Permit for site clearing; application; required documentation; inspections.
Tampa City Code § 27-284.2.1
in effectSec. 27-284.2.1. - Permit for site clearing; application; required documentation; inspections.
No person shall commence any site clearing, demolition, or receive a building permit for any development on a parcel in the city until a permit is issued by the department in accordance with this division to ensure such activity does not harm any protected tree, grand tree, drainage, soils, wetlands, or other environmentally sensitive areas, on that parcel. In instances where phased development is to occur pursuant to the terms of a zoning plan approval in compliance with this chapter, a person shall only be required to apply for a permit pursuant to the terms of this division for that phase of the development that is proposed, in the permit application, to be developed.
(a) Site clearing permit. Required for any parcel on which protected trees, grand trees, wetlands, and/or other environmentally sensitive areas, are located within thirty (30) feet of proposed development, as confirmed by the site inspection.
(b) Applicant, generally. The applicant for a site clearing permit must be one (1) of the following entities:
1. The property owner of a single- or two-family dwelling or of a parcel upon which a single- or two-family dwelling is to be built;
2. An arborist;
3. A licensed landscaping contractor;
4. A licensed tree service;
5. A licensed demolition subcontractor;
6. A licensed house moving subcontractor;
7. A licensed paving subcontractor;
8. A licensed excavation subcontractor;
9. A licensed general contractor;
10. A licensed building contractor; or
11. A licensed residential contractor.
(c) Application for site clearing, or clearing of underbrush/understory vegetation with no construction. The application for site clearing, or clearing of underbrush/understory vegetation on a parcel where no construction is occurring, shall include at a minimum, the property owner information, parcel information, nature of request and proposed development description, and a property survey with accurate data reflecting any wetland(s) or other environmentally sensitive area(s); location(s), specie(s), and DBH of any on site tree; and, any tree within twenty (20) feet of the property. Additional information may be required by the natural resources coordinator or designee, upon review of the application and supporting documentation and/or following a field inspection.
(d) Standards for review of application and granting of permit. An application shall be approved and a permit for applicable site clearing activities is granted, if it is determined that:
(1) The tree protection requirements for the proposed site clearing activities are consistent with the requirements of this division and the Technical Manual;
(2) The erosion control measures proposed adhere to applicable local and/or state law;
(3) The site clearing will not encroach upon any buffer for wetlands or other environmentally sensitive areas;
(4) All invasive and noxious species of plant material ("exempt plant species") shall be removed as part of the site clearing permit activity (refer to definition in section 27-43); and
(5) Any applicable tree mitigation has been properly calculated and presented in a form approved by the department.
(e) Work authorized for site clearing. The permittee is authorized to clear a site of brush and/or any trees, which have been approved for removal by the department. Such work is authorized after a site inspection pursuant to subsection (f) below and must be completed in accordance with this Code and the Technical Manual.
(f) On-site inspections. Before an on-site inspection:
(1) All protected trees or grand trees to be removed during land alteration and site clearing shall be identified by red flagging;
(2) The rights-of-way of proposed roads, corners of proposed buildings, location of proposed drainage basins, manmade lakes, areas that require fill, and other improvements shall be rough-staked; and
(3) Protective barricades installed. If upon inspection it is found that the areas and features described in item (2) above have not been rough-staked, the inspection shall be failed. Once these preparations have been corrected/completed, the applicant shall request/schedule a re-inspection.
(g) Inspection for compliance. Each permit for site clearing shall state that the applicant shall notify the department within forty-eight (48) hours after site clearing activity has been completed. The department shall inspect the site, and if no violations have occurred, the department shall issue a final inspection release. No further development activity of any nature shall commence or be carried out on the parcel that is the subject of the permit for site clearing until the final release has been issued.
(h) Duration of permit. Each approved permit for site clearing shall provide that site clearing shall commence within six (6) months from the date of issuance of the permit. If development is delayed, an additional six (6) months shall be provided upon written request to the department, with approval by the natural resources coordinator or designee. The permit shall expire and become null and void at the end of this period, if the site clearing authorized has not commenced and occurred in a continuous manner, has ceased or been interrupted at any time after commencement, or a transfer of ownership of the affected parcel has occurred.
(Ord. No. 2019-54, § 33(Exh. A), 4-18-2019; Ord. No. 2020-166, § 45, 12-17-2020)
Source: City of Tampa, Code of Ordinances and Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/fl/tampa/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH27ZOLADE_ARTVISURE_DIV4NARETRLAWEUPHA_SD2GEPEPR_S27-284.2.1PESICLAPREDOINFetched: 10/28/2026