Zoning Regulations:
Maximum density/intensity, Minimum lot requirements, Maximum lot coverage, Minimum living area, Minimum
setback requirements, Maximum building height
AG Agricultural District
Sec. 53-28. Maximum density/intensity.
Maximum density/intensity shall be one principal single-family dwelling unit per three gross
acres. Sec. 53-29. Minimum lot requirement.
Minimum lot requirement shall be three gross acres.
Sec. 53-30. Maximum lot coverage.
Maximum lot coverage shall be 20% for all buildings combined.
Sec. 53-31. Minimum living area.
Minimum living area shall be as follows:
A. Principal residence: 1,500 square feet.
B. Guesthouse: 899 square feet.
Sec. 53-32. Minimum setback requirements.
Minimum setback requirements shall be as follows:
A. Front yard: 30 feet.
B. Side yard: 25 feet.
C. Rear yard: 35 feet.
D. Waterfront yard: 35 feet.
Sec. 53-33. Maximum building height.
Maximum building height shall be 35 feet.
CG Commercial General District
Sec. 53-41. Maximum density/intensity.
15 DU/.95 FAR
Sec. 53-42. Minimum lot requirements.
Building sites in a CG District shall have an area of not less than 7,500 square feet with a minimum width of 50 feet
measured along the front property line.
Sec. 53-43. Maximum lot coverage.
Buildings shall not cover more than 50% percent of available lot area.
Sec. 53-44. Minimum building size.
Minimum building size shall be unrestricted.
Sec. 53-45. Minimum setback requirements.
Minimum setback requirements shall be as follows:
A. Front yard: none.
B. Side yard:
(1) Interior: none.
(2) Abutting a road: none.
C. Rear yard: 15 feet.
D. Waterfront yard: 20 feet.
Sec. 53-46. Maximum building height.
Maximum building height shall be 70 feet.
CG-S Commercial General District
Sec. 53-54. Maximum density/intensity.
15 DU/95 FAR.
Sec. 53-55. Minimum lot requirements.
Building sites in a CG-S District shall have an area of not less than 7,500 square feet with a minimum width of 50
feet measured along the front property line.
Sec. 53-56. Maximum lot coverage.
Buildings shall not cover more than 35% percent of available lot area.
Sec. 53-57. Minimum building size.
Minimum building size shall be unrestricted.
Sec. 53-58. Minimum setback requirements.
Minimum setback requirements shall be as follows:
A. Front yard: none.
B. Side yard:
(1) Interior: none.
(2) Abutting a road: none.
C. Rear yard: 15 feet.
D. Waterfront yard: 20 feet.
Sec. 53-59. Maximum building height.
Maximum building height shall be 35 feet.
GU Government Use District
Sec. 53-67. Maximum density/intensity.
Maximum density/intensity shall be as follows: none.
Sec. 53-68. Minimum lot requirements.
Minimum lot requirements shall be as follows: none.
Sec. 53-69. Maximum lot coverage.
Maximum lot coverage shall be as follows: unrestricted.
Sec. 53-70. Minimum building size.
Minimum building size shall be as follows: none.
Sec. 53-71. Minimum setback requirements. Minimum
setback requirements shall be as follows:
A. Front yard: none.
B. Side yard: none.
C. Rear yard: 15 feet.
D. Waterfront yard: 20 feet.
Sec. 53-72. Maximum building height.
Maximum building height shall be 70 feet.
ILW Light Industrial and Warehousing District
Sec. 53-80. Maximum density/intensity.
For maximum density/intensity, see § 53-82, Maximum lot coverage.
Sec. 53-81. Minimum lot requirements.
All new lots or parcels created after the date of this chapter shall have a minimum land area of at least 1/2 acre and
have a minimum frontage of 100 feet.
Sec. 53-82. Maximum lot coverage.
Buildings shall not cover more than 35% percent of available lot area.
Sec. 53-83. Minimum building size.
Minimum building size shall be as follows: 3,000 square feet.
Sec. 53-84. Minimum setback requirements.
Minimum setback requirements shall be as follows:
A. Front yard: 25 feet.
B. Side yard:
(1) Interior: none unless a landscaping buffer is required as set forth elsewhere in these regulations.
