Port St. Lucie, FL Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 156.121, Street Tree Planting
- Large tree spacing
- 50-60 feet apart, 4 feet from curb
- Medium tree spacing
- 40-50 feet apart, 3 feet from curb
- Small tree spacing
- 30-40 feet apart, 2 feet from curb
- Approval authority
- Site Plan Review Committee
- Dead tree replacement
- Applicant replaces by next planting season
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, each day a separate offense
Summary
Port St. Lucie's subdivision code requires shade trees on both sides of every new street, with spacing tied to mature canopy size: large trees 50 to 60 feet apart and 4 feet from the curb, medium trees 40 to 50 feet apart and 3 feet from the curb, and small trees 30 to 40 feet apart and 2 feet from the curb. The Site Plan Review Committee approves every layout.
(A)Shade trees shall be installed on both sides of all streets (within the right-of-way) in accordance with the approved landscape plan for the subdivision. Trees shall be either massed or spaced evenly along the street or both.(B)When trees are planted at predetermined intervals along streets, spacing and distance from the edge of curb and sidewalk shall depend on mature tree canopy, as follows: Mature Tree Canopy (in feet) / Planting Interval (in feet) / Distance from Curb and Sidewalk (in feet): Large trees (40+) 50—60 4; Medium trees (30—40) 40—50 3; Small trees (to 30) 30—40 2. (C)The trees shall be planted so as not to interfere with utilities, roadways, sidewalks, swales, sight triangles or street lights.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 103).
Full Breakdown
121 of the subdivision regulations sits in Chapter 156 and has governed street tree planting since Ordinance 94-7 in 1994, amended by Ordinance No. 11-53 in 2011. 11. Subsection (D) puts the burden on the applicant, usually the subdivider or builder, to plant and stake the trees properly and arrange regular watering and maintenance until they are established. Subsection (E) requires all trees on a given street to be the same species, unless a special effect is intended, and any species selection must conform to the City's Landscaping Ordinance in Chapter 154 and win Site Plan Review Committee approval.
If a tree dies or is dying, subsection (F) makes the applicant replace it during the next planting season, at no cost to the City. Subsection (G) directs the applicant to preserve healthy, long-lived tree stands where feasible, and subsection (H) requires a construction-phase protection plan for any existing plantings the developer intends to keep. Because this section lives in the subdivision platting chapter, it is enforced as a condition of plat and site plan approval rather than through a standalone permit fee.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 156 violations, including a failure to install or maintain required street trees, are misdemeanors under section 156.999, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense. The Director of Planning and Zoning may pursue any remedy available in law or equity to force compliance, and the City can withhold plat or site plan approval until the required street tree plan is installed and inspected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to plant street trees in a new Port St. Lucie subdivision?
How far apart do street trees have to be planted?
What happens if a newly planted street tree dies?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port St. Lucie
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Port St. Lucie to another location·View the Florida tree protection overview
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