Lot clearing in Silver Springs Shores

Silver Springs Shores, which locals call "The Shores," is a census-designated place about 10 miles southeast of downtown Ocala. The Census Bureau counted 24,846 residents there in 2020, making it the largest community in southeastern Marion County. It covers about 15 square miles and serves mainly as a bedroom community for Ocala, so most clearing requests from here involve single residential lots rather than acreage.

Whose rules apply in The Shores

Silver Springs Shores isn't a city. It's unincorporated, so Marion County's rules apply, not the City of Ocala's tree code. We haven't been able to read the county's current land development code directly, so this page doesn't summarize it. Before you clear, call the county's permitting office with your parcel number and ask two questions: whether any tree or clearing permit applies to your plans, and whether your building permit covers the clearing. If your lot is under a recorded deed restriction or an owners' association, check those documents too.

A typical Shores lot job

A vacant lot that has sat for years can grow into a thicket of trees, vines, and brush. Clearing one for a new house usually involves:

• Removing trees and brush from the house pad, driveway, and septic and well areas, while keeping trees you want for shade along the edges.
• Pulling or grinding stumps inside the building footprint so buried wood doesn't decay under a slab.
• Hauling or mulching debris.
• Leaving the lot ready for the builder's fill and grading.

Get the builder's site plan before asking for quotes. A provider can only price a selective clear if they know where the house, drive, and drainfield will go. Clearing the whole lot by default costs trees you might have wanted to keep.

Three things that commonly hold up Shores lots

Gopher tortoise burrows. Sandy, open lots that have been vacant a long time are the kind of ground tortoises use. FWC requires a permit before clearing or development within 25 feet of a potentially occupied burrow and recommends applying at least 90 days ahead. Walk the lot first. A half-moon-shaped hole with a sandy apron is worth reporting.

Debris disposal. The Florida Forest Service's residential setbacks for burning land clearing debris are 300 feet from other occupied buildings and 100 feet from roads. On a subdivision lot with neighbors on both sides, that almost always rules out burning, so plan for haul-off or chipping.

Buried utilities. Streets in an established neighborhood often carry power, phone, cable, and water lines along the frontage. Florida law requires notice to Sunshine 811 at least two full business days before excavation, and grubbing stumps counts.

Budgeting a single lot

HomeGuide's published national averages are $800 to $3,000 to clear a quarter acre and $1,000 to $5,000 for a half acre. Angi lists $250 to $2,800 for basic clearing of a half acre. The wide spread comes from how thick the growth is and whether stumps and debris are included. Our cost guide explains which line items to compare. If the lot only needs the understory knocked down, forestry mulching may cost less than full clearing.

Wet months

Ocala's climate normals put about 27.9 inches of rain in June through September alone. Low spots in a subdivision can stay soft after summer storms, which can delay tracked equipment. If your lot holds water, mention it.

What to send us

• Your street or parcel number in Silver Springs Shores.
• Whether you have a builder's site plan, and where the house will sit.
• Any burrows, wet spots, or old dumping you've noticed.
• Trees you want to keep.

Nearby communities are listed on our service area page, including Summerfield to the southwest.

Sources, checked October 23, 2026: Wikipedia, Silver Springs Shores, Florida (2020 census, location, area); FWC gopher tortoise permitting guidance; Florida Forest Service burn guidance; Sunshine 811; HomeGuide and Angi land clearing cost guides; NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Ocala.