Highland Beach, Florida · 33487
Condominium and Estate Landscaping in Highland Beach
Three miles of A1A between Delray Beach and Boca Raton, lined with high-rise condominiums and oceanfront houses, where boards set the landscape agenda.
Request a Property AssessmentHighland Beach was incorporated in 1949 by 21 residents, partly so the town could run its own water system, and its name comes from a townsite roughly 20 to 25 feet above high tide. The town covers a three-mile stretch of A1A between Delray Beach and Boca Raton. Much of that frontage is 10- to 15-story condominium buildings, with multi-story oceanfront houses between them. Salt intrusion shaped the town's water history, and salt still shapes what grows along its road and dune.
In practice the usual client here is a board. Condominium grounds are shared, budgeted a year ahead and reviewed by committee, and a decision on an entry planting or a palm replacement has to satisfy owners who winter here as well as those who stay year-round. The town counts about 4,000 year-round residents and roughly 8,500 in season, so the grounds have to look finished by winter and still hold together through the quieter summer months.
The properties
Condominium sites along A1A generally pair a road-side entry, drive and parking area with pool decks and beach access on the ocean side, with the tower in between. Planting concentrates in entry islands, foundation beds and buffers along the highway, then gives way to seagrape and dune vegetation at the seaward edge. Each zone has a different salt load and a different rulebook. Single-family lots compress the same sequence into a smaller footprint, often with more exposed glass facing the beach.
On the ground
What landscapes in Highland Beach contend with
Parking and walkway light near the dune
When the town reviewed a fuller turtle lighting ordinance in 2023, condominium parking lights were cited as a source of glare that can turn nesting turtles around. The draft reached parking lot, walkway and pool lighting. Landscape design helps here: dense native screening between parking fields and the dune blocks stray light, and plant selection is coordinated with fixture changes rather than planned separately.
Choosing plants by salt rating
UF/IFAS rates native trees for salt in practical terms. A high rating means the tree will withstand direct salt spray and saline soil; a medium rating means it should be shielded from direct spray. On a condominium site, high-rated species go on the ocean side and along exposed corners of the tower, and medium-rated trees are kept to the lee of the building and the entry court.
One irrigation schedule for many zones
Multi-family properties and associations that mix odd and even addresses water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays under the town's adopted schedule. New plantings earn extra days only for a limited period, and a whole zone may use them only if at least half of it is new material. Zoning the system so replacements share zones makes establishment possible without breaking the schedule.
Seagrape work with board sign-off
State dune guidelines require the property owner's approval for trimming or removing beachfront vegetation, which on a condominium means the association. Equipment on the beach or frontal dune should be scheduled outside nesting season, and any canopy reduction must not raise light levels on the sand. A clear board resolution and a work window set well before March keep the project straightforward.
Local rules
What Highland Beach requires
Summaries for planning. The linked source is the authority; rules change.
Town beachfront lighting rule
Town code, cited as Ordinance 554 and Chapter 4, Section 4-8, calls for beachfront lighting to be turned off from dusk to dawn between March 1 and October 31. The town also refers residents to a newer sea turtle lighting ordinance through the Town Planner. Landscape lighting on the ocean side of a building should be reviewed against both before any fixture is added.
SourceYear-round irrigation schedule
The town follows the South Florida Water Management District year-round irrigation rule. Odd addresses water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays; even addresses, mixed zones, multi-family units and HOAs water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; all before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. Micro-irrigation, hand-watering with a shut-off nozzle and reclaimed water are exempt.
SourceFlorida-friendly landscaping and covenants
Under section 373.185, Florida Statutes, a deed restriction or covenant may not prohibit, or be enforced to prohibit, a property owner from implementing Florida-friendly landscaping, and a local ordinance may not either. Boards revising landscape standards in their governing documents should draft them with that limit in mind.
