Tree removal permits are available online or from the Public Works & Utilities Complex located at 900 North Donnelly Street.
The City’s tree removal permitting process is changing due to new State legislation.
Under the new law (CS/HB 1159), if a property owner obtains documentation from an “arborist” certified by the International Society of Arboriculture or a “Florida licensed landscape architect” that the tree presents a danger to persons or property, the City may not require a notice, application, approval, permit, fee, or mitigation. Additionally, when a tree is pruned, trimmed, or removed in accordance with the above, the City may not require the property owner to replant. Inquiries regarding trees that have been removed in accordance with CS/HB 1159 will be directed to the City’s Code Enforcement Officer.
Residents who wish to remove trees without documentation from a certified “arborist” or “Florida-licensed landscape architect” will still need to submit a Tree Removal Permit to the Public Works Department for approval prior to removing the tree. Violations of this process will be referred to the City’s Code Enforcement Officer for action and, under the provisions of the Code of Ordinances Chapter 90, shall be subject to a fine of up to five hundred dollars ($500).
Tree Removal Permit Form (PDF)