Landscaping Rules in Palm Coast, FL (2026)
7 verified landscaping rules for Palm Coast, Florida, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Grass Height Limits
Palm Coast Code Compliance enforces a 10-inch maximum height for grass and weeds on all developed and undeveloped property within the City. Tree limbs and hedges must also be maintained so they do not obstruct sidewalks or roadways. Violations are abated by City contractor and billed to the parcel owner.
Palm Coast 10-Inch Grass & Weed Height Limit
Some RestrictionsTree Trimming
Palm Coast Land Development Code Chapter 11 (Tree Protection, Landscaping, Buffering & Irrigation) requires a permit before a tree of 6-inch caliper or greater (or 4-inch caliper if surveyed for credit) is damaged or destroyed by pruning. Florida Statute 163.045 preempts the City permit on single-family residential lots when the owner has ISA-certified arborist documentation that the tree poses a danger. The City's published Tree Pruning Regulations require ANSI A300-compliant practices.
Palm Coast Tree Pruning — Chapter 11 + FS 163.045 Exemption
Some RestrictionsTree Removal & Heritage Trees
Removing a tree of 6-inch caliper or greater (or 4-inch caliper if surveyed for credit) in Palm Coast requires a permit under Land Development Code Chapter 11. Applications go to Building Services at 160 Lake Avenue (386-986-3780). Florida Statute 163.045 preempts the City permit on a single-family residential lot when the owner has ISA-certified arborist documentation that the tree is dangerous. SFR/DPX/EST-zoned owners may also remove specimen or historic trees within the buildable area without mitigation when shifting the footprint cannot save the tree.
Palm Coast Tree Removal — LDC Chapter 11 + FS 163.045
Some RestrictionsWeed Ordinances
Palm Coast Code Compliance enforces a 10-inch maximum height for grass and weeds on all property (improved and vacant) citywide. The Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Ordinance (Chapter 25, Article IV) addresses fire-prone brush on vacant lots within 30 feet of an existing residential structure. The Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS) regulates state-listed noxious weeds separately.
Palm Coast Nuisance Vegetation & Weed Control
Some RestrictionsWater Restrictions
Palm Coast Code of Ordinances Sections 24-181 through 24-185 (Water Conservation, adopted by Ordinance 2009-15) enforce a year-round landscape irrigation schedule that aligns with St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) Chapter 40C-2, F.A.C. Irrigation is prohibited between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM; residential odd addresses water Wednesday and Saturday during Daylight Saving Time (Saturday only in EST); even addresses water Thursday and Sunday during DST (Sunday only in EST). Limit: 3/4 inch per zone per irrigation day, max one hour per zone.
Palm Coast Year-Round Irrigation — Sec. 24-181 et seq. + SJRWMD
Heavy RestrictionsNative Plants
Florida Statute 373.185 establishes Florida-Friendly Landscaping (FFL) as a protected statewide policy. A local government ordinance or HOA covenant may not prohibit any property owner from implementing FFL on their land. Palm Coast — a 20-year Tree City USA — encourages native and drought-tolerant landscaping through its Urban Forestry program. The UF/IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program publishes the official nine principles.
Florida-Friendly Landscaping in Palm Coast (FS 373.185)
Few RestrictionsArtificial Turf
The City of Palm Coast Code of Ordinances does not prohibit artificial turf on residential property. Florida-Friendly Landscaping (FS 373.185) protects water-conserving alternatives to traditional lawn, but artificial turf is not within the statutory FFL definition — so HOAs may still adopt reasonable rules limiting it. New developments must still meet Land Development Code Chapter 11 landscape buffer and tree requirements, which generally require live plant material.
Artificial Turf in Palm Coast — Allowed; HOA Rules Govern
Few RestrictionsLooking for Flagler County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Palm Coast city rules.
Landscaping Rules in Flagler County →