Sahuarita, AZ Tree Protection: Tree Replacement Requirements (2026)

When development in Sahuarita necessitates removal of native vegetation, the zoning code establishes a clear hierarchy of mitigation responses that developers and property owners must follow. The first and highest priority under Chapter 18.73 is preservation of native on-site vegetation in place, making it a primary objective of site planning for all development within the Town. The code directs that wherever the undisturbed natural desert landscape can be preserved, it must be incorporated into the development plan through setbacks, open space dedications, and building placement that avoids the most significant native plant concentrations. Where preservation of specific plants is not feasible because they fall within the construction footprint, the code requires transplanting salvageable on-site desert plants to other locations within the project boundary, such as common areas, landscape buffers, and open space parcels. Only when on-site transplanting is impractical due to species sensitivity, poor plant health, or lack of suitable receiving locations does the code allow replacement with container-grown native plants purchased from commercial nursery stock. All replacement landscaping, whether transplanted or nursery-sourced, must use plant species selected from the Town approved plant list, which emphasizes drought-tolerant species native to the Sonoran Desert climate zone and appropriate for the elevation and microclimate conditions found in the Sahuarita area. Non-native ornamental species are discouraged and may be permitted only in limited circumstances for specific landscape design purposes. For projects that disturb riparian habitat protected under Chapter 18.65 of the Town Code, the Riparian Habitat Mitigation Standards and Implementation Guidelines impose additional requirements beyond the standard landscaping provisions. These standards require specific replacement ratios that may require planting multiple replacement trees or plants for each specimen removed from a riparian area along the Santa Cruz River, its tributaries, and other identified riparian corridors within the Town planning area. Temporary construction fencing must be installed to surround regulated riparian habitat identified for preservation before any grading or construction activity begins on the site, and grading operations must be designed and conducted so as not to disturb additional habitat beyond the approved disturbance envelope. The Arizona Department of Agriculture operates a parallel requirement for protected native plants under ARS 3-906, requiring that landowners who plan to destroy protected species on their property provide 20 to 60 days advance notification to the Department, during which time salvageable specimens may be offered to Department-approved salvage operators for relocation rather than destruction.