Crepe Myrtle, Flowering Dogwood, Mountain Laurel). The tree board can recommend additional species and planting guidelines in its annual plan, and city council can direct it to study and report on specific planting questions. Any parkway tree, whatever the species, still has to clear the sight-obstruction limits in Section 25-51 and the 14-foot overhang clearance in Section 25-52.