Feature Article - for release the week of November 2, 2008

Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent

Vote for a Greener Okeechobee

This week is going to witness some very important votes that will change the face of our community forever.  Certainly anyone who has been awake over the past year is aware that national and local elections take place this Tuesday.  I hope you have studied the candidates and issues and vote your conscious for what you believe is right.  

Another important vote will take place this Thursday. Okeechobee County Commissioners will hold a final hearing on the county’s first-ever landscaping ordinance. Today’s column will describe some of its features and encourage interested persons to offer their opinions before the final public hearing, scheduled for this Thursday, November 6^th. 

 

Why a landscape ordinance?

A couple years ago a community-wide visioning workshop asked our local residents what they wanted to see in their community.  One item high on the list was a desire to have a nice looking community with enough attractive landscaping to make this a nicer place to live and work. 

Among the ways to do this is to have some minimum requirements for the amount and kinds of vegetation that should be planted around local homes and businesses.  Coupled with the need for green are other important issues where plants can impact people, structures and safety.  The intent of this ordinance is not to impose an inflexible narrow viewpoint of what is attractive, but to encourage a little more thought into what our community can look like.

This county landscape ordinance is a first step.  While there are some people that want it written more strongly, others feel that these regulations are totally unnecessary and add costs and may slow new development.  As these rules become implemented, there may need to be changes.  The County Planning Board and Commission will be able to take a look at the ordinance as it evolves and make changes to address any new and emerging issues.

 

What will this mean to me?

The proposed landscaping ordinance generally will apply to any new building construction and to locations that are being significantly renovated.  All new buildings or renovations that will double the size of the existing floor space will have to include a plan for landscape improvements when the application for a building permit is submitted.

Minimum requirements of this ordinance are not nearly as extensive as other landscape codes that I have seen.  For example, a 10 x 100 foot building (1,000 square foot) will need a minimum of one tree and 5 shrubs - either newly planted or kept in place from the existing vegetation.  And, a 15 foot area of sod (or landscaped beds) needs to be planted around the building to keep bare soil in place.

There are additional requirements in the code that will insure that things (like dumpsters and parking lots) are screened from view, and other provisions that will help create a visible green frame (called a buffer strip) around a building.   

Landscape plans drawn by landscape architects will be reviewed to insure that these guidelines are followed. Applicants can also submit alternative plans that may differ from some of these requirements if unusual site conditions or hardship cases occur. 

The final stage of the building process involves receiving a certificate of occupancy.  Getting this move-in document will depend on getting the landscape installed properly.  There also is a provision that landscape materials must be kept healthy after the building process is complete.

Other provisions of the code encourage the use of water conservation by using of native plants.  Properly designed irrigation systems, including the use of drip irrigation and rainfall shutoff devices, are also addressed.  (These practices are what our Extension Service’s Florida Yards and Neighborhood program is all about – helping people make better choices as they create Florida Friendly Yards.)    

   

What plants are prohibited?

There are two major prohibitions included in the proposed ordinance.  The first prohibited items are certain weedy plants that should not be in landscapes.  The ordinance has an appendix that lists prohibited plants that can not be intentionally added to a landscape in the county.

Specifically mentioned are nine trees that present special problems in our community. It also references three lists of many other plants that are already prohibited by the USDA [the Federal Noxious Weed list], the Florida Department of Agriculture [State Noxious weed List], and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection [Prohibited Aquatic Plants].  (If you want to see these lists, we have copes at our office and can provide Internet links, too.)

I would note that the ordinance does not demand that prohibited plants now on property must be removed.  Instead, the provisions apply when a structure is built or renovated.  When such a change in the building occurs, prohibited plants will not be allowed to be considered as part of the minimum landscape requirements. 

Can I remove a big tree?

C = p x d   is the formula for calculating circumference. So  48”  = 3.14  x  d      d = 48/3.14 = 15.3”

A second item to mention is that big oak trees in developed areas can’t be removed.  In this case “big” refers to a tree with a trunk measuring more than 48 inches in circumference at a height of 4 ½ feet above the ground.   

If you are confused by circumference, this is the measurement around the trunk of the tree.  The 48 inch circumference translates to a trunk measurement of a little more than 15 inches across.  Since tree trunks are not perfect circles, the trunk could be a little bigger or smaller when considering this removal prohibition.

The County Planning Board considered the idea that in rural areas and single family homes, it may be necessary to remove a tree for various reasons, so this part of the code will not apply in those locations.  The intent is to keep persons from removing specimen quality trees whenever construction activities may impact existing natural vegetation.  In any case, a variance can be asked for if a big tree needs to be removed.

 

 

Public hearing and approval

The second and final public hearing on this county ordinance will occur on Thursday November 6^th, 2008.  It will begin at 5:01 PM at the Health Department Auditorium, 1728 NW 9^th Avenue in Okeechobee. At that time, the County Commission may make changes and move to approve these regulations.  The public is invited to pickup up a copy of the proposal at the County Planning Department Building or here at our Extension office.

I’ve placed more information on our Okeechobee web page, http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu.  If you need additional information on local Florida Friendly landscaping, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469.  Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 3 PM on Tuesday afternoons. Go Gators!

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Trade  names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Larry A.  Arrington, Dean. Last update: 10/30/2008.  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert  

 

Appendix A The following plants are considered to be a nuisance within Okeechobee County and are prohibited from being planted anywhere in the county: (Click on blue links to see photos of these plants)	Photos courtesy of: UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
Melaleuca   Melaleuca quinquenervia
Brazilian Peppertree  Schinus terebinthefolius
Australian Pine  Casurina spp.
Carrotwood Cupaniopsis anacardiodes
Catclaw Mimosa Mimosa pigra
Earleaf Acacia   Acacia auriculaeformis
Eucalyptus sp. [Except E. torelliana, E. camaldulensis & E. cinera] Permitted Eucalyptus shown at right:   (Click on photos to see larger pictures of these plants)	Cadaga =  E. torelliana Photo: Ed Gilman, UF/IFAS	River Redgum  = E. camaldulensis	Silver-Dollar Eucalyptus   = E. cinerea  Photo taken in Costa Rica by Dan Culbert, UF/IFAS
Silk Oak  Grevillea robusta	Thumbnails of foliage, flower and tree from Dr. Ed Gilman
Ficus Trees  [within 50 feet of public street, right of way, street pavement, utility easement  or septic tank drain field]	See January 2006 Feature article, "Fantastic Figs" by Dan Culbert
Also Prohibited in Local Landscapes are those plants listed in:
Section 5B-64.011, F.A.C. Prohibited Aquatic Plants by FL DEP
Section 5B-57.007, F.A.C. State  Noxious Weed List by FDACS
Also prohibited are plants listed on Federal Noxious Weed List by USDA