Hillsborough County, FL Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)

E of the Land Development Code lists three invasive species that must be cleared during development: Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian pepper tree), Melaleuca quinquenervia (cajaput or melaleuca) and Casuarina spp. (Australian pine). Removal covers developable uplands and all buffers and setback areas landward of any required erosion control devices, using hand, mechanical or chemical means. The work has to be finished before Hillsborough County issues a Certificate of Occupancy for a site development project, or before it accepts Improvement Facilities on a subdivision, and only the portion of the project described in the Natural Resources Permit is covered.

A subdivision lot that will not be altered, aside from utility installation, during construction of the Improvement Facilities is exempt; removal on that lot instead happens at the time of building construction. 6 tree-replacement requirement by up to 50 percent, in exchange for clearing the invasive plants from that area. A pool built under that trade-off can sit as close as five feet to a conservation area and 15 feet to a preservation area. Separately, the Administrator, after consulting the relevant regulatory agencies, can waive removal altogether if clearing the species would itself cause adverse environmental impacts, such as disturbing a listed plant or animal species, degrading a natural plant community, or promoting wind or water soil erosion.