(2) Abutting a road: 15 feet.
C. Rear yard: 10 feet.
(1) Abutting a road: 25 feet.
(2) Abutting water: 20 feet.
D. Waterfront yard or drainage right-of-way: 20 feet.
Sec. 53-85. Maximum building height.
Maximum building height shall be 70 unless approved as a special exception, Article XXII of this chapter.
[Amended 11-24-2003 by Ord. No. 2002-56]
OPI Office, Professional, Institutional District
Sec. 53-93. Maximum density/intensity.
15 DU/.95 FAR.
Sec. 53-94. Minimum lot requirements.
The minimum lot area for this district shall be two acres. The minimum width of a lot in this district shall be 100
feet.
Sec. 53-95. Lot coverage.
Buildings shall not cover more than 50% of available lot area.
Sec. 53-96. Minimum building size.
Minimum building size shall be as follows: 1,500 square feet.
Sec. 53-97. Minimum setback requirements.
Minimum setback requirements shall be as follows:
A. Front yard: 0 feet.
B. Side yard: 0 feet.
C. Rear yard: 15 feet.
D. Waterfront yard: 20 feet.
Sec. 53-98. Maximum building height.
Maximum building height shall be 70 feet unless approved as a special exception [Amended 11-24-2003 by Ord.
No. 2002-56]
PCD Planned Community Development District
Sec. 53-105. Density/intensity.
For maximum density/intensity, see § 53-107, Maximum lot coverage.
Sec. 53-106. Minimum lot requirements.
A. Each lot or parcel of land proposed for use as nonresidential within the PCD District shall have a minimum
land area of at least 1/2 acre as proposed in the Development Concept Plan. All nonresidential uses permitted by
right or by special exception within any residential district shall have a minimum land area of 15,000 square feet.
Each lot or parcel of land within a PCD District proposed for use as nonresidential shall have a minimum frontage
of 100 feet on an approved public or private street.
B. For lands proposed as residential, the following minimum requirements shall apply:
(1) Multifamily, cluster housing or townhouses. No minimum lot size shall be required; provided, however, that
no structure shall be located closer to any peripheral property line than two times the height of such structure, that
maximum density shall be maintained in accordance with § 53-107 of these regulations and that 30% of the total
gross residential acreage be provided as usable open space. Usable open space shall include active and passive
recreation areas, such as playgrounds, golf courses, waterways, lagoons, floodplains, nature trials and other similar
open spaces. The foregoing may be modified in the Development Master Plan. No minimum lot frontage is
required for residential land uses proposed as multifamily, cluster housing or townhouses.
(2) Single-family dwellings and duplexes. All detached single-family dwellings and duplexes shall be platted in
accordance with Chapter 177 of the Florida Statutes, and each lot shall have a minimum land area of 7,500 square
feet. Each lot or parcel of land proposed as detached single-family dwellings or duplexes shall have a minimum
frontage of 50 feet on an approved public or private street. Mixed housing units. For developments which have
greater than fifty (50) housing units, the units shall be diverse in footprint, structure, design, and square footage.
(a) Housing shall be mixed within the development as not to create more than twenty-five (25) like units in a row,
except apartment buildings.
(b) Units shall mean a living unit intended to house a single family, whether units are attached or not.
Sec. 53-107. Maximum lot coverage.
A. The maximum lot coverage of each lot by principal buildings and other structures shall not exceed the
following percentages of the lot area for each land use group, provided that the development meets all buffer
yards, open space, setback and density requirements:
(1) Group 1, Light Industrial and Warehousing (ILW): 50%.
(2) Group 2, Office, Professional, Institutional (OPI): 50%.
(3) Group 3, Commercial General (activity centers, CG, NC): 50%.
(4) Group 4, Residential (RSF, RMF, RTF): 50%.
(5) Group 5, Government Use (GU): 50%.
B. Maximum lot coverage by principal buildings and other structures may be modified in the Development
Concept Plan in accordance with § 53-118 of these regulations and the following criteria:
(1) Under no circumstances should these standards be varied to increase lot coverage by principal buildings and
other structures more than 50% of the lot area.
