City technical panel recommends rule, permitting and maintenance changes to speed street-tree planting

Michelle Marks, transportation officer with Transportation and Public Works, briefed the Joint Sustainability Committee on a technical advisory review panel's (TARP) recommendations to reduce barriers to planting and maintaining street trees in Austin rights of way.

The TARP, formed under city code after a 2024 city council resolution, focused its analysis on street trees and produced 12 actionable recommendations to be phased into work plans, Marks said. “When we release the report in a couple of weeks, you’ll see much more detail,” Marks said.

The recommendations target four areas: regulatory foundations, permitting/process improvements, maintenance, and capital planning. Key regulatory suggestions include updating the Transportation Criteria Manual (TCM) to treat street trees as part of the sidewalk corridor and revising the Standards Manual to provide standard drawings and preapproved options (soil volume, irrigation, soil cells) so applicants are not “stumbling in the dark.” Marks also recommended reviewing the Utility Criteria Manual (UCM) to look for opportunities to reduce separation clearances and better coordinate subgrade and above‑ground utility placement so…