Rules for Florida Friendly Landscaping
Architectural Review Committee (ARC)
Covenants Article V – Architectural Control, Article VII Exterior Maintenance and Landscaping
Effective Date: March 2020
Reference: The Florida-Friendly Landscaping Guide to Plant Selection & Landscape Design, University of Florida
The Board of Directors has consulted with the Nassau County Extension Agent to develop this set of rules for those owners who decide to landscape their property using Florida-Friendly principles. A Florida-Friendly Landscape (FFL) is a quality landscape designed, installed, and maintained according to the nine Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM principles discussed in the reference publication. In addition, this set of rules provides further guidance and limitations on what can be planted and where it can be planted to maintain the appearance of our neighborhood.
The reference shows numerous design solutions for FFL yards. It is recommended a licensed landscape professional be consulted for yard design and plant selection.
The first principle is the right plant for the right place. The reference has an extensive list of landscaping plants appropriate for FFL. It covers everything from large trees to turfgrass. When an owner submits an ARC request for FFL approval, the reference and this set of rules will govern what is acceptable and what is not.
General Landscaping Rules
General rules pertaining to landscaping. The front yard is defined as the portion of the lot running from the building foundation line at the front of the dwelling unit, not the garage, and the extension of such line to its intersection with the side lot lines to the street in front of the dwelling unit. The front yard must be at least 40% turfgrass. The remaining area can be planting beds and trees. For those lots on the pond, the area between the sidewalk and the street in front of the dwelling unit must also be 100% turfgrass or an approved green ground cover plant. Planting beds and turfgrass areas must be kept reasonably weed-free. All landscaping must be watered sufficiently for healthy growth. During daylight savings time watering two times a week is permitted by the St John’s Water Management District.
Rules pertaining to different plants on the plant list. Per the reference, the state is divided into Region Zones, of which we are in the North, and USDA Cold Hardiness Zone 9a. Plants must be selected to be appropriate for the North region and Zone 9a. They must also be high or medium drought tolerant and high or medium salt tolerant. If selecting a plant, shrub, or tree not contained in the reference, obtain a statement from a certified landscaper or horticulturist stating the plant meets these requirements.
Any shrub or tree selected must be kept trimmed or pruned to prevent sidewalk, street, or utility easement obstruction. They also must be kept clear of neighbor fences to prevent fence damage. It is also highly recommended tree limbs be kept clear of roofs to avoid rodents climbing freely onto roofs and into attic spaces. The Nassau County Extension Agent strongly recommends a buffer area of at least 1 foot around the base of all trees and palms containing only soil and air. This area should be kept free of grass. Not more than two to three inches of mulch can be added outside this area to prevent injury to the tree trunk. Any plants placed around the base of trees should be planted in the mulched area and grow no taller than 18 inches.
Turfgrass. There are 5 varieties of turfgrass specified. The majority of our lawns were planted with the Floratam cultivar of St Augustine grass which requires full sun (6-8 hours). If areas of the lawn are shaded, consider choosing Seville, Bitterblue, Delmar or Captivia, which are shade tolerant cultivars of St. Augustine grass. Bahiagrass has no salt tolerance and will not be approved. Bermudagrass can be aggressive and potentially take over a neighbor’s lawn if there is no planting bed buffer between residential properties. If no buffer is provided, bermudagrass will not be approved.
Mulch. FFL recommends organic mulches. Pine bark nuggets or pine straw are highly recommended. If cedar or another wood mulch is selected it should be natural, golden, or red in color. Black or green colored mulch will not be approved. Mulch should not be more than 2-3 inches deep.
Groundcover. The plant selected must be less than 9” tall, mostly green leaves, and cover the area completely with no use of mulch. If planted along a sidewalk, driveway, or street it must be neatly edged or trimmed so as to not flow over onto the hard surface, as this would reduce stormwater drainage.
Palms. There are surprisingly few palm trees and palm-like plants appropriate for our area. Please use the reference and select carefully. Plants not appropriate for our area will not be approved. Palms are nutrient needy and should be fertilized using the appropriate configuration of 8-2-12 every spring, summer, and fall. Do not use lawn fertilizer on palms.
Trees and shrubs. Take into consideration the height and width of the mature plant when choosing a planting location. The width of the mature plant and large root system must not intrude into your neighbor’s property. Once trees and shrubs are established, most do not require weekly irrigation. Limiting water applications will reduce the amount of disease and insect issues.