Mandatory street trees and county tree canopy
Summary
A sweeping rewrite of Section 802 adds a 20% canopy preservation requirement and preservation incentives. Commissioners want the $3,500-per-acre cap raised or eliminated and fees tied to inflation; final vote February 17.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 2
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Aug 20, 2026.
Impact analysis
Tree mitigation fees rise from $50 to $75 per regulated inch and $150 per heritage-tree inch; the $3,500/acre cap is under review.
Residents who want canopy, shade, and hurricane buffering preserved countywide.
Developers face higher preservation and mitigation costs; commercial sites under five acres and minor rural subdivisions are exempt.
Mentions & discussions (2)
Planning Commission - Aug 20, 2026
New rules would require street trees between sidewalk and curb in residential subdivisions to rebuild the county's lost tree canopy. Commissioners worried the trees would end up in driveways and utility conflicts, transfer maintenance costs to homeowners, and barely add canopy on small lots — so this piece was continued for rework.
Board of County Commissioners - Jan 6, 2026
A sweeping rewrite of Section 802 adds a 20% canopy preservation requirement and preservation incentives. Commissioners want the $3,500-per-acre cap raised or eliminated and fees tied to inflation; final vote February 17.
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