Martin County, FL Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing district
- PMUV, 3,411 acres west of Turnpike
- Minimum caliper
- 3 inches at time of planting
- Spacing
- Set by Street Type, e.g. 30'-50' o.c.
- Planting method
- Vegetated strips or tree wells with grates
- Enforced at
- Final Site Plan review, Growth Management
Summary
New development within Martin County's Planned Mixed-Use Village (PMUV) district, the 3,411-acre form-based code area west of Florida's Turnpike and north of S.W. Martin Highway, must plant street trees along every street. Land Development Regulations Sec. 11.5.5 requires shade trees with at least a 3-inch caliper at planting, spaced and placed according to each Street Type's standards.
1.All street trees shall comply with the General Landscape Standards in Division 6: Site Development Standards.2.Street trees shall consist of shade trees with a minimum 3-inch caliper at time of planting. Other accent plants and trees are permitted in addition to the required street trees.3.Street trees shall be provided in a manner and at a spacing as defined by the Street Type standards.4.Street trees shall be planted in vegetated Planting Strips or Tree Wells with grates according to Street Types.5.Properly designed tree box filters to accept stormwater runoff are encouraged for stormwater quantity and quality mitigation, and shall count towards the street tree requirement as long as adequate maintenance access is provided and the street tree planted meets the requirements of this standard.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 62 | Land Development Regulations: Supplement 62).
Full Breakdown
W. Martin Highway (LDR Sec. A). 5, Street Trees, requires that every street in the district be planted with shade trees at least 3 inches in caliper at the time of planting, and permits additional accent plants alongside the required trees. Spacing and placement follow the Street Type tables in Sec. 9: Main Street calls for shade trees at roughly 40 feet on center set in 6-by-6-foot tree wells, Citrus Boulevard calls for trees at roughly 30 feet on center in 6-by-8-foot tree wells, and Urban Street 1 calls for trees at roughly 50 feet on center within 8-foot planting strips.
Trees must go into vegetated planting strips or tree wells fitted with grates, and tree box filters designed to treat stormwater runoff can count toward the street tree requirement if the county confirms adequate maintenance access. Sec. 5 to 4 feet from the back of curb, so the two systems are coordinated during design review. All street trees must also comply with the General Landscape Standards cross-referenced at Sec. D. These standards apply only within the PMUV district; they do not govern street tree planting elsewhere in unincorporated Martin County.
Violations & Fines
The Growth Management Department reviews street tree compliance at Final Site Plan approval; a plan that omits the required caliper, spacing, or planting-strip dimensions is rejected and cannot proceed to a building permit until corrected. Because trees are installed under an approved final site plan rather than added after occupancy, enforcement runs through the permitting and inspection process, and a developer who removes or fails to replace a required street tree risks holding up its certificate of occupancy until the landscaping is brought into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Martin County require street trees for all new subdivisions?
What size must a PMUV street tree be at planting?
Can stormwater tree box filters count as street trees?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Martin County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Martin County to another location·View the Florida tree protection overview
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