Planting In the Wrong Place

Planting In the Wrong Place

Living in South Florida offers the distinct advantage of enjoying favorable weather year-round. Embraced by this subtropical paradise, residents often invest considerable effort in enhancing the outdoor aesthetics of their homes. While these endeavors can be enjoyable and rewarding, they also come with potential pitfalls that could result in significant expenses.

Selecting the wrong species of trees to plant may inadvertently damage the home’s foundation as the trees mature and roots spread. Improperly placed vegetation can lead to severe plumbing issues, such as roots infiltrating drainage and utility lines, causing damage and flooding of streets and potentially homes. Plants and other landscape enhancements within the Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) rights-of-way could obstruct essential access by crews for regular maintenance activities and emergency access before and after a major storm event.

Ensuring clear rights-of-way is imperative, as encroachments impede access to canals and may exacerbate flooding by obstructing natural drainage routes. Unauthorized encroachments by the property owner must be removed from the canal right-of-way. Frequently found encroachments include trees, vegetation, fences and sheds. Considering the cost of installation and subsequent removal, this expense often catches property owners off guard.

Do not waste your time or money by planting in the wrong place. Residents adjacent to an LWDD canal can contact us at info@lwdd.net to verify the location of property lines before installing any landscape enhancements.