Tree Cutting in Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville exempts trees on a lot with an occupied single-family home or mobile home, where the lot can't be further subdivided, from its tree-protection restrictions. An exemption permit with a fee and supporting evidence is required. On lots that don't qualify for that exemption, the state's documented-hazard rule (Florida Statute 163.045) still lets a dangerous residential tree come down without a local permit.

Laurel oak: short-lived; internal decay; frequent failures Southern live oak: wind-firm, long-lived; protect from root damage Slash and longleaf pine: tall; lightning and beetle risk

Irma (2017) and coastal storms bring sustained wind on saturated sandy soil.

Short-lived and decay-prone; frequent limb and whole-tree failures in older neighborhoods.

Struck pines often decline and attract beetles weeks after a strike.

Riverfront and older neighborhoods have large oaks over historic homes and narrow streets; suburban lots on the Southside and Westside are sandier with tall pines close to houses.