Landscaping Rules in Tallahassee, FL

If you live in Tallahassee or are thinking about moving there, landscaping rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Tallahassee has 4 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of landscaping rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Artificial Turf

Required landscape areas in Tallahassee cannot use synthetic ground cover. Land Development Code Sec. 5-85(m)(10) states no visible plastic surface covers or synthetic plant material shall be used, a rule that applies to commercial, multifamily and subdivision sites subject to an environmental management permit, though single-family and duplex lots are exempt from the landscaping article altogether.

Key details: Governing law: LDC § 5-85(m)(10). Rule: No visible plastic or synthetic plant material. Applies to: Sites needing an environmental management permit. Exempt: Single-family, duplex, triplex lots (§ 5-85(b)(1)). Compliance check: Final landscape inspection under § 5-64.

Installing plastic ground cover or synthetic plants within a required landscape area on a permitted site is caught at the landscape compliance report and final environmental inspection required under Sec. 5-64 before a certificate of occupancy issues; growth management can withhold sign-off until the synthetic material is replaced with a conforming plant. Failure to maintain required landscaping in a healthy, living condition is separately a violation of Sec. 5-85(n), enforced through the article VII violation process.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Tallahassee actively enforces its artificial turf requirements.

Native Plants

Required landscape buffers between conflicting land uses in Tallahassee must be at least 40 percent native species. Land Development Code Sec. 5-85(l)(4) sets that floor for canopy trees, understory trees and shrubs planted in a zoning buffer, on top of a separate rule that 75 percent of the buffer's plant material be evergreen.

Key details: Governing law: LDC § 5-85(l)(4). Native species minimum: 40% of required buffer plants. Evergreen minimum: 75% of required plant material. Minimum shrub size at planting: 30" tall, 24" wide. Plant list source: City growth management department.

A landscape plan that falls short of the 40 percent native species or 75 percent evergreen ratios in a required buffer is rejected at environmental management permit review under Sec. 5-85(c), and an already-installed buffer that doesn't meet the ratios is flagged at the final landscape compliance inspection required by Sec. 5-64. Failure to maintain the buffer's native and evergreen plant material in a healthy condition afterward is a separate violation under Sec. 5-85(n), handled through the article VII enforcement process.

Weed Ordinances

Every owner, agent, lessee or occupant of real property in Tallahassee must keep weeds, grass and underbrush cut to 12 inches or less under Code of General Ordinances Section 9-65, which the city treats as a nuisance under Section 9-64. Uncut lots get a 48-hour notice, then city mowing billed back to the owner.

Key details: Max weed/grass height: 12 inches (§9-65). Notice to cure: 48 hours after written notice. City mowing cost: Billed to owner plus admin fee. Lien priority: Superior to all liens except taxes. Appeal path: Hearing before the code magistrate.

Grass or weeds left over 12 inches after the 48-hour notice period is a violation of the Code under Section 9-62. The city can then mow the lot itself under Section 9-66, add an administrative fee under Section 9-67, and file a special assessment lien under Section 9-68 that outranks every lien except property taxes and can be foreclosed if left unpaid.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Removing a protected tree in Tallahassee requires an environmental management permit under Land Development Code Sec. 5-83. Any tree of two inches DBH or greater counts as protected before development starts, with higher thresholds once construction begins. Single-family lots can cut non-patriarch trees up to 36 inches DBH without a permit; nearly everything else needs city approval first.

Key details: Governing law: LDC § 5-83. Protected pre-development: Any tree 2" DBH or greater. Single-family exemption: Non-patriarch trees up to 36" DBH. Lot-perimeter threshold: 4" DBH or greater. First-offense penalty: 3x required replacement trees.

Cutting, impacting or damaging a protected tree without an approved environmental management permit, or letting equipment, grading or material storage invade its critical protection zone, triggers replacement obligations under Sec. 5-83(j)(4): the required number of replacement trees triples for a first offense and multiplies by five for every offense after that, and the applicant is charged double the normal tree-removal application fee. The growth management department can also issue a stop-work order until the site is brought back into compliance.

Compared to other cities, Tallahassee takes a harder line on tree removal & heritage trees. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

The Bottom Line

Tallahassee is tougher than many cities when it comes to landscaping rules. Out of the 4 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Tallahassee, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Tallahassee can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.