Frequently Asked Questions

The City of Antonio adopted Ordinance No. 85262, dated December 5, 1996, relating to Tree Preservation.  The ordinance has been amended several times since that date with the most recent amendment in May 2010.  The ordinance, in brief, places restrictions of the removal of trees located on land within the jurisdiction of the City.  It also allows for the preservation, reforestation, or mitigation of trees.  The ordinance distinguishes between "Significant Trees" and "Heritage Trees."

Tree Mitigation is the provision allowing for the payment of fees, in lieu of preservation or reforestation, into the City's Tree Mitigation Fund.  The effect of the Tree Ordinance, while protecting and preserving tree canopies around the city, also challenges residential and commercial developers to carefully plan their land development schemes, trees must be removed, and the ordinance lays out the terms under which trees can be removed or mitigated.  

A  tree Credit Certificate may be used to meet the tree preservation and landscape requirements of Chapter 35, Article VI, of the San Antonio City Code by purchasing a $200 per inch mitigation fee at a discounted rate.

Developers can find themselves in a situation where these requirements are difficult to comply with, thereby requiring perhaps a combination of removal, reforestation, preservation and mitigation.  This can become quite expensive and can,  in some instances substantially alter a development plan.  Developers can maximize their lot density by purchasing discounted tree credits.