Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Palm Bay?
- 2 Does the City of Palm Bay Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Palm Bay?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Palm Bay?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Palm Bay?
- 6 What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Palm Bay?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Palm Bay?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Palm Bay?
Palm Bay has many native trees, including palms, maples, pines, and mangroves. As the name of our city may let on, palms are a frequent view around the bay and throughout the city, but other trees are prolific as well. With mild winters and our subtropical climate, many plants thrive. Still, many diseases that can spread across plant populations quickly also thrive in the conditions that make Palm Bay an attractive place to live for both plants and humans.
One disease in particular that can ravage large populations of our famous palm trees is Lethal Bronzing Disease. First detected in Florida in 2006, Lethal Bronzing Disease is a bacterial infection whose onset can be difficult to see. Still, it can be highly contagious and run through large chunks of palms quickly. For palms that have fruit, typically, the first sign will be it falling prematurely. After that, the oldest leaves will yellow and drop. They turn a bright yellow giving the disease its “bronze” name. After that, spear leaves will begin to die off too, but at that point, it’s often too late, and the core of the palm is dead.
Does the City of Palm Bay Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
The City of Palm Bay, unfortunately, doesn’t offer any assistance with tree removal. Preserving well-established trees is a massive priority for the City for the many benefits that they provide in preventing soil erosion, improving air quality, and increasing the value and beauty of property in our area. With this goal in mind, the City requires any private landowner with property over one acre to acquire a permit to remove trees. Preservation applies to most of the native growth in the town, but the City exempts species of trees that are considered a pest or invasive from the permit requirement, such as:
- Scaly-barked beefwood
- Beefwood
- Melaleuca
- Australian pine
- Castor bean
- Eucalyptus
- Chinaberry
- Ear tree
- Camphor tree
- Brazilian pepper
Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Palm Bay?
Under Florida law, the responsibility of maintenance for trees falls on the property owner who owns the lands the tree grew on. This responsibility includes the removal of dead and fallen trees. While this can get a little more confusing when a tree falls from one property across property lines, the original owner of the tree is typically still responsible for its removal.
If someone has notified a landowner that a tree is dead and they need to remove it, and then the tree falls, the tree owner may be responsible for any damages caused by the tree’s falling because they neglected the notice. If a healthy tree falls, it is usually considered a no-fault occurrence.
If You’re a Homeowner?
If you’re a homeowner here in Palm Bay, those trees are features of your land and part of the investment you purchased when you bought the land. Your trees add value and beauty to your land, but they also carry responsibilities to maintain and, eventually, remove them.
If You’re a Renter?
If you’re a tenant in the Palm Bay area, the responsibility of tree removal likely falls on your landlord. Even though tenants are frequently responsible for lawn care, your lease agreement doesn’t typically include tree removal. Unless your lease states differently, tree maintenance and removal are usually property owners’ responsibility and not tenant’s.
If a fallen tree needs to be removed from your rental property, your responsibility will typically be to inform your landlord. If your landlord fails to remove the tree, you may be entitled to remove it yourself and seek compensation from your landlord.
If You’re a Landlord?
If you’re a landlord, you don’t necessarily want your tenants caring for your trees. Passing a maintenance responsibility for your trees to your tenants may take some work off your hands. Still, it leaves a valuable asset in the hands of your tenant, who has no vested interest in the value of your property. Unless there is some exceptional circumstance or out-of-the-ordinary stipulations on your lease contract, the best policy is to remove fallen trees on your rental properties as soon as a tenant alerts you of them.
If You’re a Neighbor?
If one of your neighbors’ trees falls, it’s their responsibility to deal with it promptly. If it falls on your property, it’s still their tree and their responsibility. If they fail to remove the tree, you may need to reach out to Palm Bay Code Enforcement and see if there’s a solution possible. Even if the tree falls solely on their property, if they don’t remove it in a reasonable amount of time, you may want to seek help from the City. Fallen trees can bring pests and are an eyesore and a nuisance.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Palm Bay?
The soil in Brevard County, like much of the soil in coastal regions of Florida, tends to be highly sandy and rich in decaying organic matter. This composition is great for our native trees but could create some problems for other tree types. The abundance of decomposing plant and animal materials washed in from the coast can significantly vary the pH level in soil from one area to the next. Since trees have a specific pH range that they prefer, this may mean you need to be cautious of and attentive to the chemistry of your soil if your trees begin to struggle.
Sandy soils and a low water table can create areas where trees may struggle to find groundwater. Many parts of the land in and surrounding Palm Bay has more significant clay content in the soil that will help both help with moisture retention and prevent the erosion that can lead to exposed roots. Still, for areas with less clay and more sand, non-native species of trees may struggle to survive without special care. Our trees that grow wild here and other tropical breeds love these loose, sandy soils. Oaks, maples, and conifers may not do well in these coastal soils without extra attention and care.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Palm Bay?
Palm Bay has hot summers, moderate precipitation, and temperate winters. For the types of trees that grow here, that climate sounds like a dream come true. Storm season, however, can quickly turn into a nightmare for our trees. Here in Palm Bay, we have mild rainfall and rare cloud cover, which is why Kennedy Space Center is nearby. Despite this, Palm Bay is an extremely high-risk area for hurricanes, affected by over 60 major storm cells in the past century.
Maintaining tree health is very important with such a high risk of storms with devastatingly high winds and torrential rain. Unhealthy or poorly maintained trees can commonly suffer damage in storms and potentially cause damage to nearby trees, buildings, and people.
What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Palm Bay?
In Florida, electric utility companies are allowed to maintain a 14-foot right-of-way near transmission lines. If trees are close to power lines, it’s essential to let a qualified professional deal with them. Trees should be kept clear of and not planted near power lines, but if they grow too close, you will need to contact Florida Power & Light Company to see how to proceed.
Suppose even live trees are within the 14-foot range of transmission lines. In that case, utility workers are well within their right to trim, prune, or remove any vegetation necessary to maintain a safe distance between trees and power lines. This makes it doubly important to call in our arborists to trim trees and prevent them from growing too close to power lines to ensure safety and protect your trees.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Palm Bay?
Tree removal costs here in Palm Bay usually run just below the national average. Our arborists can often do simple tree removal for as little as $200, but no two situations are exactly alike, and larger removal jobs can creep up closer to $1,800. Several factors can increase costs for removal.
Size
With tree removal, the size of the tree does matter. While it may be self-explanatory that more tree means more work, larger trees aren’t only more material to haul off but can increase how much planning and safety precautions are required from our experts. We must carefully remove large trees so that they don’t damage trees or buildings near them, and these larger trees can pose serious safety hazards to our whole crew of arborists. Big trees will require large amounts of planning to ensure a safe removal for our team, nearby structures, and any other trees in the vicinity.
Tree Health
Even if a tree you need us to remove is dead, the tree’s lousy health and structural stability could complicate the removal process. Rotted or diseased trees may provide unexpected challenges as weak points in the tree’s structure could require more planning for efficient removal. Like those infected with Lethal Bronzing, we will need to safely remove diseased trees without infecting nearby trees, which will require careful execution and delicate planning and organization. This execution means we will have to put in extra work, which may increase costs.
Access
If trees are close to structures or other trees, they will require delicate removal to avoid damaging these nearby objects. Trees growing too close to nearby plant life or buildings may be more difficult for our arborists to access, in addition to the increased risk of damage. These trees could pose a severe logistical challenge to our crew and may increase costs.
