What is Adopt-a-Spot?

Adopt-a-Spot is the City of Tyler's version on the Adopt-a-Highway program run by the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDoT). The Adopt-a-Highway program began right here in Tyler in 1985 with the Tyler Citivan Club adopting two miles of Hwy. 69 just north of Loop 323. Since then, it’s grown into a nationally and internationally recognized litter-prevention effort, saving taxpayers’ dollars and keeping our rights of way clean.

Here in the City of Tyler, Keep Tyler Beautiful manages the adoption of all streets, parks and other public spaces within the City limits. In 2022, more than 2,000 volunteers removed nearly 5 tons of litter from Tyler roadways, parks and waterways.

Get involved

It’s our volunteers who keep this Texas-born program going strong, and your help is needed now more than ever. Participation is simple:

• You adopt a park, spot or one-mile stretch of road (some major streets require a minimum of 2 miles) for a minimum of two years. Note: Some interstates and highways are not eligible for adoption.
• You agree to pick up litter four times per year or at least once every three months. Some heavier traffic areas may require more frequent pickups. 
• Adopt-a-Spot signs will be posted with your group’s name at your adopted section. For parks and "spots", it will be posted in the property's footprint and for streets two signs will be installed, one at each end of the adopted section.
• Adopt-a-Spot will provide your volunteers with safety vests, gloves, bags and other supplies upon request.
• Groups complete a simple online form after each cleanup to help Keep Tyler Beautiful and Keep Texas Beautiful track the data. 
• You bask in the glory of claiming a piece of Texas pride and know you are doing your part to keep Tyler litter-free.

Memorial adoptions

Individuals and groups can adopt sections of roadway to memorialize individuals who have died. The recognition sign may include the phrase “in memory of,” the name of the person in whose memory the section is adopted, and the name of the adopting group.

Why adopt?

• Tyler is growing by leaps and bounds, and the surging population means more cars on our roadways and, unfortunately, more trash.
• Although a large percentage of litter on Texas roadways is removed by paid contractors, volunteer efforts significantly reduce litter cleanup costs and save taxpayers money. In addition, many smaller streets may be missed, or larger streets need more regular cleanup. 
• It's a free, easy way for groups to help beautify their communities.
• Motorists respond. Seeing volunteers at work resonates with would-be offenders.

Application

Interested in participating in the program? Read the program guidelines below and fill out an application to contact Adopt-A-Spot today! You can also reach your local coordinator with any questions.

• Adopt-a-Spot Application 
• Program Guidelines

Volunteers

• Schedule a Cleanup
• Litter Cleanup Report - Groups must complete a new form for every cleanup to count towards their standing.

More Information

• Adopt-a-Highway - If the area you are interested in adopting is a highway or interstate outside of Tyler City limits, the Adopt-a-Highway and Sponsor-a-Highway program can provide you with a list of adoptable areas. You can also contact the Tyler Area Adopt-a-Highway coordinator for more information.
• Great Tyler Cleanup - Join us every April as a part of the Don't Mess with Texas Trash-Off
• Safety Tips

Beauty & Bloom Awards 

Starting in 2023, the Keep Tyler Beautiful Board began presenting a Beauty and Bloom Residential Landscaping Award certificate and yard sign to one Tyler resident from each district. By awarding those residents who keep their property beautiful and clean we hope to motivate others in the City to do the same. Community beautification takes the cooperation of all residents of Tyler.

Board members examine different aspects of the residential properties, such as:

• Front yard is inviting with use and upkeep of greenery, such as grass, trees, shrubs and/or flowers.

• Yard area is free of litter, junk and debris.

• Driveway is tidy.

• Old, unused bulky items are not stored around the front of the house (i.e. equipment, furniture, supplies.)

• Home is in good shape with clean paint or bricks.

To nominate a home, please call (903) 531-1335.

The Keep Tyler Beautiful Board presents a Beauty and Business Award certificate and yard sign to a business each quarter. By awarding those businesses who keep their property beautiful and clean we hope to motivate others in the City to do the same. Community beautification takes the cooperation of all residents of Tyler.

Board members examine different aspects of the business, such as:

• Store front is inviting with use and upkeep of greenery, such as grass, trees, shrubs and/or flowers along with benches, trash cans and/or chairs.

• Parking area is litter-free.

• Store front has attractive signs.

• Dumpsters and trash areas are clean and tidy.

