Will the Tree Preservation Amendment apply to my single family home?
Will the Tree Preservation Amendment apply to agricultural lands?
What type of trees will the Tree Preservation Amendment protect?
What size trees will the Tree Preservation Amendment protect?
What size trees are protected under the current ordinance?
Will the Tree Preservation Amendment prevent trees from being removed?
Does the Tree Preservation Amendment provide credits to developers for saving trees?
What if a protected tree has to be removed during development?
Does the Tree Preservation Amendment replace or repeal any existing ordinance?
How did you get the Tree Preservation Amendment on the November Ballot?
Who can amend the City of Jacksonville’s Charter?
Will the Tree Preservation Amendment apply to my single family
home?
No. All single-family homes on individual lots (not capable of further subdivision)
are exempt.
Back to Top
Will the Tree Preservation Amendment apply to agricultural
lands?
No. All bona-fide agricultural lands are exempt.
Back to Top
What type of trees will the Tree Preservation Amendment protect?
The Tree Preservation Amendment will protect all large hardwood trees. Pine trees and
palm trees will not be protected, except for the Long Leaf Pine and the Cabbage Palm (the
‘State Tree’). In addition, any tree identified by the State of Florida as an invasive
species will not be protected.
Back to Top
What size trees will the Tree Preservation Amendment protect?
Any hardwood tree, long leaf pine or cabbage palm with a 3-foot circumference or greater
will be protected. A 3-foot circumference also equals a "dbh" (diameter at breast
height) of 11.5 inches.
Back to Top
What size trees are protected under the current ordinance?
The current ordinance only protects trees with a 24-inch "dbh" or 6.28-foot circumference.
Back to Top
Will the Tree Preservation Amendment prevent trees from being removed?
No. The Tree Preservation Amendment does not prevent trees from being removed in the
development process. It simply encourages and promotes the protection and conservation
of existing trees.
Back to Top
Does the Tree Preservation Amendment provide credits to
developers for saving trees?
Yes. Developers and builders can earn "conservation credits" by leaving smaller trees on the
site that wouldn’t otherwise be protected.
Back to Top
What if a protected tree has to be removed during development?
Despite even the best planning efforts to save large trees at a development site, sometimes
construction does require that a protected tree be removed. If that should occur, the
developer or builder has three options to provide for replacement trees;
- Plant replacement trees on-site; or
- Plant replacement trees at an off-site location; or
- Contribute the monetary equivalent of the cost of the replacement trees to the City
of Jacksonville's Tree Protection and Related Expenses Trust Fund for planting in Duval
County.
The developer or builder only has to replace any felled protected tree at a ratio of 1:3,
unless the felled tree is a live oak (which often live for 300-500 years) at a ratio of
1:1.
For example, if a developer or builder has to remove a protected tree with an 18-inch dbh,
the developer or builder would be required to replace that tree with a 6-inch caliper
(18 / 3 = 6). The developer or builder is allowed to plant three (3) 2-inch caliper
trees instead of one (1) 6-inch caliper if that is more practical for the planting
site. Should the developer or builder opt for third option and contribute a dollar
amount to the Tree Protection and Related Expense Trust Fund, the same ratios apply and the
developer or builder would only be responsible for 6-inches, not 18-inches.
Back to Top
Does the Tree Preservation Amendment replace or repeal any
existing ordinance?
No. The Tree Preservation Amendment does not replace or repeal any existing ordinance -
it simply establishes minimum standards for tree protection, conservation and mitigation in
Duval County.
Back to Top
How did you get the Tree Preservation Amendment on the November
Ballot?
In connection with the initiative and referendum process pursuant to section 18.05 of our
City Charter, to place a Charter Amendment on the ballot, 5% of the registered voters from
Duval County (from the last consolidated countywide general election) must sign the proposed
Charter Amendment petition. The sponsors of the initiative, with help from Citizens
for Tree Preservation, Inc., needed 20,941 signed petitions to place the Charter Amendment
on the November ballot. They turned in over 31,000 petitions to the Supervisor of
Elections in September.
Back to Top
Who can amend the City of Jacksonville’s Charter?
The Charter may be amended (1) by ordinance by the City Council, either directly or by
placing an issue on the ballot, subject to certain limitations, (2) by the Florida
Legislature, or (3) by Duval County voters directly through the initiative and referendum
process.
Back to Top
