Urban Forestry & Horticulture
A division of the Landscape Management Department

Huntsville's Greenspace Planting Agreement - -


One provision of Huntsville's revised Tree Ordinance, adopted in February of 2004, is an innovative approach to solving a problem found in practically every American community -- conflict between trees and utilities distributed along street rights-of-way. This approach, the "Greenspace Planting Agreement," was first set forth in an April 1990 City Council resolution, which "authorized, requested, and directed" Huntsvlle's urban forester to contract with private property owners for the planting of trees which may be partly or wholly on private property.

Early application of this resolution was reserved for recovery from a tornado late the previous year. However, it soon became clear that everyday right-of-way conflicts produced tree problems in practically every part of the city. Gradually the Greenspace Planting Agreement became a mainstay of Huntsville's "re-leaf" program, and ultimately an essential part of a Remove-and-Replace agreement between the City and Huntsville Utilities.

Although private property is normally out-of-bounds for public improvements, the Greenspace Planting Agreement recognizes that space on private property adjoining the right-of-way may provide a much better environment for a street-tree canopy than the public right-of-way itself. So the city's property owners have an opportunity to share the responsibilities and benefits of trees, when it is to everyone's benefit to place them on private property.

Click here to download a copy of the Greenspace Planting Agreement

Click here to return to the "Trees" home page.
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