Austin City Code Chapter 25-8 protects every tree 19 inches DBH or larger, with heritage status for 24-inch protected species like live oak, pecan, bald cypress, and Texas ash; removal requires a permit, mitigation, and often arborist review, with fines up to $1,000 per inch.
Austin's Heritage Tree Ordinance, codified in City Code Chapter 25-8 Subchapter B, is among Texas's strictest. Any tree 19-inch DBH or larger is a Protected Tree requiring a removal permit; trees 24-inch DBH on a listed species qualify as Heritage Trees with maximum protection. The Protected Species list includes live oak, post oak, bald cypress, Texas ash, black walnut, sycamore, big-tooth maple, Texas madrone, and pecan. Removal requires Development Services review, mitigation through replacement or fee-in-lieu, and may involve a city arborist. Construction near root zones requires protective fencing. Mitigation rates range 1:1 to 3:1 based on tree health and significance.
Unpermitted Protected Tree removal is a class C misdemeanor under Chapter 25-8 with fines up to $1,000 per DBH inch, plus replacement plantings or fee-in-lieu of $200-$300 per inch into the Urban Forest Replenishment Fund.
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