North Port, FL Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)
Key Facts
- Heritage threshold (oaks/magnolia/cedar/cypress)
- 80 points
- Heritage threshold (pines)
- 60 points
- Minimum Condition Classification
- 70% or greater
- Removal without authorization
- replacement + mitigation fee
- Governing body
- ULDC Administrator
Summary
North Port designates heritage trees by species-specific point thresholds -- 80 points for live oaks, magnolias, cypress and cedar, 60 for pines -- and requires ULDC Administrator approval plus a mitigation fee before a healthy heritage tree can be removed.
Heritage Tree Designation. Criteria for designation as a Heritage tree are provided in the table below which are in addition to the requirement that the tree has a Condition Classification of seventy percent (70%) or greater... Healthy heritage trees shall be preserved and protected and may not be removed unless ULDC Administrator determines that preservation would result in the conditions listed in subsections a. or b. below.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of the City: Supplement 65 | Unified Land Development Code: Supplement 22).
Full Breakdown
Under the City's tree protection article, a tree qualifies as a heritage tree only if it has a Condition Classification of 70 percent or greater and earns enough points from diameter, height and canopy spread: 80 points for bald cypress, hickory, live oak, sand live oak, southern magnolia or southern red cedar, or 60 points for pines. A healthy heritage tree then may not be removed unless the ULDC Administrator finds preservation would block a reasonably scaled home on a one- or two-family lot, or, for other development, prevent redesigning the site at the same intensity because of flood zones, soils, topography, access constraints or height limits.
Violations & Fines
Removing or damaging a designated heritage tree without ULDC Administrator authorization requires tree replacement and payment of the heritage tree mitigation fee set in the City's adopted fee schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a tree a "heritage tree" in North Port?
Can a property owner remove a heritage tree?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in North Port
Florida rules heatmap·Compare North Port to another location·View the Florida tree protection overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Heritage & Protected Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sarasota County handle heritage & protected trees.