Council adopts expanded tree protection rules, sets 10‑inch threshold and replacement options

The Bastrop City Council adopted a package of code amendments and an updated plant list April 8 that clarifies when private‑property trees are protected and how removals are handled.

Key points of the ordinance - Protected threshold: the council adopted a 10‑inch caliper at roughly 4.5 feet above grade as the threshold for tree protection and permitting for single‑family property (this is a city determination consistent with local government code authority and was the subject of extended council debate). - Replacement requirements: for qualifying protected trees that a homeowner chooses to remove (for nonemergency reasons), the council adopted a replacement option that requires planting a minimum 2‑inch‑caliper tree from the city’s approved plant list or an acceptable native landscaping plant from the same list; staff said the option was adopted to provide flexibility for small lots. - Exemptions and unsafe trees: staff and council clarified that trees with decay, structural failure or imminent hazard can be documented with staff or an arborist and may be removed without a replacement requirement under state law; those removals still must be documented through the city’s application and inspection process. - Plant list and invasive species: the city adopted a single, consolidated plant list (removing the older “preferred” terminology) and clarified that invasive species listed by the city are not eligible for protected‑tree status or replacement credits.

Why it matters Council and staff said the updates are intended to better preserve native trees in Bastrop’s “Lost Pines” environment while giving homeowners a clear, administrable pathway to manage problem or hazardous trees. The changes followed multiple public meetings and lengthy discussion between staff, the parks and tree advisory board and council members.

Council debate and public input Council members and members of the public raised questions about using larger thresholds (some jurisdictions and the Texas A&M system guidance reference larger calibers for “heritage” trees). Staff and council clarified the distinction between “protected” trees (applies to the city’s list and 10‑inch threshold) and “heritage” trees (larger, community‑designated specimens). Councilmember Meyer urged council to adopt the measure to avoid further clear‑cutting in the community; Councilmember Foster successfully offered an amendment to give property owners the option to plant a minimum 2‑inch tree or an approved native landscaping plant from the city list in place of a removed protected tree.

Implementation and enforcement Staff said single‑family property removals under the new rule will be processed via the city’s permitting platform, and that the city will emphasize education and compliance over punitive enforcement for the near term. Fees tied to commercial developments or major subdivisions remain governed by the code and fee schedule.