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Tree Removal Permits in Treasure Island, FL
What Treasure Island's own code says about removing a tree, what the county adds, and where the dune rules take over.
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Yes, Treasure Island requires a city permit before you remove a protected tree, and it enforces that rule with fees, inch-for-inch replacement, and a $500 penalty clause. But this small beach city has a distinction none of its neighbors share: it is the only beach city in Pinellas County whose fee schedule prices Florida’s arborist-letter statute, F.S. § 163.045, by name. A removal that qualifies under the statute is listed at $0. The city doesn’t just tolerate the state exemption, it printed it into its price list.
The rules live in Chapter 72 of the Land Development Regulations, mainly §§ 72-111 through 72-114, with the definitions in § 72-2 and the fees in Appendix A. Community Development administers them: 10451 Gulf Blvd, (727) 547-4575 ext. 230, permits@mytreasureisland.org (Planning & Zoning handles tree permits, zoning@mytreasureisland.org). Hours are Monday–Thursday 8–4, Friday 8–12.
The threshold: two numbers, both in the code
Here is where honesty matters more than a tidy answer. The operative sentence, § 72-111(a)(3), reads:
"No native or otherwise protected tree (two-inch diameter at breast height or larger) shall be removed without prior authorization by the city."
That says 2 inches. But the definition of "protected tree" in § 72-2 says a protected tree is one with a DBH of more than 6 inches that isn’t otherwise exempt. And "native tree", the phrase that would explain the 2-inch number, is not defined anywhere in the code.
Both numbers are on the books. Nothing published verifies how the city applies them in practice, so the safe rule is simple: for any tree between 2 and 6 inches DBH, ask the city before you cut. Above 6 inches, assume you need a permit unless the tree is on the exempt list below.
Two measurement rules from § 72-2 change the math on real trees. DBH is measured 54 inches above the ground, and for a multi-stem tree, the diameter is the sum of the stems. A clump of three 3-inch stems is a 9-inch tree here, protected under either reading of the threshold.
Palms count, and mangroves count at any size
A "tree" in Treasure Island is any self-supporting woody plant that normally reaches 15 feet or more at maturity in Pinellas County, and palms are trees here (§ 72-2). That is the opposite of neighboring Indian Rocks Beach, so don’t carry one beach town’s palm rule to another.
Mangroves get the strongest protection in the chapter: § 72-2 declares all mangroves protected regardless of size. More on them below.
The city that prices § 163.045 by name
Florida Statute § 163.045 lets a qualifying single-family homeowner remove a tree without a local permit when a certified arborist or licensed landscape architect documents it as an unacceptable risk. Most cities handle the statute grudgingly, if at all. Treasure Island builds it into two official documents:
- The fee schedule (Appendix A, Art. I, Sec. 1): "Tree removal which is exempt under section 163.045, Florida Statutes, $0." Non-exempt removal is $50 per tree, and an after-the-fact permit for a non-exempt removal is $100.
- The city’s own Tree Removal Permit Checklist, which lists an "Arborist Report, For deceased, dying, or damaged tree(s), etc., not exempt under F.S. 163.045." The city’s paperwork assumes the statute exists and asks for the arborist report precisely where the statute doesn’t apply.
There is also a base permit fee: Appendix A Sec. 1(j) lists $53 per tree permitted to be removed, covering one inspection, with $50 for each additional inspection. Cross-check every dollar figure on this page against the FY2026 adopted fee schedule by phone before relying on it, the codified Appendix A and the newest adopted schedule are published separately, confirm current amounts with the city. Read our full § 163.045 page before anyone relies on the statute.
What needs no permit at all
Nine nuisance species are exempt from protection under § 72-91(a), and prohibited to plant: Australian pine, bishopwood, Brazilian pepper, punk (melaleuca), ear tree, laurel fig, weeping fig, eucalyptus, and willow.
Fallen trees need no permit. The city’s Building/Permits page says so directly, once it’s on the ground, you can haul it away.
Section 72-91 also exempts utility and government line work with 5 days' written notice (no notice required in emergencies), surveyors clearing a swath of 3 feet or less, licensed nurseries and groves, and gives the city manager power to suspend the tree rules during a hurricane or disaster.
And there is a shortcut most cities don’t offer: the automatic waiver of § 72-114. If a notarized owner’s statement and a site visit confirm there are no code-defined trees on the site, or the work affects less than 10% of the site and no trees, the permit requirement is waived.
Hazard trees cut both ways here
Being hazardous is a reason the city grants a permit, not a reason to skip one: § 72-111(a)(2)e approves removal of a tree "diseased or weakened by age, abuse, storm or fire" that is likely to cause injury or damage.
But Treasure Island adds a rule that surprises people: under **§ 72-4 it is unlawful to leave a hazardous tree standing. The city can order it removed, do the work itself if you don’t, recover the cost, and put a lien on the property**. In this city a dangerous tree isn’t just something you’re allowed to remove, it’s something you can be forced to.