• Old, unused bulky items are not stored around or behind the store i.e. equipment, furniture, supplies.

• Building front is in good shape with clean paint or bricks.

For more information and available streets or parks, please call (903) 531-1335 or use our contact form. 

The Beauty and the Box program connects sponsors with local artists and transforms traffic signal boxes in Tyler into pieces of art. 

Keep Tyler Beautiful started the Beauty in the Box program in 2016 as a way to support local artists and bring artwork to all corners of Tyler. The artwork, submitted by local artists, is transformed into a vinyl wrap which covers the traffic signal box transforming the average into beautiful art.

Sponsors Receive

• Choice of one piece of artwork submitted to Keep Tyler Beautiful for installation as a traffic box wrap.
• Choice of installation locations from those available.
• Logo and/or sponsor name on the Keep Tyler Beautiful webpage.
• City of Tyler issued press release with the sponsor name and location of the sponsored box. 

If you are interested in sponsoring a box or submitting artwork for the program, please call (903) 531-1335 or use our contact form. Boxes are available on a first come, first served basis. 

Resources

• Box examples and dimensions
• Artwork Application
• Beauty and the Box Program - Boxes by Intersection

Current Sponsors

Thank you to all our Beauty and the Box sponsors for helping to beautify Tyler!

What is a Campus Affiliate?

Did you know that regularly engaging youth in recycling and other sustainable activities will increase the likelihood of them continuing green practices into adulthood by 75%? Ecology and environmental clubs are a great way to energize students about taking care of the Earth and helping their community while learning about some of the most critical issues facing the planet in the 21st century. We want to help schools create new and strengthen existing green issue clubs by providing recognition of the Keep Tyler Beautiful name and our resources.

How can I get my campus involved?

Whether you are trying to start a new club or grow an existing club on your campus, KTyB is here to help. We can provide resources for your school organization and help make your campus greener. 

Campus Requirements

Each campus must submit an application, so we can know where to help you get started. All campus affiliates will be required to have the following completed within the first year:

• Club must be named “Keep 'YOUR CAMPUS NAME' Beautiful”
• At least one full-time staff member to serve as Liaison to student group
  • Depending on the age group, level of staff involvement may vary
  • Staff member will be the point of contact for KTyB. They will be responsible for completing any paperwork and updating affiliate information.
• For middle school, high school and college affiliates, at least one active member must be on the Keep Tyler Beautiful Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)
  • Applications are accepted in Summer and Winter each year. 
  • Must attend monthly meetings and complete 16 hours of volunteer service annually either on their campus or with YAC. Middle school YAC members only need to complete 8 hours annually.
• Club must establish a mission statement (1-3 sentences on the purpose of the club)
• Club most host regularly scheduled meetings
  • These can be at any regularly scheduled intervals (weekly, monthly, etc.)
• Club must host at least two of the following events per year:
  • Recycling Event
  • Litter Cleanup Event
  • Beautification Event
• Club must submit event summaries with relevant data to Keep Tyler Beautiful

Current Affiliates

• All Saints Episcopal School
  • All Saints is a Pre-K through 12th grade private school in Tyler, Texas. The campus has both a high school and middle school club along with a Junior Master Gardener Program in the elementary school. The 150-acre campus features a learning farm, wetland preservation area, outdoor learning spaces and bee program. 

Apply Today

To apply, please fill out and complete the KTyB Campus Affiliate Program Application. Joining this program must be approved by school administration prior to acceptance into the program. If your administration needs more information or would like to meet with KTyB prior to completing an application, please schedule a meeting with us.

For more information, you can call (903) 531-1335 or email Keep Tyler Beautiful at KTyB@tylertexas.com.

Keep Tyler Beautiful and the Tyler Trees Committee are presenting the Environmental Award Series. This award series is an opportunity to acknowledge and award those in our community who go above and beyond to make Tyler a more beautiful and greener city.

The 2023 Environmental Award of Excellence, Spirit of Tyler, and Making a Difference Awards will be presented in Spring 2024. 

The Jim Chewning Volunteer of the Year Award - Individual

This award recognizes service-minded individuals who have gone above and beyond to serve Keep Tyler Beautiful for several years. This award is not given annually but will be given out as KTyB sees the need to recognize a legacy of volunteerism.

