What Does a Certified Arborist Tree Survey Include in Hollywood, FL?
A certified arborist tree survey is a phase-by-phase field and documentation process that produces a permit-ready record of every significant tree on your property — and in Hollywood, FL, the canopy drip line data it generates is what building reviewers use to calculate Tree Protection Zones before approving any construction footprint. Without that data formatted correctly, a permit submission can stall or be rejected outright.
For homeowners planning additions, developers entering Broward County review, or property managers facing a removal permit, understanding exactly what the survey captures — and how the output is used — helps you hire the right professional and set accurate timeline expectations.
What Does a Tree Survey Actually Document?
A formal tree survey records the species, size, condition, GPS location, and canopy spread of every tree above a minimum diameter threshold, producing a certified snapshot of the property's tree assets at a specific point in time.
The arborist measures diameter at breast height (DBH) at exactly 4.5 feet above grade — the ISA standard measurement point — then estimates or laser-measures height and records crown spread in four cardinal directions. Each tree also receives a condition rating on a scale from Excellent through Dead, following ANSI A300 and ISA Best Management Practices frameworks.
Structural observations go beyond the rating. The arborist notes co-dominant stems, included bark, visible decay indicators, and root zone conflicts with paving or structures. This detail matters because Hollywood's Land Development Regulations (Chapter 98 and Chapter 155) tie mitigation requirements — replacement tree calculations — directly to DBH data from the survey.
For certified tree survey services, the deliverable includes a tree inventory table with one row per tree, a GPS-plotted site map showing canopy drip lines, and a photo log documenting species confirmation and notable defects.
How Is GPS Mapping Used During the Survey?
GPS coordinates logged for each tree in the field are plotted onto a scaled site map that overlays tree locations on the property boundary, existing structures, and any proposed construction footprint — giving reviewers a spatial picture they can measure against.
The resulting map is typically produced as both a PDF and a CAD- or GIS-compatible file. Hollywood building reviewers and Broward County zoning staff use the canopy drip line boundaries shown on that map to verify that a proposed structure or grading plan respects the required Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) setback around each protected tree.
If the drip line of a specimen tree overlaps a planned driveway or foundation, the map makes that conflict visible before construction begins — giving you the chance to redesign rather than face a stop-work order.
Compiling the Formal Arborist Report
The field data is compiled into a written report authored, signed, and credentialed by the ISA-certified arborist — and that credential detail is not optional for Hollywood or Broward submissions.
The report includes an executive summary, a methodology section citing ANSI A300 standards, the full tree inventory table, the site map, condition and risk observations, and a recommendations section covering each tree: preserve, protect during construction, prune, remove, or relocate. The arborist's ISA certification number must appear on the report — Broward-area reviewers use it to verify the author's qualifications, and an uncertified report risks outright rejection.
For situations where the survey leads to a removal or relocation recommendation, formal arborist report documentation packages the inventory data into the specific format city and county departments require for permit submissions. A tree survey alone is the data collection; the arborist report is what makes that data actionable in a regulatory context.
Does a Tree Survey Satisfy Broward County Permit Requirements?
A tree survey produces the necessary data, but the permit submission requires a formal arborist report authored by an ISA-certified professional, formatted to city and county standards, and in some cases accompanied by a separate tree disposition plan.
Broward County's tree ordinance (Chapter 27, Article XIV) establishes baseline protections, and Hollywood's LDR may impose stricter thresholds for protected and specimen trees. The survey identifies which trees trigger those thresholds; the arborist report explains how each will be handled and why — that combined package is what satisfies a development order or removal permit application.
What Is the Difference Between a Tree Survey and a Tree Inventory?
A tree survey is a formal, permit-ready document produced by a certified arborist for a specific regulatory, legal, or construction purpose. A tree inventory is typically an ongoing or municipal-scale catalogue — like a city's street-tree database — and may not involve a certified arborist or GPS mapping.
South Florida homeowners sometimes use the two terms interchangeably, but if you are submitting to Hollywood's Building and Licensing Division or Broward County, what you need is a formal tree survey with a signed arborist report. The less formal inventory format will not satisfy submission requirements.
How South Florida's Fall Season Affects Survey Scheduling
September is the opening of Hollywood's peak permitting season — developers and contractors submit packages in September and October to position projects for the dry-season construction window that runs roughly October through March, when site work is easier and weather delays are less likely.
Building departments process tree-related permits alongside standard building permit packages, so a survey submitted in September can support a late-fall groundbreaking. At the same time, active hurricane season means storm-damaged trees are common, and a survey conducted now can document that damage simultaneously for insurance purposes or permit-based removal authorization.
ISA-certified arborists across Broward County see scheduling demand spike from September through November. Planning one to two weeks ahead — or longer for commercial or multi-acre properties — is a practical response to that reality, not just a scheduling formality.
A tree survey conducted now can also inform decisions about certified tree survey services needed before wintertime clearing begins, which helps avoid last-minute permit delays when contractors are ready to mobilize.
Understanding this process gives you a clear picture of what you receive: GPS-mapped tree data, a species-and-condition inventory table, a canopy drip line site map, and a signed arborist report formatted for Hollywood and Broward County review — all producing a defensible, certified record that directly drives permit decisions and mitigation calculations.
Schedule your property assessment with Patrick Hannah, Certified Arborist LLC to start the survey process before the fall permitting window closes.