Tree & Site Clearing

Trees enhance property values and make cities more attractive. The City of Belton has a policy to preserve protected trees (diameter at breast height of 8 inches or more), and it is unlawful to remove a protected tree without an approved permit from the Planning Department (exceptions are outlined in Section VI of the Design Standards).

A Site Clearing Permit is the first step toward receiving permission to remove trees or brush.

What zoning requires a tree survey?

Commercial 1 & 2
Retail
Neighborhood Service
Office 1 & 2
Light Industrial
University Campus

Do I need a tree survey or inventory?

Zoning	Tree survey (completed by licensed surveyor)	Tree Inventory (completed by property owner)
C1, C2, R, NS, O1, O2, LI, UC	8-inches or larger
Two or more R lots proposed for new construction (either survey or inventory)	20-inches or larger	20-inches or larger
Single Family Residential		Belton Heritage Trees
Multifamily and Heavy Industrial		8-inches or larger

What if a land surveyor finds no protected trees on a lot?
Then only a site clearing permit is required.

What if trees must be removed?

Tree replacement is required. In the event there is not a suitable location for replacement tree(s) as determined by a landscape architect, the owner may be allowed to plant trees on public property, or make a payment into the tree fund to plant trees on public property.

Where is information about tree preservation?
Read Section VI of the City's Design Standards (recommended when developing a property with existing trees).

How does replacing a tree work?
Fill out an application for a site clearing permit (no fee for the application). The replacement of the tree is done through payment.
Replacement: 1:1 ration/inch diameter; minimum 3" caliper, 10' height, 5' canopy spread at time of planting.
Fee: $100/inch diameter
Sites under development must retain 50 percent of existing protected trees, 8-inches or greater, except for Single Family Residential lots.

Which trees are considered Belton Heritage Trees?
Belton Heritage Trees (BHT) are protected and cannot be removed, unless the designation is removed.

Species	Size for BHT Recognition
American Elm	38-inch diameter at breast height (DBH)
Bald Cypress	34-inch DBH
Bur Oak	32-inch DBH
Cedar Elm	25-inch DBH
Live Oak	36-inch DBH
Mexican Sycamore	37-inch DBH
Monterrey (Mexican White) Oak	28-inch DBH
Pecan	34-inch DBH
Post Oak	24-inch DBH
Shumard Red Oak	21-inch DBH