Coconut Grove homeowners are pushing back against a wave of city code enforcement targeting decades-old trees and hedges under traffic sight-visibility rules.

The Coconut Grove Spotlight reported Thursday, Sept. 10 that multiple properties in South Grove and North Grove have been cited in recent months. The Spotlight's investigation found residents and tree advocates alarmed that the enforcement could reshape the neighborhood's lush character.

Among them is Michiel Johan van de Kreeke, a 14-year resident at Loquat Avenue and Linden Lane. Since February, he has received notices stating his hedge obstructs motorists' view of a stop sign. On Aug. 26, the city issued a formal citation for obstructed visibility, unpermitted fencing and plantings in the public right of way, and objects caught in the hedge. Van de Kreeke must correct the violations or obtain permits by Sept. 25.

Before the formal notice, van de Kreeke trimmed a tunnel through his hedge so drivers could see the intersection. He told the Spotlight he plans to appeal.

Across the street, Roy Mathew, who has maintained his canopied property for 26 years, also received a citation. He acknowledged extending a fence without a permit but said the broader enforcement felt new.

"A couple of times in the past they've come by and said, 'Oh, your hedges need to be trimmed a little bit,' little warning-type things," Mathew told the Spotlight. "But never a case opened."

The enforcement pattern is not limited to hedges. Earlier in summer 2026, the city removed a decades-old Australian pine at Jefferson Street and Inagua Avenue in North Grove, according to the Spotlight. Marlene Erven, president of the Coconut Grove Park Homeowners Association, called the loss heartbreaking, saying the tree had sheltered hawks, parrots and migratory birds for generations.

Attorney David Winker, who represents residents in tree-removal appeals, told the Spotlight that sight visibility was cited in most of the roughly 20 active appeals he was handling at the end of August. Sandy Moise, conservation co-chair of the Sierra Club Miami Group, said pruning and less destructive measures should be tried before removal. The Spotlight reported that a city spokesperson did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The surge in appeals is well documented. At least 14 tree-removal appeals had been filed in Miami by early summer, compared with one during all of 2025, WLRN reported Sept. 8. To handle the volume, the city's Historic and Environmental Preservation Board doubled its meeting schedule. A July meeting drew more than 100 residents, developers and attorneys and lasted more than eight hours.

Miami's Tree Ordinance Advisory Committee, which began meeting in July, is expected to develop recommendations for changes to the tree ordinance by next spring. Any changes would require City Commission approval.

Van de Kreeke's Sept. 25 deadline to resolve his violations is the next milestone. The Tree Ordinance Advisory Committee's community workshops have concluded, and the committee's recommendations are expected in spring 2027.