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St. Augustine Beach adopts tree-protection rule, removes maximum-size limits and sets an 8-inch baseline
Summary
The City Commission adopted Ordinance 2026‑02 to refine flexible setbacks used to preserve trees, removing maximum diameter caps and adding an 8-inch default threshold for unlisted species; the ordinance requires arborist reports to verify long-term health before granting setbacks.
The City of St. Augustine Beach on Jan. 5 adopted Ordinance 2026‑02 amending Article 6 of the city's Land Development Regulations to clarify how flexible setbacks may be used to preserve significant trees.
Senior planner Miss Johnson told the commission that multiple recent applications for flexible setbacks exposed ambiguity in the city's rules, and that a new Florida law allowing property owners with an arborist or licensed landscape architect report to remove trees complicated local review. "So within the past…
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