Sarasota County, FL Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)
Key Facts
- Zone width
- 220 ft each side of Myakka River
- River miles covered
- River mile 7.5 to 41.5
- Clear-zone authority
- Set by Fire Marshal, Code Administrator
- Earthmoving exemption
- Up to 30 ft around structure
- Restoration duty
- Monitor restored vegetation 1+ year
- Violation class
- Misdemeanor under state law
- Variance application fee
- $1,000 per Sec. 54-1053(1)
Summary
Within the 220-foot Myakka River Protection Zone along the Myakka's main stem (river miles 7.5 to 41.5), Sarasota County Code carves out a defensible fire protection zone around structures. The Code Administrator and Fire Marshal jointly set the clearing width needed for fire trucks, hoses and defensible space, and earthmoving up to 30 feet around a structure is exempt from the zone's general clearing ban.
(a)Zone 1. The fire protection zone. That zone, of variable width, constituting the minimum allowable vegetative removal and turfgrass installation area necessary to allow for fire protection purposes such as the positioning of fire tricks and hoses, as well as to serve as a fire protection defensible space as determined by the Code Administrator. ... Zone 1 and 2 exceptions. Vegetative removal may be allowed in association with County-approved Permits for Construction of structures or to create or maintain a fire protection clear zone around the structure. The fire protection clear zone for structures in the Myakka River Protection Zone shall be determined by the Fire Marshal and Code Administrator during the permitting process.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 98).
Full Breakdown
The Myakka River Protection Zone, created under Sarasota County Code Article XXX, wraps 220 feet on each side of the Myakka River's main stem between river miles 7.5 and 41.5. The zone is divided into four sub-zones. Zone 1, the fire protection zone, is defined in Sec. 54-1046(a) as 'that zone, of variable width, constituting the minimum allowable vegetative removal and turfgrass installation area necessary to allow for fire protection purposes such as the positioning of fire tricks and hoses, as well as to serve as a fire protection defensible space as determined by the Code Administrator.' Zone 2 covers the house and other structures and the land between the house and the street; Zone 3 sits between Zones 2 and 4; Zone 4 is the 50-foot River Area Buffer closest to the water.
Vegetation removal is otherwise prohibited throughout the Protection Zone, but Sec. 54-1047(2)(b) allows clearing in Zones 1 and 2 'in association with County-approved Permits for Construction of structures or to create or maintain a fire protection clear zone around the structure,' with the Fire Marshal and Code Administrator setting the actual clear-zone width during permitting. Separately, Sec. 54-1047(1)(b) exempts earthmoving for filling around a structure's perimeter, up to a maximum 30-foot width, to establish part or all of a fire protection clear zone as defined in the county's Land Development Regulations.
This is a river-corridor rule, not a countywide brush-clearance mandate: outside the 220-foot Myakka zone, the county's code does not impose a separate defensible-space clearing requirement on ordinary residential lots.
Violations & Fines
Under Sec. 54-1051, failing to comply requires restoring the affected part of the Protection Zone as the Code Administrator directs, with monitoring and maintenance of the restored vegetation for at least one year or until success criteria are met. Any violation of the article, its regulations, or permit conditions is punishable as a misdemeanor. The Board may also sue for damages and injunctive relief, recovering its costs and attorney's fees if it prevails, and the Code Administrator can issue stop-work orders for unpermitted or hazardous clearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sarasota County require defensible space clearing around every home?
How wide can I clear brush around my house in the Myakka zone?
What happens if I clear more of the Myakka Protection Zone than permitted?
Who decides how much vegetation I can remove near the Myakka River?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sarasota County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sarasota County to another location·View the Florida fire regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.