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Ordinances
The trees of Sarasota County are governed by a suite of ordinances that carefully regulate the disturbance or removal of native and grand trees, administer the cultivation and preservation of street trees and establish a protected network of lush, picturesque canopy roads which thread throughout the county.
 Canopy Road Ordinance
The Canopy Road Ordinance (Art. IV, §98-92) designates, promotes and protects our natural and cultivated canopy roads. Sarasota County has 61 canopy roads to date.
Along these roads, dappled sunlight filters through integrated live oaks and other majestic shade trees to form natural covered bridges over residential streets and public thoroughfares.
To view the resolution click Canopy Road Resolution.
To view the entire ordinance click Canopy Road Ordinance.
 Street Tree Ordinance
The Street Tree Ordinance (Art. III, §98.71) sets forth principles for the installation, maintenance and preservation of trees on the public rights-of-way and other public open spaces. More specifically, this regulation provides for tree inventory and assessment, removal of invasive species and promotion of healthy, native tree communities in our public spaces.
Pursuant to the ordinance, Sarasota County also established a Neighborhood Street Planting Program (§98-82) that allows blocks, subdivisions or other geographic districts to band with their neighbors and the Forestry Division in a community beautification initiative to plant appropriate trees in the relevant rights-of-way and public spaces.
 Tree Protection Ordinance
The Tree Protection Ordinance (Art. XVIII, §54-581) introduced a procedure for preemptive review and permitting requirements for new developments. This regulation also expands protection of grand trees upon private as well as public land, in order to preserve champion, heritage and specimen trees whose age, quality and other characteristics command unique consideration. Below is the text of Article XVIII, §54-581, or to view the entire ordinance click Tree Protection Ordinance.
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