Land Clearing in Travis County, TX

Tree problems in Travis County, TX that call for land clearing

1. 1

   Unincorporated Travis County vs. Austin

   Much of western and eastern Travis County is outside any city, from the Lake Travis shoreline to Manor and Del Valle. There, the City of Austin's protected-tree and heritage-tree permits don't apply; Austin's rules cover trees 19 inches and larger inside the city. Villages and cities like West Lake Hills, Lakeway and Pflugerville have their own codes, and HOAs and deed restrictions often add more.

2. 2

   Oak wilt in western Travis County

   Oak wilt kills up to 90 percent of untreated oaks in an infection center, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service, and it spreads through the connected roots of live oaks and by beetles visiting fresh wounds. Disease centers in unincorporated western Travis County have threatened to cross into neighboring communities like West Lake Hills.

3. 3

   Winter Storm Mara and county debris pickup

   Winter Storm Mara coated Central Texas in ice from January 31 to February 2, 2023, splitting live oaks, cedar elms and pecans. Travis County ran curbside pickup of tree debris in unincorporated areas, collecting 239,432 cubic yards in the first round before a final round. That's useful context when hiring after an ice storm: if county pickup is running, paying a crew to cut and stack at the curb can be cheaper than hauling.