Broward County Landscape Intelligence

FloridaLandscapeIQ Professional Reference | Last Verified: January 2025

County Overview for Landscape Professionals

Broward County sits between Miami-Dade (south) and Palm Beach (north), with USDA Zone 10a-10b conditions slightly cooler than Miami-Dade. This matters for tropical species — some plants that thrive year-round in Miami-Dade may show cold sensitivity in Broward during unusual cold events.

Broward has one of the highest concentrations of HOA-governed communities in Florida, making HOA compliance intelligence especially critical for contractors working in this county. Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs, and Plantation are all major HOA markets.

Governing Agencies

Broward County Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division

• broward.org/environment
• Environmental resource permits for wetland-adjacent properties
• Tree removal permits for protected species

Broward County Water Permitting Division

• Irrigation permits for commercial landscapes
• Water use efficiency requirements

City-Specific Building Departments Broward County has 31 municipalities — always verify city-specific landscape requirements in addition to county rules. Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Deerfield Beach all have city-level landscape ordinances that supplement county rules.

Irrigation Restrictions

Broward County irrigation is regulated by SFWMD and Broward County Code.

Year-round schedule (standard):

• Landscapes: 2 days per week
• Microirrigation: 3 days per week
• Before 10am or after 4pm only

New plantings exemption:

• Daily watering permitted for first 30 days
• Document new planting date for inspector reference

Broward County Water-Wise Landscaping: Broward County actively promotes water-wise landscaping and offers rebate programs for irrigation system upgrades. Connect clients to broward.org/water for rebate information — this is a client service differentiator for irrigation contractors.

Invasive Species — Broward County

Broward County enforces FLEPPC listings plus county-specific ordinances.

Absolutely Prohibited

All FLEPPC Category I species plus:

• Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolia) — removal required in some zones
• Melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia) — active removal program
• Australian pine (Casuarina equisetifolia) — prohibited and removal required
• Old world climbing fern (Lygodium microphyllum) — aggressive removal program
• Air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) — prohibited

Broward-Specific Monitoring List

• Java plum (Syzygium cumini) — Category I — check before specifying
• Earleaf acacia (Acacia auriculiformis) — Category I — do not specify

Important for contractors: Broward County has active removal programs for several invasive species. If a client's property has existing invasive species, document this in writing before beginning work — you do not want liability for pre-existing invasive species on a new landscape project.

Florida-Friendly Landscaping in Broward

Broward County Extension is one of the most active FFL program offices in Florida. Resources for contractors:

• Broward County Extension FFL Program: broward.ifas.ufl.edu
• Free soil testing available through extension office
• Master Gardener volunteer program — referral source for homeowners

HOA FFL compliance: Same protections apply as statewide — HOAs cannot prohibit FFL landscapes. Broward Extension can provide official documentation to support contractor-client disputes with HOAs.

Tree Protection — Broward County

Broward County tree regulations vary by municipality. Always check city-specific ordinances in addition to county rules.

County-level protections:

• Native trees: Protected regardless of size in unincorporated Broward
• Non-native trees 4"+ DBH: Permit required for removal
• Heritage trees: County registry — contact county for list

Fort Lauderdale (most restrictive in Broward):

• Trees 6"+ DBH: Permit required for removal
• Live oak: Special protection — enhanced permit requirements
• Replacement ratio: 2:1 for canopy trees

Hollywood:

• Trees 4"+ DBH: Permit required
• Native trees: Enhanced protection

Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines:

• Moderate protections — verify with city building department

Always do a tree survey and pull the appropriate permit before any removal work. Broward County violation fines: $500-$5,000 per tree.

HOA Landscape Law — Broward

Same state law applies as all Florida counties (FL Statute 720.3075 and 373.185) with these Broward-specific notes:

Broward HOA density: Broward County has some of the highest HOA community density in Florida. Contractors working exclusively in Broward should be fluent in HOA law — a significant percentage of all residential landscape work involves HOA approval processes.

Deed restriction review: In Broward's many planned communities (Weston, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines), deed restrictions may specify approved plant palettes. These can be more restrictive than county law — always review deed restrictions before submitting landscape plans.

Common Broward HOA requirements:

• Advance plan submission (typically 30-60 days before installation)
• Approval of plant palette and layout
• Post-installation inspection requirement
• Minimum maintenance standards

Commercial Availability — Broward County

Major wholesale nursery areas in/near Broward:

• Homestead/South Miami-Dade: Largest concentration — 45-60min drive
• Davie/Southwest Broward: Several wholesale operations
• Deerfield Beach: Northern Broward wholesale access

Broward-specific availability notes: Same species available as Miami-Dade with slightly longer lead times for large-specimen material sourced from Homestead nurseries.

For large commercial projects: Source at minimum 60 days in advance for large caliper live oaks, old-growth gumbo limbo, and bulk native material.

Key Contacts

• Broward County Environmental Planning: 954-357-6670
• Broward County Extension: 954-370-3725
• SFWMD South Florida Water: 1-800-432-2045
• Fort Lauderdale Building: 954-828-6520
• Broward County Fire (landscape near structures): 954-831-8065

Sources: Broward County Code | SFWMD | UF/IFAS Broward Extension | Florida Statute 720.3075 | FLEPPC 2023 List Verified: January 2025 | Next review: July 2025

Interiorscaping — Broward County 2026

Broward County's commercial real estate market — centered on Fort Lauderdale's Downtown and Las Olas corridors, the I-595 office parks, Boca Raton's Corporate Park at the Palm Beach border, and Weston's corporate campus zone — generates consistent demand for professional commercial interiorscaping services.

Market Profile

Fort Lauderdale's hospitality sector (the Las Olas Boulevard restaurant corridor, Port Everglades cruise terminal hotels, and the beach hotel strip along A1A) is among the highest-density hospitality interiorscaping markets in South Florida. The County also has a substantial healthcare sector anchor in Broward Health's four-hospital network and Memorial Healthcare System, creating steady demand for healthcare-compliant interior plant programs.

Key Broward interiorscaping venues:

• Fort Lauderdale Downtown and Las Olas office district
• Port Everglades cruise terminal hotel corridor
• Weston corporate campus zone (Pembroke Road)
• I-95 Sunrise commercial corridor
• Boca Raton Corporate Park (shared with Palm Beach)
• Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare System campuses

Contractor Registration

Commercial interiorscapers in Broward County must register as contractors with Broward County's Contractor Licensing Section if performing installations exceeding $2,500. Companies operating primarily in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, or Pembroke Pines should confirm municipal licensing requirements, as some cities have separate contractor registration processes.

Living Wall Regulations

Living walls (biophilic green wall installations) in Broward County buildings may require structural review by the Building Department for wall-mounted systems exceeding 50 lbs per square foot loading. Interiorscapers specifying large living wall installations should coordinate with the property's structural engineer before finalizing design. Broward County permits are typically not required for freestanding living wall units under 400 lbs total.

Contractor note: Broward County's high HOA density (see HOA section above) means that interior plant installations in condominium amenity areas frequently require HOA architectural review committee approval before work begins. Allow 30-60 days for approvals in Weston, Coral Springs, and Pembroke Pines communities.