Landscaping Rules in Homestead, FL

If you live in Homestead or are thinking about moving there, landscaping rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Homestead has 7 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of landscaping rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Tree removal in Homestead is regulated under Miami-Dade County Code Section 24-49. Protected native species like live oak, mahogany, gumbo limbo, and royal palm require permits for removal. Dead, hazardous, or invasive species (Australian pine, Brazilian pepper, melaleuca) can be removed without permits. Mitigation through replanting or tree fund contribution may be required.

Key details: Permit Required: Yes, for protected species 4"+ DBH. Protected Species: Live oak, mahogany, gumbo limbo, royal palm. County Code: Miami-Dade Section 24-49. Exempt Trees: Dead, invasive, fruit trees. Contact: (305) 224-4800 Code Compliance.

Removing a protected tree without a permit carries fines of $100 to $500 per tree plus mandatory replanting at a 2:1 ratio. Contact Code Compliance at (305) 224-4800 or Miami-Dade DERM for tree permits.

Weed Ordinances

Homestead caps untended weed and grass growth at 8 inches on improved lots, including those in the Community Redevelopment Area, and at 12 inches on unimproved lots outside the CRA. Violations are a public nuisance under City Code Sec. 19-95, enforced by the code enforcement board.

Key details: Improved lot / CRA limit: 8 inches maximum growth. Unimproved lot outside CRA: 12 inches maximum growth. Agricultural exemption: Bona fide ag use exempt from height cap. Right-of-way duty: Owner must maintain abutting swale. Notice before city mows: 10 days by mail/posting.

A violation is enforced as a public nuisance under Sec. 19-95 through the code enforcement board process in Chapter 7. Under Sec. 19-96, the city gives the owner at least ten days' notice by certified mail or regular mail plus posting on the property and at city hall before mowing; the city then bills the abatement cost to the owner and places a lien on the property, senior to every lien except taxes, foreclosable like a mortgage after 30 days' delinquency.

Composting

Homestead's illegal-dumping ordinance, Code § 23.5-5(a), carves out backyard composting: the same section that bans depositing or burying garbage anywhere but an approved container expressly states it does not prohibit private, backyard, nuisance-free composting for home gardening. No permit, bin size or material standard is written into the code.

Key details: Backyard composting: Expressly allowed, § 23.5-5(a). Permit required: None specified in the code. Bin size/material limits: Not set by ordinance. Purpose covered: Home gardening use only. Condition: Must remain "nuisance-free".

The code does not penalize composting itself, and § 23.5-5(a) protects it as long as it stays private, backyard and nuisance-free. But because that qualifier is doing the work, a pile that draws odor, pest or drainage complaints loses the exemption and can be cited under the city's general nuisance authority in Chapter 19 or as an unlawful accumulation of garbage, trash, junk and debris, which the § 7-35 penalty schedule prices at a $500 initial civil penalty, $1,000 for a repeat and $5,000 for a second repeat, with a courtesy notice given first.

The rules around composting in Homestead lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Rainwater Harvesting

Florida law (FL Statute Section 373.228) encourages rainwater harvesting statewide. Homestead residents may collect rainwater using rain barrels and cisterns without a permit for non-potable uses like irrigation. HOA restrictions on rain barrels are preempted by state law. South Florida's rainy season makes harvesting particularly effective.

Key details: Permitted: Yes: encouraged by state law. Permit: Not required for standard barrels. State Law: FL Statute 373.228. HOA: Cannot restrict rain barrels. Best Season: May–October rainy season.

No penalties for rainwater collection. HOAs violating FL Statute 373.228 by prohibiting rain barrels may face legal challenge. Large unsecured tanks may trigger building code review. Contact Building Department at (305) 224-4400.

The rules around rainwater harvesting in Homestead lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Tree Trimming

Homestead's landscape code caps how much of a tree property owners and contractors can cut at once: no more than one-third of a tree's living canopy may be removed in any one-year period, cuts must follow ANSI A300 pruning standards, and heavy lateral-branch removal is allowed only for hazard or clearance pruning.

Key details: Canopy limit: Canopy removal capped at 1/3 per year (Sec. 29-11(c)(5)). Standard: Pruning must follow ANSI A300 Standards (Sec. 29-11(c)(6)). Lateral cuts: Heavy one-side cuts require hazard/clearance justification. Owner duty: Dead required landscaping must be replaced by owner. CO hold: City can withhold final CO for noncompliance (Sec. 29-13).

Sec. 29-13 makes failure to install or maintain landscaping, including improper pruning, a code violation, and failure to plant, preserve or maintain each individual tree is a separate offense, with each day the condition continues constituting a new violation. The development services department can withhold a final certificate of occupancy or completion until a landscape compliance certification is approved, in addition to code enforcement citations.

Water Restrictions

Homestead follows South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) year-round landscape irrigation rules. Watering is limited to two days per week based on address. Irrigation is prohibited between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. New landscaping may qualify for temporary watering exemptions. Violations carry increasing fines.

Key details: Days Allowed: 2 days/week based on address. Prohibited Hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Odd Addresses: Wednesday and Saturday. Even Addresses: Thursday and Sunday. Contact: SFWMD (800) 432-2045.

First violation receives a written warning. Second violation carries a $50 fine. Third violation is $150. Fourth and subsequent violations are $500 each. SFWMD may impose additional penalties. Contact SFWMD at (800) 432-2045.

Native Plants

When a Homestead tree-removal permit calls for replacement plantings, at least half of the replacement trees must be species native to Miami-Dade County, with palms capped at 30 percent. If the trees that were removed were themselves native, every replacement tree must also be native, a standard Development Services applies while reviewing replacement plans.

Key details: Native-species floor: 50% of replacement trees minimum. Palm cap: No more than 30% of replacement trees. Removed native trees: 100% native replacement required. Reviewed by: Development Services Department. Diversity trigger: Applies once 10+ replacement trees required.

Development Services will not finalize a tree-removal permit or accept a replacement tree list that falls short of the 50 percent native-species floor or exceeds the 30 percent palm cap; the applicant must submit a corrected list or an approved alternative landscape enhancement plan. Replacement trees planted in violation of the approved list can be enforced through the city's code enforcement process, and non-compliant plantings must be replaced to close out the permit.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Homestead gives residents more room on landscaping rules. 2 of the 7 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

These rules come from Homestead's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.