Weld County, CO Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Setback along I-25/Hwy 119
- 50 feet from right-of-way
- Setback along collectors/arterials
- 25 feet from right-of-way
- Tree ratio
- 1 shade or coniferous tree per 40 ft
- Shrub ratio
- 5 shrubs (5-gal min) per 40 ft
- Installation deadline
- 1 year after building permit
- Applies only within
- I-25 Overlay District (Appendix 23-H)
Summary
New commercial and industrial development inside Weld County's I-25 Overlay District must landscape its road frontage with a mix of shrubs and trees under Weld County Code § 23-5-520(C). The corridor rule sets a shade or coniferous tree for every 40 feet of frontage and bars parking or structures inside the landscape setback.
A minimum LANDSCAPE SETBACK in accordance with Table 23.5 below shall be included, to be measured from the existing or future RIGHT-OF-WAY at right angles to the STREET/ROAD towards the interior of the LOT. The LANDSCAPE SETBACK shall include five (5) shrubs (minimum size of five-gallon container) plus either one (1) shade tree with a minimum two-and-one-half-inch-caliper (measured six (6) feet above the surrounding ground) or one (1) coniferous tree with a minimum height of six (6) feet for every forty (40) feet of STREET/ROAD frontage. A mix of coniferous and deciduous trees and shrubs shall be clustered or grouped to avoid straight lines, with a maximum distance of one hundred (100) feet between trees or groupings. The effectiveness of the screening along I-25 and State Highway 119 shall be increased by planting trees and shrubs in layered beds (two (2) or more rows of plant material rather than a single row). No parking, storage, fencing, or other STRUCTURES shall be permitted within the LANDSCAPE SETBACK. Table 23.5 I-25 Overlay District Landscape Setbacks
Abutting I-25, State Highway 119, and frontage roads Fifty (50) feet Abutting State Highway 66 and all STREETS/ROADS designated as collectors or arterials on the Weld County Functional Classification Map in Appendix 8-O of the Weld County Code Twenty-five (25) feet Abutting all other PUBLIC or private STREETS/ROADS Ten (10) feet
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Charter and County Code: Supplement 95).
Full Breakdown
Weld County Code § 23-5-500 establishes the I-25 Overlay District, mapped in Appendix 23-H, and applies its landscaping rules to development that needs a site plan review, use by special review, special review permit for major public utility facilities, or a Division 17 zoning permit. 5: fifty feet along I-25, State Highway 119, and their frontage roads; twenty-five feet along State Highway 66 and roads classified as collectors or arterials; and ten feet along all other public or private streets. Within that setback, the code requires five shrubs of at least a five-gallon container size plus either one shade tree of at least a two-and-one-half-inch caliper or one coniferous tree at least six feet tall for every forty feet of frontage, clustered in mixed groupings no more than one hundred feet apart, with layered, multi-row plantings required along I-25 and Highway 119 specifically.
No parking, storage, fencing, or other structures may sit inside the landscape setback. Section 23-5-520(D) adds general standards: heavy equipment must stay five feet from tree drip lines, all required landscaping must be irrigated, and it must be installed within one calendar year of the building permit or start of use, with the Director of Planning Services able to grant a one-time 120-day extension for good cause.
Violations & Fines
Failing to install or maintain the required corridor landscaping is enforced through Chapter 23, Article X. Section 23-10-20 makes a violation a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100 per day or up to ten days in jail, and § 23-10-40 allows a civil penalty of $25 to $1,000 per violation with a continuing penalty of up to $100 per day until corrected. Section 23-5-520(D)(6) also makes the property owner or tenant responsible for replacing any required planting that becomes diseased, infested, or otherwise unhealthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this landscaping rule apply county-wide?
Can I substitute gravel for the required corridor planting?
What happens if my required trees die?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Weld County
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