The county code does not apply here
Treasure Island opted out of county tree regulation entirely. Section 72-5: the city "does hereby exclude and exempt itself from the provisions of any county ordinance regarding the planting or removal of trees or other vegetation." Whatever Pinellas County’s 2026 tree article says, including its 24-inch homestead threshold, Chapter 72 is the rulebook on this island.
Start here
Send us a photo of the tree.
You do not have to know whether it needs to come down. That is the part we are for.
- One photo, whole tree in frameTrunk base to top. A close-up of anything that looks wrong helps.
- Text us the photoThe text button below opens the right thread. Add your street and city.
- We come out and lookEvery estimate is in person, free, sometimes the answer is that it needs nothing.
Replacement: inch for inch
Section 72-111(b) requires that "for each inch of diameter at breast height removed, an inch of diameter at breast height shall be replaced," at the remover’s expense, on-site where practicable. Where it isn’t, replacement trees may be donated, or a fee in lieu paid, priced at the cost of purchasing the required size and number of replacement trees, not a fixed rate, which Appendix A routes into the city’s "Green Utility account" for planting on public property.
Mangroves and the dunes
Mangroves (§ 72-113), black, white, and red, with buttonwood in the definitions, are protected at any size, and the section states it applies "to all property owners, including single-family, duplex, and multifamily homeowners." Removal requires equal-number replacement or relocation on-site plus revegetation of an equal-or-greater area under an approved survival and stabilization plan, and the city permit isn’t the end of it: you need an FDEP permit in jurisdictional waters, or a Pinellas County Environmental Management permit where DEP-exempt. Trimming follows the state Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act (F.S. 403.9321–.9333) and the county LDC.
The dune preservation zone (§ 72-142) covers all shore areas seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line, where "excavation, destruction of native vegetation, and any other activities which are likely to adversely impact… any primary sand dune are prohibited." Any work near the CCCL also runs through F.S. 161.052, FDEP, and sea-turtle nesting criteria. If your tree stands in the dune, the conversation starts with the state, not a chainsaw.
Applying
Applications go through the city’s OPPS-TI online portal. The city’s checklist calls for: the application; proof of ownership (property appraiser record or deed, plus Sunbiz if a business); a subcontractor verification form; a current survey; two sets of drawings on the survey or site plan showing the trees marked for removal and the replacements; photos for property-damage trees; a notice of commencement for work over $5,000; a nursery invoice or payment-in-lieu estimate; and the arborist report for dying or damaged trees not exempt under § 163.045.
Plans are reviewed in the order received. No review timeline is published for standard permits, the only codified deadline is a 30-day commission decision for historic or specimen trees (§ 72-111(c)(3)).
Penalties
Chapter 72 has no tree-specific penalty, so the general clause applies: § 1-15 authorizes a fine of up to $500 and/or 60 days, and "each day… shall constitute a separate offense." Add the $100 after-the-fact permit fee, nuisance abatement, and the city’s ability to enjoin LDR violations, and an unpermitted removal costs far more than the $50 permit it replaced.
Frequently asked questions
Do palms need a permit in Treasure Island? Treat them like any other tree, palms meet the § 72-2 definition here, unlike Indian Rocks Beach next door. If the palm clears the protected-tree threshold and isn’t exempt, the permit rules apply.
My tree is only 4 inches across. Am I safe? We can’t promise that. The permit sentence says 2 inches for "native or otherwise protected" trees; the protected-tree definition says more than 6, and "native tree" is undefined. Below 6 inches, call (727) 547-4575 ext. 230 and ask before cutting.
A storm knocked my tree down. Do I need a permit to clear it? No, the city’s own permits page says fallen trees need no permit. But a storm-damaged tree still standing is different: it’s a permit application under § 72-111(a)(2)e, and if it’s genuinely hazardous, § 72-4 says you can’t lawfully leave it up.
I have no trees on my lot at all. Do I still deal with this chapter? Section 72-114 gives you an automatic waiver: a notarized statement plus a city site visit confirming no code-defined trees, and you’re done.
What does the permit actually cost? Per the codified Appendix A: $53 base per tree with one inspection, then $0, $50, or $100 depending on § 163.045 status. Confirm against the current FY2026 fee schedule by phone, confirm the adopted figures with the city.
Can you handle the permit for us? Yes. We assess the tree, prepare the arborist documentation where the statute applies, assemble the checklist package, and file through OPPS-TI as part of the job. Call (727) 365-1803.
Verified against the Treasure Island Code, Ch. 72 and Appendix A, codified through Ord. No. 2025-32 (Supp. No. 27), and the city’s published permit checklist and pages, as of July 2026. Ordinances change, if a detail matters to your decision, confirm the current text with the city first.
See also tree service in Treasure Island and tree removal in Treasure Island.
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Reviews · Tree Removal Permits in Treasure Island, FL
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