Tree Protection in Monroe County, FL (2026)

2 rules for unincorporated Monroe County, Florida.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Monroe County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Protected Tree Species

In the unincorporated Florida Keys (Monroe County), any development on land within U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service critical habitat or potentially suitable habitat for a federally listed threatened or endangered species must fully comply with Land Development Code Chapter 118, and owners whose species are not already covered by the 2010 Biological Opinion must get direct USFWS authorization first.

Monroe County Endangered Species Development Review

Significant Restrictions

Monroe County Land Development Code § 118-13

(a)Applicability. On parcels that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined are within critical habitat or designated potentially suitable habitat for federally listed threatened or endangered species, no development shall occur without full compliance with the terms of this chapter in addition to other applicable regulations, including, but not limited to, Section 122-8.(b)Technical as...

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Parkway Planting

In the unincorporated Florida Keys (Monroe County), new development and redevelopment along Keys streets must plant native canopy street trees in the front yard setback area. The rule sets a minimum of one canopy tree per 100 feet of street frontage and bars palms and gumbo limbo as street trees.

Street Tree Planting Rules, Monroe County

Some Restrictions

Monroe County Land Development Code § 114-104

All street fronts shall plant native canopy street trees species as listed in Section 114-105 within the primary and secondary front yard setback area as established in Section 131-1. ... (a)Gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba) and all palm species shall not be acceptable as a street tree.(b)Such trees shall not be intrusive to utilities or pavement.(c)Native trees shall be installed pursuant to a la...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

All Monroe County ordinances

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