Sanibel • Lee County
Landscape Removal & Stump Grinding in Sanibel, FL
Taking plants out on Sanibel depends on what they are. The city's eight listed invasives, among them Brazilian pepper, melaleuca, earleaf acacia, lead tree and air potato, must be removed before a certificate of occupancy is issued, and the property has to stay free of them afterward. Hand-pulling them on developed property needs no permit, but using mechanical equipment requires both a development permit and a vegetation permit. Australian pines are handled by a separate ordinance that lets owners keep existing trees unless the city finds one threatens safety or infrastructure. Natives are protected: removing a native tree or shrub takes a vegetation permit, which may be granted for safety or structural damage, and any removal or trimming seaward of the 1974 coastal construction control line needs one too. SCCF reported in 2025 that invasives knocked back by the storm surges are returning from seed. Hodges confirms permits, then cuts, grinds stumps and hauls everything away.
or call (239) 301-9455
Where it comes up in Sanibel
The Sanctuary
Gulf Ridge
Santiva
Sanibel Bayous
Plants and materials that suit it in Sanibel
Questions
Do I need a permit to remove Brazilian pepper?
Not to pull it by hand from developed property. The city requires a vegetation permit, along with a development permit, when invasive plants are removed with mechanical equipment, and a vegetation permit to remove them from undeveloped land.
Can I take out a native tree that is damaging my house?
Possibly, with a city vegetation permit. Sanibel's guidance says removal of native vegetation may be allowed for safety reasons or when it damages a structure. Natural Resources staff review the request, and trimming up to a quarter of a native's leaf area each year needs no permit.
What should I watch for in my yard since the storms?
SCCF reported in 2025 that air potato, wedelia, climbing cassia, seaside mahoe and Australian pine are becoming more noticeable, sometimes in new places. Brazilian pepper and lead tree are also sprouting from seed. Removing them while small is far easier.