Tree Removal in Rockport, TX

Tree Removal in Rockport is different from anywhere else in our area, because the City of Rockport protects its trees by ordinance. The live oaks on the Live Oak Peninsula, bent from southeast to northwest by decades of Gulf wind, are part of what makes the town look the way it does. Chapter 106 of the city code treats those windswept live oaks as protected trees and requires a permit before one is removed. Before we cut anything here, we work out where your tree falls under those rules.

How the city classifies trees

Rockport's code sorts trees by trunk diameter at breast height (DBH):

• Exempt: trunks under 6 inches DBH, unless another provision applies
• Protected Class: 8 inches up to under 24 inches
• Century Class: 24 inches up to under 48 inches
• Heritage Class: 48 inches and larger
• Windswept Live Oaks: protected, with a permit needed before removal

The ordinance also counts as damage things like removing more than 25 percent of a tree's living tissue or compacting soil in the critical root zone. In other words, heavy pruning can count against you even if the tree stays standing.

Replacement and penalties

When protected trees are removed, the code uses a wood-for-wood approach: the total inches removed are replaced, either with one tree of the same size or several smaller ones that add up. A fee-in-lieu can go into the city's tree preservation fund instead. Violations are Class C misdemeanors, and each tree on each day counts as a separate offense. That's why we tell Rockport customers to check with the city's landscape official before the job, not after.

Harvey's mark

Harvey made landfall near Rockport on August 25, 2017, as a Category 4 storm. A station in town recorded a 108 mph gust, spotters reported numerous structures destroyed, and about 20 percent of residents were displaced. Many live oaks survived, but some carry broken leaders, torn bark and decay that are only now showing. Removing a hazardous tree may still need city approval, so we document the damage with photos to support a permit request.

Who lives with these trees

Census figures show Rockport's owner-occupied rate at 71.4%, a median home value of $320,500 and about 30 percent of residents 65 or older. Many owners chose their lots for the oaks. Our job is often to help you keep as many as possible, removing only what is dead, dangerous or in the way of construction.

Nearby giant

The Big Tree at Goose Island State Park, north of town, is a southern live oak estimated at over 1,000 years old, with a 35-foot circumference and a 90-foot crown spread. It's a reminder of how long these trees can last when they're left alone.

Call (361) 310-1470 for a free estimate. If a permit is needed, we'll explain what the city will want to see. Get a free estimate