Miami-Dade County, FL Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Max spacing
- 35 feet on center
- Min caliper at planting
- 2 inches
- Min overall height
- 12 feet
- Clear trunk required
- 4 feet
- Spacing near power lines
- 25 feet on center
Summary
Miami-Dade requires street trees along roadways at no more than 35 feet apart on center, with a 2-inch caliper, 12-foot height and four feet of clear trunk at planting.
Street tree size and spacing. Street trees shall be of a species typically grown in Miami-Dade County which normally mature to a height of at least twenty (20) feet. Street trees shall have a clear trunk of four (4) feet, an overall height of twelve (12) feet and a minimum caliper of two (2) inches at time of planting, and shall be provided along all roadways at a maximum average spacing of thirty-five (35) feet on center, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 135).
Full Breakdown
Miami-Dade County's landscape ordinance sets minimum street tree size and spacing wherever a landscape plan or a building/paving permit applies. Species must normally mature to at least 20 feet; trees need a 4-foot clear trunk, 12-foot height and 2-inch caliper at planting, spaced no more than 35 feet apart on center along roadways (25 feet under power lines, using lower-canopy species). Trees go in the road swale, or on private property nearby if the right-of-way is obstructed. This is a countywide minimum: the County enforces it in unincorporated areas and the 34 municipalities enforce it within their own limits, though each can adopt stricter standards.
Violations & Fines
Building and paving permits require an approved landscape plan; noncompliance is a code violation punishable by fines up to $500 per day under the County's general penalty section, plus Chapter 8CC civil citations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do these street tree rules apply inside Miami, Hialeah or other cities?
Can palms count as street trees?
When do existing, already-built properties have to add street trees?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami-Dade County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miami-Dade County to another location·View the Florida tree protection overview
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