9 rules for unincorporated Seminole County, Florida.
Verified from official government sources
In unincorporated Seminole County, overgrown grass and weeds are a code-enforcement nuisance. Code Enforcement treats grass or weeds exceeding 12 inches on developed lots as a violation, requiring the owner to mow and maintain the property.
Routine trimming and pruning of your own trees is generally allowed, but removal (and some heavy trimming) of protected trees in unincorporated Seminole County requires an Arbor Permit under Land Development Code Chapter 60. Florida law also lets homeowners skip permits for hazardous trees with arborist documentation.
FS 163.045
A local government may not require a notice, application, approval, permit, fee, or mitigation for the pruning, trimming, or removal of a tree on a residential property if the property owner possesses documentation from an arborist certified by the ISA or a Florida licensed landscape architect that the tree poses an unacceptable risk to persons or property.
Removing a protected tree in unincorporated Seminole County normally requires an Arbor Permit under Land Development Code Chapter 60. But Florida Statute 163.045 bars the county from requiring any permit for a residential tree an arborist certifies as dangerous, and small developed single-family lots are exempt.
Seminole County LDC Ch. 60 (Arbor); Arbor Permit exemptions
Developed single family lots 3 acres or less with a house, exemption does not include wetland areas.
Seminole County's nuisance code (Chapter 168) requires owners of developed unincorporated parcels to control weeds and overgrown vegetation. Weeds or grass over roughly 12 inches are treated as a nuisance and can trigger county abatement and liens.
Seminole County follows St. Johns River Water Management District landscape irrigation rules: two days a week during daylight saving time and one day a week during standard time, on days set by your address number, with no watering allowed between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Seminole County / SJRWMD landscape irrigation schedule
No watering permitted 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. year-round. Watering with a hand-held hose is permitted anytime, provided it is fitted with an automatic shutoff nozzle.
Seminole County sets no ordinance banning residential rain barrels or rainwater harvesting, and Florida encourages water conservation. Collecting rooftop rainwater for landscape irrigation is generally allowed; large cisterns tied to plumbing may need building or backflow approval.
Florida law protects your right to use native and Florida-friendly landscaping. Under FS 373.185, a deed restriction or covenant may not prohibit a property owner from installing Florida-friendly landscaping, and Seminole County encourages drought-tolerant, native plantings.
FS 373.185(3)(b)
A deed restriction or covenant may not prohibit or be enforced so as to prohibit any property owner from implementing Florida-friendly landscaping on his or her land.
Seminole County has no ordinance banning residential artificial turf, and it isn't a required landscaping material either. Synthetic lawns are generally allowed in the unincorporated county; drainage and any HOA rules are the main considerations.
Seminole County does not ban backyard composting; the county and UF/IFAS actively encourage home composting of yard and food waste. Keep bins tidy and enclosed so they don't become a nuisance, attract vermin, or emit odors that violate the county's nuisance code.
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