Miramar wants to update landscaping rules for HOAs. Here’s what could change
Miramar is full of communities with home owners associations (HOA) that determine the rules and aesthetics of the neighborhood. It is the HOA’s job to use the residents’ money to enforce them, including landscaping.
Miramar has some aging communities that may have a harder time staying in code with the city, and a new ordinance says that there could be a framework for them to start a mitigation plan — especially when it comes to trees.
At the Miramar City Commission meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 11, city leaders will discuss the first reading of an ordinance that changes how HOAs handle landscaping.
The plan includes a “tree inventory, species designation plan, and professional risk assessment to guide responsible landscape management,” the text of the ordinance says.
If you know of potential hazards from failing or improperly placed trees, this could apply to your community.
Some mitigation tactics include:
- Removal of Category I invasive species
- Substitution of smaller-sized trees where spatial limitations prevent installation of larger specimens
- Substitution of tree species to avoid conflicts with utilities or structural infrastructure
Where this isn’t possible, HOAs may contribute to the city’s tree trust fund instead.
A 2020 ordinance established uniform standards and tools such as the Right Tree, Right Place principle, which protects powerlines, and the nine Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program guidelines.
However, “the City has since identified implementation challenges within established residential neighborhoods managed by homeowner’s associations (”HOAs”). Many of these communities contain mature tree canopies, aging infrastructure, and limited planting areas that make strict adherence to the City’s current standards technically Infeasible,” resulting in compliance issues.
Wednesday’s meeting will be the first reading of the ordinance. The second reading is scheduled to take place on March 4.
