Lakeland, FL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Lakeland, FL, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Buffer distance
- 30 feet from sewer easement or public way
- Named species
- Australian Pine, Turk's Cap, Melaleuca
- Notice period
- 10 days after written notice
- Enforcing office
- City manager
- Max penalty
- $500 fine, 60 days jail (Sec. 1-14)
Summary
Lakeland Code Sec. 38-51 makes it unlawful to plant Australian pine, Turk's Cap, melaleuca or any other invasive growth within 30 feet of a sanitary sewer easement or public way. If such a tree already exists there, the owner gets ten days' written notice from the city manager to remove it before the city removes it and can still prosecute.
It shall be unlawful for the owner or occupant of any lot, parcel or piece of land within the city to plant or cause to be planted or placed within 30 feet of any easement or public way wherein sanitary sewers of the city may be constructed and maintained, Australian Pine plants or trees, Turks Cap plants or shrubs, Melaleuca (Punk Trees) plants or trees, as the same are commonly known in this vicinity, or any other plants, trees, shrubs or growths which might invade and cause damage, obstruction or clogging within the sanitary sewer system of the city upon any such land which any such person may own or occupy. ... It shall be unlawful for any owner or occupant of any lot, piece or parcel of land within the city to permit the existence upon such lands of any plants named and described in section 38-51 within 30 feet of any easement or public way wherein sanitary sewers of the city may be constructed, ten days after the receipt of written notice from the city manager to remove or cause to be removed such trees or shrubs.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 22 | Land Development Code: Supplement 7).
Full Breakdown
The rule sits in Article III of Chapter 38, Environment, and targets vegetation that can invade and clog the city's sanitary sewer system. Sec. 38-51 names three species by their common local names: Australian Pine, Turk's Cap and Melaleuca (Punk Tree), then extends the ban to any other plant, tree, shrub or growth that might invade and cause damage, obstruction or clogging within the sanitary sewer system. The prohibition applies within 30 feet of any easement or public way where the city's sanitary sewer lines run, whether the tree was planted intentionally or simply took root there.
Sec. 38-52 covers trees already growing in the restricted zone: it is unlawful for the owner or occupant to let such a plant remain more than ten days after the city manager sends written notice to remove it. If the deadline passes without action, Sec. 38-53 lets the city manager send city crews or a contractor onto the property to cut the tree down. That city-ordered removal does not erase the owner's exposure: the code specifically states removal by the city 'shall not affect the criminal responsibility of any persons violating' Sec. 38-51 or 38-52, so a prosecution can proceed even after the tree is gone. Because Chapter 38 sets no separate fine for this article, a violation falls back to the general penalty in Sec. 1-14: up to $500 and 60 days in the county jail, with each day the tree remains after notice counting as a new offense.
Violations & Fines
Planting a listed or sewer-threatening species within 30 feet of a sanitary sewer easement violates Sec. 38-51 immediately upon planting. Failing to remove an existing one within ten days of the city manager's written notice violates Sec. 38-52. Both carry the Sec. 1-14 general penalty: a fine up to $500, up to 60 days in the county jail, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant an Australian pine near my sewer line in Lakeland?
What happens if a banned tree is already growing near my sewer easement?
Does removing the tree myself avoid a fine?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakeland
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Lakeland to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Polk County handle tree removal & heritage trees.