Plant a Tree in the Right of Way

Do you want to improve the area in front of your property and help beautify your neighborhood? Planting new trees or shrubs is an easy and eco-friendly way to enhance the look around your home or business. 

The City’s Environmental Resources Division requires permits for planting new trees or shrubs on public property (and the street), to ensure that no future safety issues or access concerns arise.

Online

Can you Visibly/Obviously See the Right of Way?

If the area where you want to plant is clearly in the "Right of Way" (public property), i.e. marked by sidewalks or utility poles, proceed to step three (e.g. if you want to plant a tree between the sidewalk and the street), that is considered the right of way. 

Determine the Right of Way

If you want to plant a tree and are unsure if it's in the right of way, or where the right of way begins/ends you need to complete some steps.

  • Obtain a boundary survey for your property. Many homeowners already have this, but if not, you need to hire a licensed surveyor to have them prepare it.  

Collect Documents 

  • A Completed Permit Application (see below for permit form, you must print this out, fill in, and notarize)

IMPORTANT: You only need to fill in folio number, job address, owner, owner's address, and phone. If you do not know folio number, you can do a property search here

  • Two (2) copies of a site plan showing the location of the home and any nearby sidewalks or roads. The proposed location of each new trees / shrubs must be clearly marked along with sizes of them (Common names, scientific names, diameter of each tree, and overall height) at the time of installation. 

Tip: It is recommended that applicants consult with the City’s list of approved Right of Way Trees prior to preparing a site plan (see below).  Click Here to View Approved Right of Way Trees
NOTE: If your property is more than two units, you need to have a landscape architect prepare the site plan. If not, it can be drawn by the owner or the owner's representative. 

Click Here to Print Permit Application

Get a Process Number.

All applications reviewed by the City must have a Process Number. To obtain a process number, click here:

  • Click intake
  • Start new application
  • Answer the questions, when you complete the application, you will be given a process number. 

IMPORTANT: If you are also planning to remove/relocate trees, you must denote this on your application. This carries a fee of $12. 

TIP: If you don't have an account, create one with username/email and continue

Submit Materials

Bring the above materials to the City’s Building Department: 444 SW 2nd Ave, 4th Floor. 

TIP: Be sure to provide your process number, per the above. 

Have Your Plans Reviews

A specialist from Environmental Resources must review your plans.  

  • Plans should be dropped off for review Monday to Friday from 7:45AM-12:30PM and from 1:30PM-3:30PM.
  • If you have questions that need to be addressed, walkthrough hours for review are MWF from 8AM-12:30.
    NOTE: The plan reviewer may request that the plans be dropped off for technical review and returned to the applicant at a later date.  

Await a response

  • Once the plans have been reviewed by an Environmental Resources reviewer, you will be notified via phone or email if your plans were approved or denied. 
  • Plans that have been denied can be reviewed here, by clicking "inquiries-global inquiries", and selecting plan (process) number or address/folio number from the drop down. Refer to the results / remarks tab and the "environmental resources" drop down from "disciplines" to view comments. 

Pick up Plans

Approved or denied plans must be retrieved from the building department before acquiring a permit or resubmitting.  

Pick Up & Pay for Permit

  • Get your permit issued from the permitting counter on the fourth floor. You must provide them with your approved plans.
  • If you are removing trees, you need to pay for your permit in order for it be active. You can do this at the cashier on the fourth floor. (You need to know your transaction ID #). 
  • You may now proceed with your work. 

Schedule inspection

Once you have completed the permitted work, you will need to contact Environmental Resources to schedule an inspection.  Call 305-416-1551 or email environmentalres@miamigov.com. 

  • NOTE: Your permit will expire after 180 days if you have not scheduled an inspection or applied for renewal.  You can get sited/fined if you allow this to happen. 

Close Permit

The inspector will finalize the permit.