Pembroke Pines's Landscaping Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles landscaping rules a little differently. In Pembroke Pines, Florida, there are 7 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Tree Trimming

Pembroke Pines makes property owners responsible for trimming trees in the swale and front yard so they clear the sidewalk and street. The Public Works Department can order the work done and bill the owner, then lien the property, if it isn't handled within ten days.

Key details: Sidewalk clearance: 8 feet 6 inches minimum. Street-level clearance: 14 feet 6 inches minimum. Notice-to-cure period: 10 days (§ 52.24(C)(5), (C)(7)). Responsible party: Abutting property owner. Enforcement remedy: City removal cost becomes property lien.

If the owner fails or refuses to cut down, trim, destroy, or remove offending trees within the ten-day notice period, § 52.24(C)(5) and (C)(7) let the Director of Public Works have the work done and charge the cost to the owner, with that cost becoming a lien on the property. Chapter-wide violations of the swale subchapter also trigger the notice-and-15-day-cure process in § 52.28, after which the city may correct the condition and charge the abutting owner, and § 52.99 makes each day a violation continues a separate offense punishable under § 10.99.

Water Restrictions

Pembroke Pines Code of Ordinances § 50.35(D)(4) bars sprinkler irrigation between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. citywide and limits existing landscaping to two watering days a week: Thursday/Sunday for even addresses, Wednesday/Saturday for odd addresses.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 50.35(D)(4). No-water window: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., daily. Even addresses water: Thursday and/or Sunday only. Odd addresses water: Wednesday and/or Saturday only. New landscaping grace period: 90 days, graduated schedule.

Section 50.35(I) makes any violation of the watering-day and time restrictions in divisions (D) and (E) enforceable by Police Officers, Code Enforcement Officers, or other City Manager-designated officials. Penalties follow § 10.99 and § 50.35(J): a fine of up to $500, imprisonment up to 90 days, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense, in addition to any Code Enforcement Board penalties.

Weed Ordinances

Pembroke Pines requires every lot owner, lessee or occupant to cut and clear weeds and useless vegetation four times a year, by May 15, August 15, October 15 and February 15. Overgrowth that becomes a fire or health hazard is a declared public nuisance under a separate section.

Key details: Clearing deadlines: May 15, Aug 15, Oct 15, Feb 15. Who must comply: Owner, lessee, or occupant. Notice cure period: 20 days after mailed notice. Hearing window: 10 days to request Commission hearing. Cost of city abatement: Assessed as special lien on property.

Missing a clearing deadline or letting vegetation become a nuisance under § 94.30 triggers written notice and a 20-day cure period under § 94.32; failure to comply lets the city clear the lot and assess the cost against the property as a special lien under § 94.34, in addition to the general fine of up to $500 or 90 days imprisonment under § 10.99.

Composting

Pembroke Pines Code § 101.02 caps a residential compost bin at 64 square feet in area and five feet in height, requiring construction of wire, wood lattice, or other air-permeable material. Section 101.04(B)(2) limits any property to a maximum of two compost bins used to store nonliving plant material.

Key details: Governing sections: § 101.02 definitions; § 101.04(B)(2). Max bin size: 64 square feet in area. Max bin height: 5 feet. Bin construction: Wire, wood lattice, or air-permeable material. Bins per property: Maximum of two.

A compost bin that exceeds 64 square feet, stands taller than five feet, or a third bin on the same property loses the § 101.04(B)(2) safe-harbor and is treated as a nuisance under § 101.03. The City Manager or designee can issue a notice of violation under § 101.08 giving the owner 20 calendar days to correct it, with a right to appeal to the City Commission within 15 days under § 101.09 before the city abates the condition and assesses the cost against the property.

Artificial Turf

Pembroke Pines allows synthetic turf in residential yards under Code of Ordinances § 155.621(A)(6), as long as it drains properly and meets state Department of Environmental Protection standards. The allowance is capped at single-family lots of one acre or less, and Table 155.620 sets a 5-foot setback from the side, street side and rear property lines.

Key details: Lot size cap: One acre or less (single-family). State standard: Must meet DEP standards, F.S. § 125.572. Local requirement: Proper drainage, no runoff or pooling. Setback: 5 feet, side/street side/rear (Table 155.620).

Turf that ponds water or channels runoff onto a neighboring lot violates the drainage requirement in § 155.621(A)(6)(a) and is treated as a Land Development Code violation under § 155.313(B). The Planning and Economic Development Department and Code Compliance Division enforce it the same way as any other LDC standard, through a correction notice followed, if unresolved, by a hearing before the Code Enforcement Board or a special magistrate.

The rules around artificial turf in Pembroke Pines lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Pembroke Pines requires a city permit before any property owner cuts down or relocates a tree, per Code of Ordinances § 155.674. Single-family homeowners pay a $10 application fee; nonresidential and multi-family sites pay $50 for the first ten trees, with larger removals routed through a full landscape permit.

Key details: Permit required: Before cutting down or relocating any tree. Single-family fee: $10 per application. Nonresidential/multi-family fee: $50 for first ten trees. Over ten trees: Processed as a landscape permit. Replacement deadline: 6 months from permit issuance.

Cutting or relocating a tree without the required § 155.674 permit is an unlawful act under the city code. Because no specific fine is set out in the tree-removal sections themselves, enforcement falls under the citywide general penalty at § 10.99: a fine of up to $500, up to 90 days imprisonment, or both, with each day the violation continues charged as a separate offense.

Rainwater Harvesting

Pembroke Pines does not prohibit residential rainwater harvesting. FL Statute 373.228 encourages rainwater collection and prohibits local governments from restricting rainwater harvesting on residential properties. Rain barrels and cisterns do not require permits. The South Florida Water Management District promotes water conservation. HOA restrictions on rain barrels are limited by state law.

Key details: Allowed: Yes, state law protects. Permit: None required. State Law: FL §373.228. HOA Limits: FL §163.04 protections. Use: Irrigation and non-potable.

No local violations apply to rainwater harvesting. State law prohibits local restrictions on residential rainwater collection.

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

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Pembroke Pines 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.

This guide is based on Pembroke Pines's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.