Tree Removal / Habitat / Environmental Compliance
Our service area includes unincorporated Pinellas County, including Belleair Bluffs, Belleair Shore, Indian Shores and Redington Shores. Residents in other areas of Pinellas County will need to contact their cities directly.
Pinellas County Municode: Chapter 138 Division 3 and Chapter 166
Environmental and Natural Resource Protection
Trees and native vegetation provide beneficial public resources. It’s crucial to protect our natural ecosystem by:
- Maintaining adequate tree numbers.
- Replanting vegetation.
- Landscaping vehicular areas.
- Managing undesirable plants.
- Preserving wildlife and its habitat.
- Providing a tree bank fund.
For questions, call us at (727) 464-3480 or email bdrsgroup@pinellas.gov.
Check for Service Area
Applications for Tree Removal and/or Construction
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Our FAQs are currently being revised to address changes to the Land Development Code (2019) and as a result of Florida House Bill 1159 (2019).
- Removal of trees in unincorporated areas on private property:
- Commercial/Multi-family/New Single Family
- Single Family — Existing Trees Only
Our tree removal services have moved to our Pinellas County Access Portal.
Exotic Tree Removal
- Sec. 138-3653: Undesirable trees/plants
- Undesirable Plant Species List
- Undesirable plant species removal requires a permit, but most are not assessed a fee. In designated conservation easements and wetlands regulated under F.S. 373 and F.S. 403, the department must approve any removal plan that addresses targeted species, the extent and method of removal, stabilization measures and more.
Examples of Exotic Invasive Trees
Landscaping Options
- Approved Tree Species to Replant (3/25/2019)
- Sec. 138-3658: Residential
- Sec. 138-3659: Non-residential and multi-family
- Sec. 138-3651: Application of landscape regulations and required maintenance
- Sec. 166-57: Tree bank fund
- Sec. 138-3657: Street trees
Habitat Management and Protection
- Article II: Habitat Management and Protection
Protection
- Sec. 166-49: Vegetation protection during construction
- All trees 4S diameter at breast height (DBH) or greater, or any vegetation within wetland and/or upland buffer areas
- Sec. 166-50: Upland buffer adjacent to wetlands
- Sec. 166-52: Protection of endangered, threatened or species of special concern
Vegetation Maintenance
- Sec. 138-3651: Application of landscape regulations and required maintenance
- Sec. 166-56: Vegetation installation and maintenance
Examples of Correct Silt Fencing
Examples of Incorrect Silt Fencing
Other Environmental Regulations
Removal of Trees from Public Right-of-Way
Tree removal within the public right-of-way requires a Right-of-Way Utilization Permit.
Mangrove Trimming
- Sec. 58-605: Exemptions
- Mangrove Trimming website
Additional Resources
- Watershed Management protects and improves the environmental and aesthetic quality of County surface waters, such as creeks, streams, lakes, bays and coastal waters.
- Mangroves are protected by the State’s Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act. Pinellas County enforces this statute.
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