10.7.6 Street Trees

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street trees

Street tree plantings should be used to reinforce vehicular hierarchy; orient and direct traffic; upgrade views; and to visually de-emphasize on-street parking.  Also, in the design of a street tree planting, separate plant species may be used to identify distinctive details or areas of the installation, for example, a particular land use relationship, historical district, community area, or other similar entity.

  • Use formal street trees in single rows to visually reinforce primary and secondary roads.  Use regularly spaced and uniformly shaped deciduous trees to provide a regimented appearance.

  • Use informal groupings of street trees along tertiary routes.  Utilize medium size deciduous trees to screen on-street parking along roadways.  Set trees 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6 feet) from the back of curbs.  Spacing should be uniform, except where curb cuts interrupt regular spacing.

  • As a general rule, street trees should be deciduous species, resistant to salt and root pressure, and should have a 10' to 12' high clearance between the street pavement and branch height to allow adequate clearance for pedestrian and vehicular traffic to pass unimpeded by lower branches.

  • The street tree layout should be coordinated with the layout of proposed street lighting.

  • Appropriate plant heights should be used within sight triangles to ensure safe views from intersections.

  • Weeping trees should not be used at Fort Carson.

  • Street trees can be watered by using creative drainage techniques that employ using the run off water from the street to water these trees.

  • Avoid planting trees in areas with less than three feet between paved areas. In areas with 3 to 4 feet between paved areas, plant trees that grow to a mature height of less than 30 feet. In areas with 5 to 6 feet between paved areas, select trees that mature about 50 feet tall. Reserve trees that mature higher than 50 feet for areas with at least eight feet between paved areas. This allows adequate space for the tree roots

 

  
 

Landscape Design Guidelines