& Community Design LSU Green Laws Research Project Green Laws Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry EBR Parish Tree And Landscape Commission Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry EBR Parish Tree And Landscape Commission Photographs: Live Oak Gardens Photographs provided by Buck Abbey ti tl e Gregory Schellhaas cover

Community Landscape Codes Landscape codes or green laws are special parts of a community’s zoning ordinance. Certain provisions are written to influence the design of ‘street tree planting areas’ and make improvements to the environment of urban areas. Notable codes include Coral Springs, Florida, Seattle, Washington, and Orange, California.

Street Tree Planting Area The street tree planting area is the area of a development site which lies between the street right-of-way line and the edge of the street curb parallel to the street. This land is publicly owned but is often used for street tree planting, public utilities and street maintenance. It may also include public space within the center of boulevard medians fronting development sites. Property owners are often required by zoning ordinances to look after this public property.

The Problem 1. Public street edges too small to plant with trees

The Problem 2. Public of ample tree planting size but left unplanted

The Problem 3. Wonderful boulevard medians left un planted

Purpose of Street Tree Plantings -- Reduce temperatures -- Provide shade and visual interest by leaf and bloom color and bark texture -- They provide protection and security to pedestrian traffic. --Increase property value --Removal of air pollutants

Types of Street Tree Planting Areas 1. Scale of Tree – Large, Medium, Small 2. Type of Tree – Deciduous, Evergreen, Conifer 3. Required or Recommended species of Tree 4. Width and Distance of Planting Area 5. Type of Tree Size Specifications 6. Tree planting, staking & maintenance recommendations 7. Distances between Street Tree Plantings and Other Objects ( sidewalks, streets, power lines, existing vegetation, curbs, fire hydrants…) This slide mentions how some aspects of the design component (street tree planting areas) vary from one code to another.

Code Writing Essentials Purpose Location With Respect to property lines Size Length of Planting Area Width of Planting Area Distance from the Curb, Underground Utility Lines, Power Poles, Driveways, Street Lights, Existing Trees, Street Intersections, Sidewalks, Fire Hydrants Distance between each Street Tree being planted Plant Specifications Type (Native, Conifer, Deciduous, Evergreen), Size (Height, Width), Spacing, Growth Rate, Trunk Type Design Composition Prohibited vs. Recommended Trees

A Visual Gallery of Street Tree Plantings

Visual Gallery 1. Street Tree Planting Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Visual Gallery 2. Street Tree Planting – Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Visual Gallery 3. Street Tree Planting in Median – Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Visual Gallery 4. Street Tree Planting in Mixed Use Development Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Visual Gallery 5. Street Tree Planting in Mixed Use Development Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Visual Gallery 6. Street Tree Planting - Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Best Street Tree Plants Seattle, Washington Small Trees Acer palmatum Cercis canadensis Magnolia x loebneri Fraxinus pennsylvanica ‘Johnson’ Parrotia persica Prunus serrulata ‘Amanogawa’ Small / Medium Trees Acer campestre Koelreuteria paniculata Prunus x hillieri ‘Spire’ Pyrus calleryana ‘Aristocrat’ Sorbus aucuparia ‘Mitchred’ Tilia cordata ‘De Groot’ Medium / Large Trees Aesculus x carnea ‘Briottii’ Fagus sylvatica ‘ Dawyck Purple’ Betula jacquemontii Ginko biloba ‘Autumn Gold’ Large Trees Cercidiphyllum japonicum Liriodendron tulipifera Nothofagus antartica Nyssa sylvatica Quercus bicolor Ulmus ‘Homestead’

Typical Code Specs City of Coral Springs, Florida One tree should be planted for every forty (40) feet of street frontage. Trees should be planted at least six (6) feet away from sidewalks. Trees should be planted no farther apart than sixty (60) feet and no closer than fifteen (15) feet apart. Large shade trees should be planted at a minimum of twenty five (25) feet away from any light pole. All trees should be planted at least six (6) feet away from any fire hydrant.

Typical Code Specs City of Seattle, Washington The minimum width of a planting strip must be five (5) feet. No tree should be planted within one (1) foot of any city sidewalk or pavement. Small scale trees should be planted between twenty and twenty five (20 – 25) feet apart. Medium scale trees should be planted between twenty five and thirty (25 – 30) feet apart. Large scale trees should be planted between thirty five and forty (35 – 40+) feet apart. Trees should be planted at least twenty (20) feet from street lights or other existing trees. They should be planted at least thirty (30) feet from intersections, seven and a half (7.5) feet away from driveways, three and a half (3.5) feet away from the face of the curb, five (5) feet from underground utility lines, and ten (10) feet away from power poles.

Typical Code Specs City of Orange, California One tree should be planted for every eighty (80) feet of street frontage and for lots over eighty feet, trees should be planted two to the lot. Trees should be planted at least thirty five (35)feet apart. They should be planted fifteen (15) feet away from street lights, power poles, fire hydrants, and street signage. Trees should be located at least eight (8) feet from the edge of driveways, ten (10) feet away from sewer laterals, five (5) feet from privately installed service or house walks, and eight (8) feet away from water meters, gas lines and underground electrical or telephone lines and boxes.

References City of Coral Springs, Florida - Land Development Code, Chapter 25 (Zoning), Article IX (Minimum Landscape Requirements) City of Seattle, Washington – Seattle Municipal Code, Subtitle I (Street Use Ordinance), Chapter (Planting Trees and Shrubs) City of Orange, California – Municipal Code, Title 12 (Streets, Sidewalks and Public Places)

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