Cape Coral, FL Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

18 governs the city-owned lateral right-of-way, the grassy strip most homeowners think of as their parkway. Installing any tree or shrub there without first getting a registration certificate from the city is unlawful. Before digging, the property owner must call Sunshine 811 to have underground utilities located and marked, and all excavation in the right-of-way must comply with Florida Statutes Chapter 556 on underground facility damage prevention. Where potable water, irrigation, or sanitary sewer force mains run through the strip, the owner must contact the Utility Department to confirm clearance for any proposed canopy or palm tree.

Canopy trees cannot go within 10 feet of an existing or proposed drainage inlet or water, irrigation, or sewer main, and palm trees with a mature diameter of 8 inches or more must stay 5 feet away from the same infrastructure. Roadway-side setbacks are separate: nothing, including tree beds, edging, or mulch, can sit within 5 feet of the roadway, and canopy trees specifically must stay 7 feet from any roadway, sidewalk, or underground utility unless an approved root barrier is installed. Additional clearances apply from side property lines (5 feet), the bottom of the swale (3 feet), and public sidewalks (3 feet).

Once installed, the plantings legally become city property, but the abutting owner remains responsible for maintaining them, keeping them clear of traffic-sight obstructions, and covering any damage they cause to drainage or utility lines. The South Cape Downtown District instead uses a city placement agreement for streetscape plantings under subsection C, rather than the standard registration path.