St. Augustine Beach adopts tree-protection rule, removes maximum-size limits and sets an 8-inch baseline
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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 year, there have been multiple applications for flexible setbacks to save trees," Miss Johnson said, describing revisions that add a tree list, require an arborist's report documenting age, health and location, and set minimum diameters for certain species.
Commissioners debated whether to keep maximum diameter-at-breast-height (DBH) entries in the ordinance. Several members argued that an arborist's certification should be the controlling standard rather than a strict maximum. The commission approved a motion to remove maximum DBH entries from the draft table and to adopt a default minimum DBH of 8 inches for any tree not listed, with an explicit carve-out referencing the palm-tree rules elsewhere in the code.
The ordinance also clarifies that an applicant seeking a flexible setback must provide an arborist's report certifying the tree's health and that placement of a new structure will not jeopardize it. Staff said the proposed tree list was adapted from the City of St. Augustine's code and that planners can revise species or sizes as needed during subsequent rulemaking. Public comment included suggestions that a replanting requirement be considered if a previously preserved tree is later removed.
The motion to adopt Ordinance 2026‑02, as amended, passed by voice vote. The commission recorded no roll-call objections and declared the motion adopted.
What happens next: staff will post the adopted ordinance and implement the updated application and arborist-report requirements; enforcement details and an administrative checklist are expected to follow.
