Governor Ron DeSantis just signed off on CS/House Bill 1159 barring local governments from regulating the removal, pruning or trimming of a tree on private property if a certified arborist or registered landscape architect determines the tree poses a danger. Yes, this state law makes it easier for residential property owners to remove trees from their property, under certain conditions. It also does not regulate the replacement, or mitigation of removed canopy, which needs to be preserved in our state. Trees add value to your home under most circumstances and can save you money on energy bills by regulating the temperature of your home. With this CS/House Bill 1159 in place, a local government may not require a property owner to replace the tree that has “been pruned, trimmed, or removed in accordance with the bill provisions”. Although the CS/House Bill 1159 does not apply to the delegated authority of mangrove protection thus trimming or removal of mangroves will still require a permit.

• It is our understanding that this Law does not apply to public, commercial or industrial properties
• It does not apply to trees that do not pose a danger or threat to private residential property
• It does not apply to mangrove trees.
• It does apply to Specimen and Historical Trees

We are your go-to trusted advisors and consultants and can provide extremely important information regarding tree permitting Do’s and Don’ts. We have registered Landscape Architects and certified arborists on staff ready to help. Call certified arborist, William Mohler, at (954) 628-3623 for more information or to set up a meeting. Visit our website at https://www.millerlegg.com/. Or send an email to wmohler@millerlegg.com or dlarson@millerlegg.com for additional information.

Find more information about the benefits of trees here: https://www.fs.fed.us/learn/trees