Bonita Springs, FL Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Section 10-99 is titled Nuisance vegetation and requirements for landscaping, buffers and native vegetation, and it sits in the Bonita Springs Property Maintenance Code. Subsection (a) applies to any property within the city and bars a landowner, or anyone owning, leasing, operating or having control of the property, from maintaining or permitting a nuisance described in the section.

Subsection (b) declares a public nuisance the accumulation of dry vegetation, weeds, grass, uncultivated vegetation and invasive exotics as defined in section 3-422(f) of the Land Development Code. Growth falls under the nuisance definition when it threatens the health, safety or economic welfare of abutting or adjacent owners, presents a visual blight upon neighborhoods, harbors insect or rodent infestation, becomes a public safety hazard including fire and flood hazards, or overhangs or grows across property lines. The section states no separate exemption for a natural-looking yard as such, so a native planting is judged against those same five conditions.

Subsection (c) is the native-vegetation rule. Any landscaping, buffers and native vegetation planted or preserved in accordance with a development order or rezoning approval must stay in at least the same condition required for the original installation or preservation. The code points to chapter 3 of the Land Development Code for the current plant maintenance standards, and that chapter is part of Volume II, not the volume of the city code reviewed for this page.

Other provisions of the same division still apply to planted areas. Section 10-95(a) requires landowners to keep adjoining sidewalks and rights-of-way clear of litter, debris and weeds, to maintain trees and shrubs at a vertical clearance of at least seven feet above any sidewalk, and to regularly mow or otherwise maintain unpaved areas in a neat and attractive condition. For lots of less than one acre, § 20-53 treats grasses and weeds in excess of 16 inches in height as a nuisance within 150 feet of developed adjacent property. Section 10-103 names the county sheriff's office and city code enforcement manager as enforcers.