(2) All uses which have lot coverage standards increased must meet all other lot, parcel and open space
requirements.
Sec. 53-108. Maximum building size.
Maximum building size shall be as set forth for the applicable various zoning districts described elsewhere in these
regulations, unless otherwise modified in the Development Master Plan (DMP).
Sec. 53-109. Minimum setback requirements.
A. Minimum setback requirements shall be as follows, unless otherwise modified in the Development Master
Plan:
TABLE INSET:
Land Use Groups
Front Yards (feet) Side Yards (feet) Rear Yards(feet)
Group 1
Light Industrial and Warehousing (ILW)
25
15
20
Group 2
Office, Professional, Institutional (OPI)
0
0
20
Group 3
Commercial (CG, NC)
0
0
20
Group 4
Residential (RSF, RTF, RMF)
10
10
25
Group 5
Government Use (GU)
0
20
0
B. Minimum setback for side yards may be modified in accordance with § 53-118 of these regulations and the
following criteria:
(1) Reduction of side yards shall be allowed in all land use groups up to 50% subject to; the reduction does not
infringe upon a City right-of-way or easement and is shown on the Development Master Plan and justified.
(2) No reduction shall be allowed in rear yard setbacks.
Sec. 53-110. Maximum building height.
No buildings or structures in any land use group within a PCD District shall exceed a maximum height of 70
feet, unless otherwise modified in the Development Master Plan. Structures not intended for human occupancy,
including essential electric transmission and distribution facilities, shall be subject to exclusions from the height
limits of these regulations. Whenever a building or structure is allowed to exceed the maximum height
requirements, additional side and rear yards or usable open space shall be provided at a ratio of one foot for each
four feet of additional building height.
RSF Residential Single-Family District
Sec. 53-124. Maximum density/intensity.
Maximum density/intensity shall be as follows:
A. RSF-2: 4.0 units per gross acre.
B. RSF-3: 10.0 units per gross acre.
Sec. 53-125. Minimum lot requirements.
Minimum lot requirements shall be as follows:
A. RSF-2:
(1) Width: 70 feet.
(2) Area: 7,500 square feet.
B. RSF-3:
(1) Width: 65 feet.
(2) Area: 6,500 square feet.
Sec. 53-126. Maximum lot coverage.
Maximum lot coverage by all buildings shall be as follows:
A. RSF-2: 35%.
B. RSF-3: 35%.
Sec. 53-127. Minimum dwelling living area.
Minimum dwelling living area shall be as follows:
A. RSF-2: 900 square feet.
B. RSF-3: 750 square feet.
Sec. 53-128. Minimum setback requirements.
Minimum setback requirements shall be as follows:
A. RSF-2:
(1) Front: 25 feet.
(2) Rear: 25 feet.
(3) Side:
(a) Interior: 71/2 feet.
(b) Abutting a road: 10 feet.
(c) Waterfront: 25 feet.
B. RSF-3:
(1) Front: 15 feet.
(2) Rear: 15 feet.
(3) Side:
(a) Interior: 6 feet.
(b) Abutting a road: 10 feet.
(c) Waterfront: 20 feet.
Sec. 53-129 Maximum building height.
Maximum building height shall be as follows:
A. RSF-2: 35 feet.
B. RSF-3: 35 feet.
RTF Residential Two-Family District
Sec. 53-137. Maximum density.
Maximum density shall be as follows:
A. RTF: 10 units per acre.
Sec. 53-138. Minimum lot requirements. [Amended 12-11-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-43]
Minimum lot requirements shall be as follows:
A. RTF:
(1) Width: 35 feet.
(2) Area: 4,375 square feet.
Sec. 53-139. Maximum lot coverage. [Amended 12-11-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-43]
Maximum lot coverage by all buildings shall be:
A. RTF: 40%.
Sec. 53-140. Minimum dwelling living area.
Minimum dwelling living area shall be as follows:
A. RTF: 900 square feet.
Sec. 53-141. Minimum setback requirements.
Minimum setback requirements shall be as follows:
A. RTF:
(1) Front: 25 feet.
(2) Rear: 25 feet.
