Hillsborough County, FL Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Trees per lot
- 1 street tree minimum
- Extra frontage rule
- +1 tree per 50 ft over 100 ft
- Tree spec
- Min 6 ft, Florida Grade #1
- Palm cap
- Max 20% of street trees
- Setback from curb
- 5 ft from curb, 3 ft from sidewalk
Summary
Hillsborough County requires one street tree per subdivision lot, plus extra trees for wide frontages, planted within the road right-of-way near the curb and sidewalk.
The planting of street trees along local and collector roadways of subdivisions shall be required. One street tree for each lot shall be required. In addition, one street tree for every additional 50 linear feet, or portion thereof, of yard frontage shall be required for subdivision lots with yard frontages greater than 100 feet. In residential subdivisions where the majority of the lots are 7,000 square feet or less in size, one street tree shall be planted per lot within the road right-of-way. For lots on culs-de-sac, one street tree shall be planted on every other lot beginning with the lot at the cul-de-sac entry. Along collector and local streets not fronted by lots, one street tree shall be required per 50 linear feet of roadway on both sides of the road right-of-way. If palms are used, they shall be planted at half the average spacing.
B. Tree Specifications
All street trees shall be shade trees unless otherwise approved. Street trees shall have a minimum height of six feet and be Florida Grade #1 or better in quality. Palms may be substituted for shade trees at a 2:1 ratio. However, no more than 20 percent of the total number of street trees shall be palms. When palms are approved for use as street trees, they shall be a single trunk species having a minimum clear trunk of eight feet and a
Full Breakdown
Under LDC Section 6.06.05, every subdivision lot fronting a local or collector road needs at least one street tree, with an additional tree for each extra 50 feet of frontage beyond 100 feet. Trees must be shade species at least six feet tall and Florida Grade #1 quality; palms can substitute for up to 20 percent of the total. Planting sits within the right-of-way, at least five feet from the curb and three feet from any sidewalk, and ten feet from utility structures. Street trees adjacent to lots must go in before the county issues a Certificate of Occupancy for that residence.
Violations & Fines
Missing street trees can hold up final plat acceptance, and for individual lots the county withholds the Certificate of Occupancy until required trees are installed per Section 6.06.05.E.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every lot in a Hillsborough County subdivision need a street tree?
Can palm trees count as street trees?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hillsborough County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Hillsborough County to another location·View the Florida tree protection overview
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