Lewisville council adopts tree-preservation updates to Unified Development Code

The Lewisville City Council voted unanimously Dec. 1 to amend the city’s Unified Development Code to expand protections for large and historic trees, establish a new “heritage tree” designation, and add a mitigation fee for removed heritage trees.

City staff said the changes respond to the city’s Healthy Infrastructure Plan and a tree-equity study. The adopted ordinance creates a heritage-tree designation and corresponding fee, reduces the minimum diameter-at-breast-height (DBH) that triggers inclusion in tree-preservation plans, removes certain species from exemption lists, removes the sawtooth oak from the approved shade-tree list, and narrows options for developers to earn tree credits for post oaks and blackjack oaks.

Stacy Anaya, the city’s director of parks and recreation, was on hand to answer council questions. Council member Kelly praised staff work and said a robust urban canopy makes the city feel "established and solid." Another council member recalled past Tree City awards and expressed full support for the changes.

The ordinance also amends parkland dedication and park improvement standards, clarifies timelines for refund requests, and adds a new fee schedule item for heritage-tree mitigation. Staff said the change in DBH thresholds will bring more trees under review in preservation plans and that some tree-permit requirements are being eliminated in limited cases to simplify administration.

The public hearing on the amendments was opened and closed the same evening; council then voted 5–0 to adopt the ordinance.

The measure takes effect as provided in the ordinance; staff will provide administrative details and fee schedules to developers and the public through the planning department.