Land Clearing in Vero Beach, FL

Lot clearing around Vero Beach as the county grows

Inside the city limits, most homes are older. Census figures put the median year built at 1976, and about 84 percent went up before 1990. The city grew from 15,220 people in 2010 to 16,354 in 2020.

Indian River County grew faster, from 138,028 people to 159,788 over the same years. Vero Lake Estates, northwest of the city, shows the change. Nearly all its homes are single-family houses, and the median one was built in 2004.

Old citrus groves add more raw ground. The USDA survey counts a grove as abandoned after 2 years without care, among other signs. Forestry mulching grinds the brush and small trees where they stand, and the mulch stays as ground cover. Bigger trees come out with the tree puller, roots and all.

Clearing wet, sandy ground in Indian River County

Riviera, Pineda, Myakka, EauGallie and Wabasso sands rank among the most widespread soils in the county's soil survey. NRCS rates each one poorly or very poorly drained. It also notes that drained ground on several of them is used for citrus and pasture.

In Riviera sand, the water table stays within 10 inches of the surface for 2 to 4 months most years. Soaked ground ruts under heavy machines, so we plan the work around it. Adding gravel to a dirt access road can cut down on mud in the rainy season.

Low spots need a plan too. A house pad may need fill, and a wet corner may make a good pond. Our site preparation plan settles that before the lot is cleared, and a rented excavator handles the dirt work.

Do you need a permit to clear land in Vero Beach?

That depends on whether your lot sits inside the city or out in the county. Many Vero Beach mailing addresses are in unincorporated Indian River County, and each side has its own office.

Inside the city, the Planning and Development Department handles tree removal permits under the city's Tree and Palm Protection Code. Most trees 3 inches or more in diameter at chest height, and palms 12 feet or taller, need one. Brazilian pepper and the other trees on the city's invasive list are exempt. The city's land development rules also require a development permit for any clearing of land.

The county's FAQ says a single-family lot of 1 acre or less needs no tree removal or land clearing permit. Mangroves and dune vegetation are the exception. Lots over 1 acre fall under the county's rules for protected and specimen trees. The county lists Brazilian pepper and Australian pine as nuisance invasive trees, exempt on single-family lots.

Altering wetlands takes a permit from the county's environmental planning staff. Disturbing a gopher tortoise burrow takes a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Florida law also requires excavators to notify Sunshine 811 at least 2 full business days before digging. We walk you through which permits apply to your lot, and the permit office gives the final answer.

Storm cleanup and Brazilian pepper around Vero Beach

Hurricane Nicole made landfall at Vero Beach in November 2022, the National Hurricane Center reports. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. After a storm, we clear downed trees and limbs from lots and fence lines. Some of that wood can stay on site as mulch, and our storm debris removal hauls off the rest.

Brazilian pepper thickets along fence lines and ditch banks are another cleanup job. We mulch them in place with the disc mulcher, or pull them out by the roots with the tree puller. Both methods are part of our Brazilian pepper removal work.