Lake Mary Tree Removal Ordinance: Protected or Not?

The Lake Mary tree removal ordinance protects mature and specimen trees above a set trunk size, which means most healthy oaks and large canopy trees in the city can’t simply be cut down without a permit. Smaller trees, certain palms, and dead or hazardous trees are generally treated differently — but if you’re looking at a big shade tree, assume it’s protected until the city code says otherwise.

The short version: In Lake Mary, protected and specimen trees over the size threshold need a permit, and removal often comes with a replacement or mitigation requirement. Dead and dangerous trees are usually the exception. Always confirm the current code before you cut.

We’re based right here in Lake Mary, and we navigate the city’s tree rules constantly for homeowners across town and the surrounding Heathrow, Longwood, and Sanford communities. Here’s what the ordinance actually protects — and how we handle it for you.

What Does the Lake Mary Tree Ordinance Protect?

Lake Mary, like most Central Florida cities, has built its tree protection into its land development code. The city has long taken pride in its tree canopy — it’s part of what makes neighborhoods here feel established and shaded — and the ordinance exists to keep that canopy from disappearing one removal at a time.

The ordinance generally focuses on a few categories:

• Protected trees — healthy trees at or above a defined trunk diameter (measured as DBH, about 4.5 feet up). Once a tree crosses that size, a permit is typically required to remove it.
• Specimen and historic trees — exceptionally large, old, or significant trees. These face the strictest standards. Removing one is harder to get approved and usually carries the heaviest replacement requirement.
• Heritage canopy species — the live oaks, laurel oaks, and other native hardwoods that define the city’s tree cover.

What’s generally less restricted: many smaller ornamentals, some palm species, and trees the code classifies as nuisance or invasive. But the exact protected-size threshold and the exempt-species list are set by the city and updated over time, so the only reliable move is to confirm against the City of Lake Mary land development code for your specific property before scheduling any removal. We verify this as part of every Lake Mary job.

Replacement, Mitigation, and HOA Overlay

Getting a permit is often only half the story in Lake Mary. The other half is mitigation.

When you remove a protected tree, the city frequently requires you to replace it — either by planting new trees of a specified size, or, where on-site planting isn’t practical, by contributing to a tree fund. The larger the tree you remove, the larger the mitigation requirement tends to be. This is why removing a single grand oak can involve more than just the cut: you’re often committing to replant.

There’s a second layer many Lake Mary homeowners forget: your HOA. Plenty of Lake Mary and Heathrow neighborhoods sit inside community associations that have their own tree and landscaping rules layered on top of the city code. You can be fully compliant with the city and still need HOA architectural approval before a tree comes down. We always check both.

Penalties for illegal removal are real. Taking out a protected or specimen tree without a permit can bring substantial fines plus mandatory replacement — often far more than the cost of permitting it correctly. We’ve been brought in to help homeowners untangle a removal that went ahead without approval, and it’s never the cheaper path.

We recently helped a homeowner near downtown Lake Mary who wanted a leaning, declining water oak removed from over their driveway. Because we documented the tree’s condition, identified it correctly, and handled the city’s process and the HOA notice, the removal went through cleanly with the right replacement plan — no surprise fines, no stop-work order.

How DeAngelo’s Navigates the Lake Mary Ordinance for You

Here’s the relief: you don’t have to read the land development code yourself. When you call us about a tree in Lake Mary, our ISA Certified Arborist:

1. Identifies the species and measures DBH to determine whether it’s protected or specimen under the current code.
2. Confirms the current rules — protected threshold, exempt species, and mitigation requirement — against the city’s code for your address.
3. Prepares and submits the permit if one is required, including any required site plan or tree survey.
4. Plans the mitigation — replacement trees or fund contribution — so you know the full picture up front, not after the fact.
5. Flags HOA approval so you’re covered on both the city and community side.
6. Removes the tree safely and completes any required replanting or inspection.

For dead, diseased, or storm-damaged trees, the path is usually faster — these often qualify for exempt or expedited removal — but we still document the condition so there’s a clear record. You can learn how the broader county rules interact with city ordinances in our Seminole County tree removal permit guide.

If you want to see the full range of tree work we do right here in our home city, visit our Lake Mary service area page, and for trimming and removal in the neighboring community, see tree trimming in Longwood.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Lake Mary?
If the tree is a protected species at or above the city’s size threshold, yes — a permit is generally required, even on your own residential property. Dead and hazardous trees are usually the exception. Smaller trees and certain palms may not need one, but confirm before cutting.

What is a “specimen tree” in Lake Mary?
A specimen tree is an exceptionally large, old, or significant tree that the city singles out for the strictest protection. Removing one is harder to get approved and typically carries the heaviest replacement requirement. Many of Lake Mary’s grand live oaks fall into this category.

Will I have to plant a new tree if I remove one?
Often, yes. Lake Mary’s ordinance frequently requires mitigation — planting replacement trees or contributing to a tree fund — when a protected tree is removed. The size of the requirement usually scales with the size of the tree you take out.

What about my HOA’s tree rules?
Many Lake Mary and Heathrow communities have their own association rules on top of the city code. You may need HOA architectural approval even after the city signs off. We check both so nothing gets missed.

Can DeAngelo’s handle the permit and paperwork?
Yes. We identify the tree, confirm the current code, submit the permit, plan any required mitigation, and flag HOA approval — all as part of the job — so you don’t have to navigate the ordinance yourself.

Need a Tree Removed in Lake Mary? Call (386) 675-2303

DeAngelo’s Land Services is based right here in Lake Mary — veteran-owned, BBB A+ rated, Google Guaranteed, with an ISA Certified Arborist on staff and a 5.0-star rating across 211+ reviews. We know the city’s tree ordinance, and we handle the permitting and mitigation so your removal is done safely and legally.

Before you take down that oak, let us confirm whether it’s protected and handle the city process for you.

Call us at (386) 675-2303 or request a free estimate online. Ask about our 10% veteran discount.

About the Author

Mark DeAngelo is an ISA Certified Arborist and the founder of DeAngelo’s Land Services in Lake Mary, Florida. A USAF combat veteran, Mark leads a BBB A+ rated, Google Guaranteed crew trusted by homeowners and businesses across Seminole, Volusia, and Orange counties.