A study of people's preferences for placement of street trees within a traditional neighborhood development in Lubbock, Texas

Abstract

The prime objective of this study is to identify and examine the preferences of the residents of Lubbock regarding the placement of street trees in a Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND). Knowledge of people's preferences, in combination with appropriate regional tree selections, is the basis for creating guidelines for the appropriate placement of trees in a proposed Traditional Neighborhood Development in the Southern Plains region of West Texas. Therefore, landscape guidelines for street tree placement were established to promote aesthetic and functional value of street trees within proposed TND developments in Lubbock. The guidelines are organized and addressed in three categories based upon TND streets: 1.Functionality, aesthetic appeal, and culturally significant street tree planting based upon preference surveys on a single family residential street. 2.Functionality, aesthetic appeal, and culturally significant street tree planting based upon preference surveys on a multi family residential street. 3.Functionality, aesthetic appeal, and culturally significant street tree planting based upon peoples preference surveys on an urban street.

A people's preference survey was used to identify opinions on which photograph scenario provided a "comfortable walk." It was with this information that opinions were derived in the placement, size, and spacing of street trees within a TND.