Source
Services in Highland Beach
- Estate Landscape MaintenanceMaintenance for Highland Beach properties
- Landscape Design & InstallationDesign for Highland Beach properties
- IrrigationIrrigation for Highland Beach properties
- Tree & Palm CareTrees & Palms for Highland Beach properties
- Outdoor LightingLighting for Highland Beach properties
- Sod, Hedges & Privacy ScreeningSod & Hedges for Highland Beach properties
- Seasonal ColorSeasonal Color for Highland Beach properties
- HOA & Property ManagementHOA for Highland Beach properties
Landscaping in Highland Beach: questions
Which watering days apply to our condominium?
Under the schedule the town follows, multi-family units, HOAs and zones serving both odd and even addresses water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. Newly installed landscaping qualifies for extra days for up to 90 days, but only in zones where at least half the plants are new.
Can our declaration prohibit Florida-friendly landscaping?
No. Section 373.185 of the Florida Statutes says a deed restriction or covenant may not prohibit, or be enforced to prohibit, an owner from implementing Florida-friendly landscaping. Associations can still set design standards. Counsel should review any change to landscape rules in the governing documents before the board votes on it.
Who approves seagrape trimming at a condominium on the beach?
The association, as property owner, approves trimming or removal of its beachfront vegetation under state dune guidelines. Routine trimming that does not harm native dune plants is exempt from state coastal permits; cutting dune plants down seaward of the control line is not. The work should be scheduled outside turtle nesting season.
What does turtle season mean for our parking lot and walkway lights?
Town code calls for beachfront lighting to be off from dusk to dawn, March 1 through October 31, and the town points owners to a newer lighting ordinance through its planner. State guidance favors long-wavelength amber, orange or red lamps in shielded fixtures. Native screening between parking and the dune adds a second layer of protection.
Nearby estate towns
Sources for this page
- Incorporated 1949 by 21 residents partly as a water district; name from elevation of about 20 to 25 feet above high tide; three-mile stretch of A1A between Delray Beach and Boca Raton; 10- to 15-story condominiums; about 4,000 year-round and 8,500 in winter: education.pbchistory.org
- Saltwater intrusion in wells led to incorporation and the town water plant: thecoastalstar.com
- Town lies between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway: en.wikipedia.org
- Ordinance 554; Code Chapter 4 Section 8; beachfront lighting off dusk to dawn March 1 to October 31: highlandbeach.us
- Town refers residents to new Sea Turtle Lighting Ordinance via Town Planner; amber LEDs and shielding recommended: highlandbeach.us
- Highland Beach turtle lighting code at Chapter 4, Section 4-8 (1987/1999): myfwc.com
- 2023 proposed lighting ordinance cited condo parking lights and covered parking lot, walkway and pool lighting: thecoastalstar.com
- Town follows SFWMD year-round rule; odd M/W/S, even/mixed/multi-family/HOA T/Th/Su; before 10am or after 4pm; new landscaping extra days up to 90 days only if zone at least 50% new; exemptions: highlandbeach.us
- Deed restrictions, covenants and local ordinances may not prohibit Florida-friendly landscaping: m.flsenate.gov
- Native tree salt-tolerance ratings: high withstands direct spray and soil salinity; medium should be shielded from direct spray: edis.ifas.ufl.edu
- Property owner approval required for beachfront vegetation work; equipment scheduled outside nesting season; removal must not increase light on beach; trimming exempt from CCCL permit: floridadep.gov
- Long-wavelength (560 nm or greater) amber, orange or red lamps in shielded fixtures: myfwc.com
- Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1: www.nhc.noaa.gov
Property assessment
Request an assessment in Highland Beach
- 01Tell us about the propertyTown, property type and what you'd like looked after. Two minutes.
- 02A partner walks the groundsTurf, beds, palms, irrigation and drainage, with you, your manager or staff.
- 03You receive a written programScope, visit schedule and price in writing, before any work begins.
Prefer to talk it through? (561) 319-1104