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Orlando, FL Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
City Code § 54.26-1
Who may plant
Owner of the abutting property
Correction notice period
10 days
Appeal path
City Clerk to City Council
Companion protection
§ 54.26 bars others from damaging plantings
Penalty if uncorrected
City Code § 1.08 (up to $500 fine)

Summary

Orlando lets the owner of property abutting a parkway plant and maintain trees, shrubs, plants, or flowers there under City Code § 54.26-1, but the City can order removal within 10 days if the planting turns into a nuisance, hazard, or public-safety problem, and non-owners are barred from disturbing lawful plantings under § 54.26.

Unless otherwise specifically prohibited by this Code, the planting and maintenance of trees, shrubs, plants or flowers in the parkway by the owner of the abutting property is permitted so long as the plantings are not detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare and do not cause a nuisance or hazard to the neighboring property owners. When in the opinion of the appropriate City Department in relation to its area of jurisdiction any such planting is in violation of this section, the owner of the property abutting the parkway wherein such planting is located shall within ten (10) days notify thereof, eliminate the violation at no cost to the City by removing or trimming such planting, treating such planting which is diseased or insect-ridden or by performing such other remedial action in order to eliminate the violation as requested by the appropriate City Department or file a notice of appeal with the City Clerk appealing the City Department's decision to the City Council.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 92).

Full Breakdown

02, without a separate permit, so long as the planting is not detrimental to public health, safety, or welfare and does not create a nuisance or hazard for neighbors. If the relevant City department decides a planting violates the section, the abutting owner gets 10 days' written notice to remove or trim the planting, treat disease or insect infestation, or take other remedial action the department requests. An owner who disagrees can file a notice of appeal with the City Clerk, sending the department's decision to City Council for review rather than complying outright.

08's general penalty and public-nuisance abatement provisions apply, and the City can perform the work itself. 26, protects the plantings once they are lawfully in the ground: it is unlawful for anyone other than the abutting owner or a City employee or agent to injure, pluck, or tread on flowers, shrubs, or ornamental plants growing in the parkway, whether planted by the owner or by the City. Together the two sections give homeowners planting rights in the strip next to the curb while reserving the City's authority to order corrective action when a planting becomes a hazard, for example, root damage to sidewalks, sight-line obstructions, or diseased trees.

Violations & Fines

Failing to correct a cited parkway planting within the 10-day notice period, without filing a timely appeal to City Council, exposes the abutting owner to Section 1.08's general penalty, a fine up to $500, up to 60 days in jail, or both, and the City may remove or trim the planting itself and assess the cost against the property. Damaging another owner's lawful parkway planting is a separate violation under Section 54.26.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to plant trees in the parkway strip in front of my Orlando home?
No. Section 54.26-1 of the Orlando City Code lets the owner of the abutting property plant and maintain trees, shrubs, plants, or flowers in the parkway without a separate permit, as long as the planting doesn't harm public health, safety, or welfare or create a hazard or nuisance for neighboring property owners.
What happens if the City decides my parkway planting is a hazard?
The appropriate City department notifies you in writing, and you have 10 days to remove or trim the planting, treat disease or insect problems, or take other requested remedial action at your own cost, or you can file a notice of appeal with the City Clerk to have City Council review the decision.
Can my neighbor legally trim or remove my parkway plants?
No. Section 54.26 makes it unlawful for anyone besides the abutting property owner or a City employee or agent to injure, pluck, or tread on flowers, shrubs, or ornamental plants growing in the parkway, regardless of whether the City or the owner planted them.
What if I ignore the City's 10-day correction notice?
Section 1.08's general penalty applies, a fine up to $500, up to 60 days in jail, or both, and the City can perform the removal or trimming itself and assess the cost against your property, since violations of this Code are also treated as a public nuisance.

Sources & Official References

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