Landscaping Rules in Tallahassee, FL (2026)
4 verified landscaping rules for Tallahassee, Florida, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
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.
Tallahassee Tree Removal Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsTallahassee Land Development Code § 5-83
(b)Applicability. The following requirements shall apply to all new development and redevelopment in the city except as provided in F.S. § 163.045 and specified in subsection (c) below... (d)Protected trees. The following trees are protected and shall not be removed, impacted or damaged without receiving an approved environmental management permit complying with the requirements of the chapter:...
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.
Tallahassee's 12-Inch Weed and Grass Limit
Some RestrictionsTallahassee Code of General Ordinances § 9-65
All owners, agents, custodians, lessees, and occupants of real property within the city shall, in accordance with the notice set forth in section 9-62, cut and keep cut to a height of not exceeding 12 inches all weeds, grass or underbrush on any property owned, controlled or occupied by them within the city and shall also remove any trash, debris, refuse, filth, or other noxious matter located ...
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.
Tallahassee's Native Plant Buffer Requirement
Some RestrictionsTallahassee Land Development Code § 5-85(l)(4)
(4)Forty percent of the total number of individual plants required for each category, canopy tree, understory tree and shrub, shall be native species. A list of recommended plant materials shall be provided by the city growth management department.
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.
Tallahassee's Ban on Artificial Turf Landscaping
Significant RestrictionsTallahassee Land Development Code § 5-85(m)(10)
(m)Standards for all landscape areas and established urban forest areas. The following standards shall apply to all landscape areas and established urban forest areas, including the residential subdivision requirements and the vehicular landscape area requirements... (10)No visible plastic surface covers or synthetic plant material shall be used.
Looking for Leon County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Tallahassee city rules.
Landscaping Rules in Leon County →