Removing a protected tree in Safety Harbor requires a permit. Any shade tree 4 inch DBH or larger, sabal palms with 5 ft trunks, mangroves, and listed species are protected. Fees are $25 residential and $100 other parcels.
Under Article X of the Land Development Code (sections 153.07 and 153.10) and the 2021 Grand Tree Ordinance, no person may cut down, top, poison, or effectively kill a protected tree without first obtaining a tree removal permit. Protected trees include any living shade tree with 4-inch or greater DBH, sabal palms with 5 feet of clear trunk, all mangroves, and any species on the city's Protected Tree and Replacement List. Application fees are $25 for residential parcels and $100 for other parcels. Approved removals usually require replacement plantings sized in proportion to the tree being removed, with grand trees triggering enhanced mitigation.
Removing or fatally damaging a protected tree without a permit triggers civil fines, mandatory replacement at full appraised value or per-inch DBH penalties, and possible stop-work orders on associated construction.
See how other cities in Pinellas County handle tree removal & heritage trees.
See how Safety Harbor's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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