St. Petersburg, FL Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard turf/sod cap
- 10 inches maximum height
- Standard ground cover cap
- 24 inches maximum height
- Exemption requires
- Written Florida-friendly management plan
- Preservation areas
- Exempt from height caps entirely
- Plan must address
- 7 listed Florida-friendly principles
- Enforced under
- General penalty, § 1-7 (up to $500/day)
Summary
St. Petersburg City Code § 16.40.060.3.1(D) normally caps sod and turfgrass at ten inches and other ground cover at 24 inches, but property owners who convert to Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ or wildlife habitat management are excused from those height limits: as long as they keep a written management plan and can show active, ongoing maintenance.
D. Sod (including turf and turfgrass) or other herbaceous growth other than ground cover species shall be maintained at a maximum overall height of ten inches or less; ground cover plant material shall be maintained at an overall height not to exceed 24 inches. Property designated as a preservation area shall not be required to meet these standards. Property owners who employ Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM or wildlife habitat management principles such that their private property or adjacent right-of-way does not meet these criteria shall have a management plan and demonstrate active, ongoing maintenance... Florida-friendly management plans shall also address these principles: 1) Vegetation plan and design; 2) Analyze and amend the soil; 3) Limit sod to active use areas; 4) Select appropriate plant species; 5) Irrigate efficiently; 6) Use mulch; and 7) Maintain the landscape appropriately.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 54).
Full Breakdown
" Land carrying a preservation-area designation is exempt from those caps outright. 1(D) opens a path to a taller, more natural yard: property owners whose lot or adjacent right-of-way doesn't meet the height standards because they employ Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ or wildlife habitat management must instead keep a management plan and demonstrate active, ongoing maintenance covering seven listed principles, vegetation plan and design, soil analysis and amendment, limiting sod to active-use areas, selecting appropriate plant species, efficient irrigation, mulch use, and appropriate ongoing landscape maintenance. 1, which specifically encourages "less St. "
Violations & Fines
A yard that exceeds the 10-inch turf or 24-inch ground cover cap without a qualifying Florida-friendly or wildlife-habitat management plan is a Code violation, enforceable under the general penalty at § 1-7: a fine up to $500.00, up to 60 days imprisonment, or both, with each day of continued excess growth counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I let my Florida-friendly yard grow taller than a normal lawn?
What has to be in my management plan to qualify for the exemption?
Does the height limit apply to conservation land?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Petersburg
Florida rules heatmap·Compare St. Petersburg to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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