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Green Laws
Green Laws

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Community Design
LSU Green Laws Research Project
J.T. Robinson
Louisiana Department of Agriculture
Forestry EBR Parish Tree And Landscape
Commission

Photographs Live Oak Gardens Ltd. Abbey
Associates Landscape Architects

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Community Landscape Codes
Landscape codes or green laws are special parts
of a communitys zoning ordinance. Certain
provisions are written to influence the design of
street yard buffers that make significant
improvements to the roadway edge of the
environment of urban areas Notable codes
include Dallas, Texas, Mandeville,
Louisiana, Austin, Texas
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Street Yard Buffer
The purpose of a Street Yard Buffer is to make a
physical and visual barriers between the street
and private development. This lessens
distractions for drivers, increases the safety of
the street while enhancing aesthetic qualities.
It also provide increased privacy or curb appeal
for the property frontage owners. Most street
yard buffer landscape standards are written to
require the planting of several classes of trees,
(large, medium, small, evergreen, flowering,
deciduous trees) as well as shrubs, ground
covers, perennials and in some instances grasses
and annual. Other landscape elements (earthen
berms, walls, walkways, landscape amenities are
also encouraged.
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The Problem 1.
A roadway edge of no character.
Photo by J.T. Robinson (2007)
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The Problem 2.
No screening between road edge and private
property.
Photo by J.T. Robinson (2007)
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The Problem 3.
Minimal street tree plantings with too much
emphasis on commercial sign
Photo by Austin Evans (2007)
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Code Writing Essentials
Purpose Location with respect to property line,
street, interior driveways and buildings Depth,
length and geometry of street yard buffer
planting area Size and Number of Tree Size and
number of Shrubs, ground covers, perennials,
grasses other plants Spacing of Plant
Material Setback Distance, sight lines and
adjacent public utility lines and facilities How
to Handle Overlapping of two or more landscape
areas
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A Visual Galleryof GoodStreet Buffers
Photo by J.T. Robinson (2007)
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Visual Gallery 1.
Collier County, Florida
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Visual Gallery 2.
Mandeville, Louisiana
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Visual Gallery 3.
Fort Myers, Florida
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Visual Gallery 4.
Dallas, Texas
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Visual Gallery 5.
Woodlands, Texas
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Visual Gallery 6.
Research Triangle, North Carolina
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Visual Gallery 6.
South Holland, Illinois
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Typical Code Specs
City of Dallas, TX
Street buffers.  An applicant may provide a
landscape buffer strip along public street
frontage. The landscape buffer strip must       
   (1)     be provided along the entire adjacent
public street frontage, exclusive of driveways
and access ways at points of ingress and egress
to the lot and           (2)     have a minimum
width of 10 feet or 10 percent of the lot depth,
whichever is less.
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Typical Code Specs
City of Mandeville, LA
Street Planting Areas Definition, Width. A
street planting area is the area along the street
(or streets) or road (or roads) along which a
property abuts which is designated for
the preservation of trees and for landscaping. If
a property abuts only one street or road, the
street planting area shall be as
follows 1.STREET PLANTING AREA WIDTH, ONE
STREET FRONTAGEAVERAGE DEPTH OF PROPERTY STREET
PLANTING AREA WIDTH Less than 300 feet 25
feet 300 - 399 feet 30 feet 400 feet and
greater 35 feet If a property abuts two or more
streets or roads, the street planting area shall
be as follows on all streets upon which the
property abuts (Amended 3/03/05 ZC04-06-049
OCS05-1061) 2.STREET PLANTING AREA WIDTH,
MULTIPLE STREET FRONTAGES AVERAGE DEPTH OF
PROPERTY STREET PLANTING AREA WIDTH Less than
300 feet 20 feet 300 - 399 feet 25 feet 400
feet and greater 30 feet
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Typical Code Specs
City of Mandeville, LA cont
1. Plants Required in Street Planting Area.
Trees and Shrubs Required. Subject to the
reduction and credit for existing trees as set
forth in Section 5.1605, the following minimum
number of trees and shrubs shall be planted in
the street planting area or areas (if
the property abuts more than one street) each
street planting area to be computed separately if
there is more than one street planting area
WIDTH OF STREET PLANTING AREA
CLASS A TREES REQUIRED
CLASS B TREES REQUIRED
SHRUBS REQUIRED
25 feet
1 per 30 linear feet (or fraction thereof)
of street or road frontage
1 per 30 linear feet (or fraction thereof)
of street or road frontage
1 per 10 linear feet (or fraction thereof)
of street or road frontage
30 feet
1 per 25 linear feet (or fraction thereof)
of street or road frontage
1 per 25 linear feet (or fraction thereof)
of street or road frontage
1 per 10 linear feet (or fraction thereof)
of street or road frontage
35 feet
1 per 20 linear feet (or fraction thereof)
of street or road frontage
1 per 20 linear feet (or fraction thereof)
of street or road frontage
1 per 10 linear feet (or fraction thereof)
of street or road frontage
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Typical Code Specs
City of Austin, TX
PLANTING RESTRICTED AT STREET CORNER.      (A)   
 This section only applies to property located at
a street corner intersection within a ten-foot
setback from the curbline and 40 feet along the
curbline from the intersection.      (B)     A
person may not place, maintain, or permit a
plant           (1)     more than two feet
taller than the level of the ground surrounding
the plant or           (2)     on property more
than one foot above the level of an adjacent
street.   PLANTING RESTRICTED BY FIRE HYDRANT.  
   A person may not place, maintain, or permit a
tree or plant within five feet of a fire
hydrant.   PLANTING RESTRICTED BY SIDEWALKS.    
 (A)     A person may not place, maintain, or
permit a tree or plant to overgrow or obstruct a
sidewalk to prevent public use of the area.    
 (B)     A person shall trim tree limbs growing
over a sidewalk at a minimum clearance of 14 feet
above the street level measured at the nearest
curbline.   STANDARD OF MAINTENANCE.      A
person shall maintain a tree or plant under this
article to be compatible with the aesthetic
character of the public right-of-way. NOTICE OF
OBSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY.      (A)   
 The urban forester may issue written notice of
obstruction of public right-of-way by a tree or
plant to an owner.  Notice under this section
must include           (1)     a description of
the corrective action required and         
 (2)     a statement that the corrective action
must be complete not later than the 10th day
after receipt of the notice.      (B)     An
owner shall remove an obstruction to the public
right-of-way not later than the 10th day after
receipt of a notice of obstruction.   AUTHORITY
TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY.      (A)     If
an owner fails to comply with a notice issued
under Section 6-3-25 (Notice of Obstruction of
Public Right-of-Way), the urban forester may trim
or remove a tree or plant over a street or an
adjacent sidewalk or public easement to         
 (1)     provide a minimum clearance of 14 feet
above the street level           (2)   
 provide an unobstructed view for traffic or  
        (3)     remove overgrowth or obstructions
to public use.      (B)     The city manager may
determine when a tree or plant requires trimming
or removal under this section.