Lee County, FL Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Native species requirement
- At least 75% native Florida species
- Minimum tree size
- 10 ft height, 2-in caliper, 4-ft spread
- Utility clearance
- 5 ft palms, 10 ft shade trees
- Mulch ring
- 2-in layer, 24-in radius, no cypress
- Governing section
- LDC § 10-296(5)
- General penalty
- Up to $500 fine, 60 days jail (LDC § 1-5)
Summary
New streets in unincorporated Lee County come with a planting bill of specifics: LDC § 10-296(5) requires 75 percent native Florida species among required street trees, minimum ten-foot height and two-inch caliper at installation, five-foot clearance from underground utilities for palms and ten feet for shade trees, and a two-inch mulch ring at least 24 inches wide around every new tree, with cypress mulch banned outright.
(5)Landscaping.a.Grassing and mulching. Prior to the acceptance of the streets or the release of the security, the developer will be responsible for ensuring that all swales, parkways, medians, percolation areas and planting strips are sodded, seeded or planted and mulched in accordance with Section 570 of the FDOT standard specifications....d.Tree/plant installation. Horizontal separation between underground utilities to required street trees will be five feet for palm trees and ten feet for shade trees....1.At least 75 percent of the trees must be native Florida species.2.Trees must be a minimum ten feet in height, have two-inch caliper (at 12 inches above the ground) and a four-foot spread at the time of installation. Palm trees must have a minimum of ten feet of clear trunk at planting.e.Mulch requirements. A two-inch minimum layer, after watering in, of mulch or other recycled materials must be placed and maintained around all newly installed trees. Each tree must have a ring of mulch no less than 24 inches beyond its trunk in all directions. The use of cypress mulch is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 7 | Land Development Code: Supplement 3 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Lee County Land Development Code § 10-296(5), the landscaping subsection of the county's street design and construction standards, governs every tree a developer plants in a road right-of-way, parkway, median, percolation area or planting strip. Before the County will accept a street or release a developer's security, the developer must have all swales, parkways, medians, percolation areas and planting strips sodded, seeded or planted and mulched to FDOT Standard Specifications Section 570. The tree-selection rule is specific: at least 75 percent of the trees planted must be native Florida species, and every tree must meet minimum size standards at installation, ten feet in height, a two-inch caliper measured 12 inches above the ground, and a four-foot spread, while palm trees need at least ten feet of clear trunk.
Placement matters too. A tree's mature growth habit has to be weighed against sight lines, signage, overhead power lines, lighting and buildings before it goes in the ground, and trees cannot be placed where they will interfere with drainage or utilities or force frequent pruning around power lines. Where underground utilities run near a required street tree, the code sets a minimum horizontal separation of five feet for palm trees and ten feet for shade trees, though the Development Services Director can approve added protective measures where that separation cannot be met.
Once planted, every tree needs a two-inch mulch layer after watering in, with a mulch ring extending at least 24 inches beyond the trunk in every direction; cypress mulch specifically is prohibited, and planting soil has to have any limerock removed and replaced with growing-quality soil first.
Violations & Fines
Failing to meet these standards holds up the County's acceptance of the street and release of the developer's performance security, since the street can't be accepted until the required grassing, mulching and tree installation are in place. Beyond that project-level leverage, planting or maintaining street trees outside these standards is a Land Development Code violation under LDC § 1-5, carrying a fine of up to $500.00, up to 60 days in the County Jail, or both, with each continuing day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do street trees in Lee County have to be native species?
How much mulch does a new street tree need in Lee County?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lee County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Lee County to another location·View the Florida tree protection overview
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