(3) Side: [Amended 12-11-2001 by 2001-43]
(a) Interior: 71/2 feet, zero feet on side abutting adjoining dwelling unit, if applicable.
(b) Abutting a road: 15 feet, zero feet on side abutting adjoining dwelling unit, if
applicable. (c) Waterfront: 25 feet, zero feet on side abutting adjoining dwelling unit, if
applicable.
Sec. 53-142. Maximum building height.
Maximum building height shall be as follows:
A. RTF: 35 feet.
RMF Residential Multifamily District
Sec. 53-150. Maximum density/intensity.
Maximum density/intensity shall be as follows:
A. RMF: 15 units per acre. Bonus density can be obtained per the provisions set forth in Chapter 41, Transfer of
Development Rights, of this Unified Land Development Code.
Sec. 53-151. Minimum lot requirements.
Minimum lot requirements shall be as follows:
A. Single-family dwelling unit:
(1) Area: 7,500 square feet.
(2) Width: 75 feet.
B. Duplex or townhouses:
(1) Area: 5,000 square feet per dwelling unit; minimum project lot size: 8,700 square feet.
(2) Width: 100 feet.
C. Multiple-family building:
(1) Area: 2,900 square feet per dwelling unit; minimum project lot size: 8,700 square feet.
(2) Width: 100 feet.
D. Nonresidential uses:
(1) Area: 10,000 square feet.
(2) Width: 100 feet.
Sec. 53-152. Maximum lot coverage.
Maximum lot coverage by all buildings shall be as follows:
A. RMF: 35%.
Sec. 53-153. Minimum dwelling living area.
Minimum dwelling living area shall be as follows:
A. RMF: 900 square feet.
Sec. 53-154. Minimum setback requirements. [Amended 10-16-1995 by Ord. No. 95-10]
Minimum setback requirements shall be as follows:
A. RMF:
(1) Front: 25 feet.
(2) Rear: 25 feet.
(3) Side, interior: 1/2 the building height but not less than 10 feet.
(4) Waterfront:
(a) Twenty feet for subdivisions platted prior to the adoption of the city's Unified Land Development Code
Ordinance No. 90-28 on September 17, 1990, containing waterfront lots which include a twenty-foot wide
drainage and utility easement. In addition, all unplatted areas containing waterfront lots which include a twentyfoot wide drainage and utility easement which was recorded as such in the Sarasota County Clerk's Office prior to
the adoption of the city's Unified Land Development Code Ordinance No. 90-28 on September 17, 1990.
(b) Twenty-five feet for subdivisions platted subsequent to the adoption of the city's Unified Land Development
Code Ordinance No. 90-28 on September 17, 1990, which include a twenty-five-foot wide drainage and utility
easement.
(5) Abutting a road: 25 feet.
(6) Minimum distance between buildings: a minimum of 15 feet or 1/2 of the height of the highest building,
whichever is greater.
Sec. 53-155. Maximum building height.
Maximum building height shall be as follows:
A. RMF: 70 feet in height unless approved as a special exception. [Amended 11-24-2003 by Ord. No.
2002-56]
RMH Residential Manufactured Home District
Sec. 53-163. Maximum density/intensity.
Maximum density/intensity shall be as follows: 15 units per gross acre.
Sec. 53-164. Minimum lot requirements.
Minimum lot requirements shall be as follows:
A. Width: 40 feet.
B. Area: 4,000 square feet.
Sec. 53-165. Maximum lot coverage.
Maximum lot coverage by all buildings shall be as follows:
A. Fifty percent for all manufactured home parks prior to the adoption of these land development relations.
B. Forty percent for all manufactured home parks created after the effective date of these land development
regulations.
Sec. 53-166. Minimum dwelling living area.
Minimum dwelling living area shall be as follows: 500 square feet.
Sec. 53-167. Minimum setback requirements.
Minimum setback requirements shall be as follows:
A. Front: 15 feet.
B. Rear: 10 feet.
C. Side, interior: 5 feet.
D. Abutting a road: 10 feet.
Sec. 53-168. Maximum building height.
Maximum building height shall be as follows:
A. Twenty feet for residential.
B. Thirty-five feet for community center or other similar structures.