Landscaping Rules in West Palm Beach, FL (2026)
7 verified landscaping rules for West Palm Beach, Florida, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
City Code § 74-4(c)(4) requires every lot in West Palm Beach to be kept free of vegetation and trees that overhang a sidewalk, street, or public place enough to impede travel or block sightlines to intersections, signs, or railroad crossings. Owners must trim back growth that creates that hazard, and enforcement runs through the same code-enforcement process as other overgrowth violations.
West Palm Beach Sidewalk Vegetation Clearance Rule
Some RestrictionsWest Palm Beach City Code § 74-4(c)(4)
(4)All lands in the city shall be kept free of all vegetation or trees that overhang any sidewalk, street or other public place in such a way as to impede or interfere with traffic or travel on such sidewalk, street, public place or way, or that create a danger to traffic by impeding or obstructing the view of intersections, traffic signs, railroad crossings or traffic on any street, road, or h...
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
West Palm Beach requires a tree removal permit for any tree 4-inch DBH or greater under City Code §94 Article XIII. FL §163.045 only exempts removal where a certified arborist or licensed landscape architect documents danger to persons or property.
Landscaping: Tree Removal
Heavy RestrictionsFla. Stat. § 163.045
(1) For purposes of this section, the term: (a) "Documentation" means an onsite assessment performed in accordance with the tree risk assessment procedures outlined in Best Management Practices - Tree Risk Assessment, Second Edition (2017) by an arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or a Florida licensed landscape architect and signed by the certified arborist o...
Weed Ordinances
West Palm Beach caps weeds and grass on every lot, improved or vacant, at six inches under City Code § 74-4(c)(3). Owners and occupants must also keep the yard, adjoining swale, and half of any bordering alley right-of-way clear. A code enforcement officer can cite the property, and an uncorrected violation lets the city cut the lot and lien the cost.
West Palm Beach Weed and Grass Height Limit
Some RestrictionsWest Palm Beach City Code § 74-4(c)(3), (c)(5)
(3)All lands in the city shall be kept free from weeds and grass of a height exceeding six inches.(5)Owners and occupants of all property, whether improved or unimproved, shall be responsible for keeping their entire premises, including the yard, one-half of the alley right-of-way, street right-of-way and/or easement, and the parkway or swale and/or easement adjoining the property free from yar...
Water Restrictions
West Palm Beach requires all landscape irrigation to comply with South Florida Water Management District conservation rules under City Code § 90-95, enforced by the public utilities director. The measures cover every water source except reclaimed water, and any stricter water-shortage order from the district, city commission or mayor overrides the baseline rules. First-offense fines run $250, repeat offenses $500.
West Palm Beach Irrigation Conservation Measures
Some RestrictionsWest Palm Beach, FL Code of Ordinances § 90-95
(a)Compliance with district. At all times, the irrigation conservation measures to be established by the city commission from time to time shall comply with, or be more restrictive than those measures established by the South Florida Water Management District for Palm Beach county.(b)The irrigation conservation measures shall be established by resolution of the city commission, which may be ame...
Native Plants
West Palm Beach's landscape code requires at least 60 percent of added plant material on a development site to be Florida native or drought-tolerant species drawn from the city's approved list, per Sec. 94-445(4)l. New developments also earn required Florida-friendly points, under Sec. 94-441(g), by using native groundcover, shrubs, and trees, with a minimum of 25 points for single-family lots and 50 for other developments.
West Palm Beach Native Plant Landscaping Rule
Some RestrictionsWest Palm Beach Code §§ 94-441(g), 94-445(4)l
g. Florida-friendly landscape requirements. All new developments except for those exempt pursuant to subsection 94-441(c) shall be required to apply certain Florida-friendly landscape techniques for landscaping prior to receiving a certificate of occupancy. ... Such a landscape plan must satisfy a minimum total of 25 points for a single-family dwelling unit and a minimum of 50 points for all ot...
Artificial Turf
West Palm Beach's zoning code, Sec. 94-451, confines artificial turf on single-family and duplex lots to the rear and side setbacks: never front yards or required landscape buffers. Nonresidential and multifamily projects can use it more broadly with a permit. Turf counts as impervious surface, must meet strict permeability and warranty standards, and needs a building permit from the development services department before installation.
West Palm Beach Artificial Turf Rules
Some RestrictionsWest Palm Beach Code § 94-451(a), (c), (d)
a. The use and location of artificial turf shall be limited to the following: 1. The construction of non-city-owned athletic fields and playgrounds associated with a non-city-owned community center, park, school, or university; 2. As part of the construction of any nonresidential development; 3. On roof top terraces; 4. On residential lots in the rear setback and side setback; or 5. In multifam...
Composting
West Palm Beach doesn't set bin standards or require a permit for home composting. City Code § 74-4(a)(1) exempts 'private, backyard, nuisance-free composting practices for home gardening purposes' from the broader ban on depositing garbage, litter, or refuse on a property. Keep it nuisance-free, though: a smelly or pest-attracting pile can still be cited as a general nuisance.
West Palm Beach Backyard Composting Exemption
Few RestrictionsWest Palm Beach City Code § 74-4(a), (a)(1)
(a)Garbage, litter, and refuse. No person shall deposit on or bury in, or cause to be deposited on or buried in, or place or keep, on any public highway, road, street, alley, right-of-way, bridge, thoroughfare or any other public lands, or any storm sewer, vacant or unoccupied lot, or any lake, canal, creek, or watercourse, any noxious, filthy, malodorous or offensive liquid or solid materials,...
Looking for Palm Beach County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement West Palm Beach city rules.
Landscaping Rules in Palm Beach County →