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Fort Worth council adopts tougher tree protections and caps in updated tree ordinance
Summary
After multi-year staff work and stakeholder input, the council adopted changes to the city's tree ordinance including caps intended to limit large-scale removal of significant trees. Council members praised staff and development partners for the compromise; the ordinance passed by motion.
The Fort Worth City Council adopted revisions to the city’s tree ordinance on April 22, a change council members and staff said followed years of work and stakeholder engagement and adds caps and stronger protections for significant trees.
Mayor Pro Tem Bivens, who led the item, summarized the intent: “I would not be embarrassed if we had the strongest tree ordinance in the state,” and told council members the changes were designed to prevent large-scale clear-cutting when new development occurs. Bivens said the ordinance text incorporated caps and provisions that staff and the development advisory committee vetted; council discussed the item and members thanked city staff for the effort.
Council voted to adopt the ordinance. Staff and council said the rules were intended to hold developers accountable for removing significant trees and to preserve the city’s tree canopy. The council thanked staff and members of the development advisory committee for their cooperation in negotiating the changes.