Previous Winners

Jim Chewning - 2022

Mr. Chewning, for whom the award is named, has dedicated the last 20+ years of his life to volunteerism in the Tyler community. Since he moved to Tyler more than twenty years ago, Jim has volunteered with several organizations, including Keep Tyler Beautiful, The Lions Club, and more. Along with his daughter, Carol, the pair have participated in nearly every KTyB volunteer event.

The Spirit of Tyler Award - Individual

This award recognizes an individual who personally embodies the Keep Tyler Beautiful spirit. Their volunteer and conservation efforts stand out in the community, and their passion for being green and beautifying the community inspires others to follow in their footsteps. 

The Making a Difference Award - Group or Organization

This award recognizes a group and/or organization continuously participating in Keep Tyler Beautiful and Tyler Trees Committee events and programs. Their group focuses on giving back to the community and creating a greener and more beautiful Tyler. 

The Environmental Excellence Award - Business

This award recognizes a business that supports the Keep Tyler Beautiful and Tyler Trees Committee mission. This business makes environmentally conscious decisions in its everyday processes and goes out of its way to be a green organization.

Adopt-a-Spot Award

This award goes to the group that completes each quarterly clean-up and exceeds expectations set by the Keep Tyler Beautiful program. 

For more information, please call (903) 531-1335 or use our contact form. 

Hillside Art Wall

History 

In 2019, Keep Tyler Beautiful started the Hillside Art Wall project in conjunction with the renovation of Hillside Park. The project consists of a 108" wall made of 20 panels. Every two years artists of all ages from the Tyler area and surrounding counties are invited to submit designs to repaint the wall.

The panels were repainted in 2021 and most recently May 2023. The Art Wall can be found at 1111 E. Erwin St.

Current Artists:

Previous Artists:

Elizabeth Bryant 

Nohely Bustos

Cesar Cadena

Gracyn Campbell

Odessa Collins

Rebecca Danner

Christina Davis

Lauren Davis

Christina Fajardo

Luis Fuentes

Sylvie Geer

Josey Gonzalez

Allison Harrell

Ingrid Horner

Lisa Jacks

LeAnna Jones

Maya Markei

Allison Matlock

Charles McKnight

Dawn Melton

Megan Oldham

Daryll Phillips

Nora Quetz

Maya Ranido

Beto Sanchez

Susan Sellars

Zyla Smith

Rhonda Towery

Thank you to Hiland Dairy Foods, Brookshire’s, and Fresh by Brookshire's for helping sponsor the construction of the new panels at Hillside Park in 2019.  

If you see illegal graffiti, please report it by calling our T.A.G. Hotline at (903)531-1335.

The Tyler Against Graffiti Program (T.A.G.) was organized to clean up and discourage illegal graffiti, or "tagging", which vandalizes residential and commercial property in the City of Tyler. The T.A.G. program's goal is to clean up or paint over graffiti within 72 hours of receiving a report (weather permitting) at no charge to the owner or manager of the property. 

What is considered graffiti?

Graffiti is any writing or drawings placed on public or private property without the permission of the owner. The City of Tyler Ordinance on Code Enforcement, Ch 18, sect. 18-3, designates graffiti as a nuisance. This means that it is a crime to paint graffiti on public or private property in the City Limits. The same ordinance requires property owners to paint over or remove graffiti within 15 days or face possible ticketing and fines. 

Keep Tyler Beautiful supports murals in public spaces with the permission of the property owners and proactive messages and imagery that benefit the community. Any artwork on 

Reporting Graffiti

If your property (commercial or residential) is vandalized by someone painting graffiti, please report it to the Tyler Police Department. Report online or call (903) 531-1000 to file a police report.

If you see graffiti as you are going about your day in Tyler, please call (903)531-1335 or fill out our contact form. Leave a detailed message with the location, block number and street.

Tips for Preventing Graffiti

Studies show that immediate removal results in a nearly zero rate of recurrence. Here are some ways to deter or prevent graffiti:

• Upkeep - keep buildings clean, neat and litter free to show someone cares about the building.
• Control access - Plant shrubs or thorny plants next to building, improve lighting, use fences and rails to prevent access.
• Increase security - install security cameras, organize a Crime Watch or Business Watch, hire a security guard and share the cost with other businesses.
• Clean up quickly - paint over or clean up graffiti quickly to show vandals that you don't want their "tags" on your property. This also shows other criminals that someone is watching the property.