Miami Code Chapter 17 and Florida Statute Sec. 163.045 protect specimen and heritage trees. Mangroves are governed by FL Sec. 403.9321. Removal of native species like live oak, mahogany, gumbo limbo, or any tree over 18 inches DBH requires a city tree permit and replacement.
Miami Code Chapter 17 (Environmental Preservation) regulates tree removal citywide. Specimen trees (any tree with diameter at breast height (DBH) of 18 inches or more) and protected native species — live oak (Quercus virginiana), mahogany, gumbo limbo, slash pine, and others — require a tree-removal permit from the City Arborist. Replacement is mandated using the city's tree-mitigation formula, often two-for-one or by canopy area. Florida Statute Sec. 163.045 (2019, amended 2022) lets a homeowner remove a tree threatening a residential structure with arborist documentation, preempting strict local removal rules in that limited circumstance. Mangroves are separately protected under FL Sec. 403.9321 administered by FDEP.
Unpermitted removal of a specimen tree triggers fines up to 1,000 dollars per inch DBH, mandatory replacement, and liens. Mangrove trimming without an FDEP permit carries state penalties up to 10,000 dollars per day. Repeats may be misdemeanors.
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