Williamson County, TN Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 15.05(A)-(B)
- Residential density
- 18 caliper in. trees + 14 shrubs/100 ft
- Nonresidential density
- 10 caliper in. trees + 10 shrubs/100 ft
- Visibility doubling
- Doubles if homes visible from road (Sec 14.04)
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county development
Summary
Williamson County requires developments to plant a minimum density of canopy trees and shrubs along the public street frontage under Section 15.05's streetscape landscaping standard. Residential frontage needs more plantings per 100 linear feet than nonresidential frontage, and the requirement can double where homes would otherwise be visible from the road.
Section 15.05:Streetscape Landscaping Required. Development subject to the requirements of this Article shall provide streetscape landscaping in accordance with the following: (A) Residential use types shall use the following landscaping materials within the required streetscape: (1) A minimum of 18 aggregate caliper inches of canopy and/or understory trees per 100 linear feet or proportional share thereof; and (2) A minimum of 14 shrubs per 100 linear feet or proportional share thereof. (3) When a fractional number results from the calculations performed in A(1) and A(2) above, the number shall be rounded upward to the nearest whole number. (B) Nonresidential use types shall use the following landscaping materials within the required streetscape: (1) A minimum of 10 aggregate caliper inches of canopy and/or understory trees per 100 linear feet or proportional share thereof; and (2) A minimum of 10 shrubs per 100 linear feet or proportional share thereof;
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
05: Streetscape Landscaping Required governs the strip of landscaping a development must install along its public road frontage, separate from the county's perimeter parking, interior parking, and bufferyard landscaping standards found elsewhere in Article 15. Residential use types must plant at least 18 aggregate caliper inches of canopy and/or understory trees per 100 linear feet of streetscape, plus at least 14 shrubs per 100 linear feet, rounding any fractional result up to the next whole number. Nonresidential use types face a lighter density: at least 10 aggregate caliper inches of trees per 100 linear feet and at least 10 shrubs per 100 linear feet, also rounded up.
05(A) streetscape planting requirement for that frontage. 04 where the two areas overlap, so a single planting strip can satisfy more than one Article 15 obligation. 02: Roadway and Access Standards. The requirement applies to development in unincorporated Williamson County reviewed at the site plan stage by the Community Development Department.
Violations & Fines
A development that fails to install the Section 15.05 streetscape planting density, or removes required street-frontage trees without replacing them, does not clear site plan approval and is a violation of the Zoning Ordinance under Section 22.03. Section 22.07 makes it a misdemeanor punishable by a $10 to $50 fine per offense, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense, and permits any resulting Zoning Certificate to be revoked under Section 22.06.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many street trees does Williamson County require along road frontage?
Can the streetscape planting requirement be doubled?
Do streetscape trees have to meet the same size rules as other landscaping?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Williamson County
Compare Williamson County to another location·View the Tennessee tree protection overview
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