Ordinance #2003-052 Sarasota County, Florida

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Table of Contents

Article 1. General Provisions

1.1      Short Title
1.2      Components of Zoning Regulations
1.3      Authority
1.4      Purpose
1.5      Jurisdiction
1.6      Minimum Requirements
1.7      Conflicting Provisions
1.8      Effect of Stipulations
1.9      Transitional Provisions

Article 2. Development Review Bodies

2.1      Board of County Commissioners
2.2      Planning Commission
2.3      Board of Zoning Appeals
2.4      Zoning Administrator
2.5      Design Administrator
2.6      Summary of Authority

Article 3. Development Review Procedures

3.1      Shared Review Procedures
3.2      Building Permit
3.3      Certificate of Occupancy
3.4      Temporary Use Permit
3.5      Sign Permit
3.6      Master Sign Plan
3.7      Written Interpretation
3.8      Administrative Adjustment
3.9      Site and Development Plan
3.10    Variance
3.11    Administrative Appeal
3.12    Zoning Map Amendment (Rezoning)
3.13    Zoning Text Amendment
3.14    Planned Development Districts
3.15    Development Concept Plans
3.16    Special Exceptions
3.17    Transfer of Development Rights

Article 4. Zoning Districts

4.1      Districts Enumerated
4.2      Official Zoning Atlas
4.3      Rules for Interpretation of District Boundaries
4.4      Definitions of Groupings of Various Districts
4.5      Open Use District Intent Statements
4.6      Residential District Intent Statements
4.7      Commercial and Industrial District Intent Statements
4.8      Planned District Intent Statements
4.9      Special Purpose Districts
4.10    Special Purpose Overlay Districts
4.11    TDR Overlay District Intent Statements
4.12    Inactive Districts

Article 5. Use Regulations

5.1      Use Table
5.2      Use Categories
5.3      Limited and Special Exception Use Standards
5.4      Accessory Uses and Structures
5.5      Temporary Uses

Article 6. District Development Standards

6.1      Application of District Regulations
6.2      Measurement of Standards
6.3      Open Use District Development Intensity
6.4      OUE and RE District Development Intensity
6.5      RSF District Development Intensity
6.6      RMF District Development Intensity
6.7      Housing Types
6.8      RMH District Development Intensity
6.9      Manufactured Homes, RV Parks and Campgrounds
6.10    Commercial and Industrial District Standards
6.11    Planned Development District Standards

6.12    TDR Overlay District Development Standards

Article 7. General Development Standards

7.1      Off-Street Vehicular Facilities: Parking and Loading
7.2      Access and Circulation
7.3      Landscaping and Buffering
7.4      Signs
7.5      Outdoor Lighting
7.6      Outdoor Display and Storage
7.7      Architectural and Design Standards

Article 8. Nonconformities

8.1      General
8.2      Nonconforming Uses
8.3      Nonconforming Structures
8.4      Nonconforming Lots of Record
8.5      Nonconforming Residential Density
8.6      Nonconforming Characteristics of Use
8.7      Nonconformities in General
8.8      Elimination of Nonconforming Status

Article 9. Enforcement

9.1      Violations
9.2      Complaints Regarding Violations
9.3      Penalties for Violation, Resort to Other Remedies
9.4      Cumulative Violations
9.5      Repeat Violations
9.6      Prosecution Subject to Previous Zoning Regulations

Article 10. Definitions

10.1    General
10.2    Defined Terms


Article 1.     General Provisions

1.1     Short Title

The rules and regulations hereby adopted shall be known and cited as the “Zoning Regulations” of Sarasota County, Florida and may be referred to in this document as “these regulations” or “these zoning regulations.”

 

1.2     Components of Zoning Regulations

The zoning regulations shall consist of the following three components:

1.2.1.     The text of these zoning regulations;

1.2.2.     The Official Zoning Map; and

1.2.3.     Any rezoning or special exception stipulations adopted in accordance with these regulations.

 

1.3     Authority

This Chapter is adopted under authority of the constitution and laws of the State of Florida, including particularly Article VIII, §1(g), Florida Constitution; Section 125, Florida Statutes; and Chapter 163, Part II, Florida Statutes, and pursuant to the provisions of the charter of Sarasota County, Florida.

 

1.4     Purpose

These zoning regulations are adopted for the purpose of promoting the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Sarasota County. More specifically, these regulations provide for the division of land into different districts that, in combination with the regulations pertaining to such districts, are designed in accordance with the Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan to achieve objectives that include, but are not limited to, the following:

1.4.1.      Promote the beneficial and appropriate development of all land and the most consistent use of land in accordance with the Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan;

1.4.2.      Protect the character and the established pattern of development in each area by addressing compatibility;

1.4.3.      Prevent or minimize land use incompatibilities and conflicts among different land uses;

1.4.4.      Maintain property values by stabilizing expectations and ensuring predictability in development; and

1.4.5.      Establish a process that effectively and fairly applies the regulations and standards of these regulations and respects the rights of property owners and the  interests of citizens of the County.

 

1.5     Jurisdiction

These zoning regulations shall apply to all land within the unincorporated area of Sarasota County. All structures and land uses constructed or commenced after October 27, 2003, and all enlargements of, additions to, changes in and relocations of existing structures and characteristics of uses occurring after October 27, 2003 shall be subject to these regulations.

 

1.6     Minimum Requirements

In their interpretation and application, the provisions of these zoning regulations shall be held to be minimum requirements adopted for the promotion of public health, safety, morals and general welfare.

 

1.7     Conflicting Provisions

1.7.1.      Whenever the requirements of these zoning regulations are at variance with the requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules, regulations, or ordinances, the requirement that is most restrictive or that imposes higher standards as determined by the Zoning Administrator shall govern.

1.7.2.       These regulations are independent of private deed restrictions and other covenants and shall apply whether or not they are more restrictive than such restrictions.

1.7.3.      The issuance of any permit, certificate or approval in accordance with the standards and requirements of these zoning regulations shall not relieve the recipient of such permit, certificate or approval from the responsibility of complying with all other applicable requirements of any other city, county, state or federal agency having jurisdiction over the structures or land uses for which the permit, certificate or approval was issued.

 

1.8     Effect of Stipulations

1.8.1.      Where zoning stipulations have been applied through the zoning map amendment (rezoning) or special exception process, all development shall be subject to such stipulations, unless otherwise expressly stated in the stipulation itself.

1.8.2.      All stipulations shall be met prior to issuance of certificates of occupancy or certificates of completion for any development within the area subject to the zoning map amendment or special exception, unless otherwise expressly stated in the stipulation itself.

1.8.3.      All stipulations shall be included on the cover sheet of any application for a site and development plan, preliminary plan, building permit or other subsequent approval of development subject to the stipulations.

 

1.9     Transitional Provisions

1.9.1.     District Conversion Table

a.          The zoning district names in effect prior to October 27, 2003 are hereby converted, as shown on the following table.

 

OLD DISTRICT

NEW DISTRICT

BASE DISTRICTS

Open Use Districts

OUA

Open Use Agricultural

OUA

Open Use Agricultural

OUC

Open Use Conservation

OUC

Open Use Conservation

OUM

Open Use Mining

OUM

Open Use Mining

OUR

Open Use Rural

OUR

Open Use Rural

OUE-1

Open Use Estate

OUE

Open Use Estate

OUE-2

Open Use Estate

RE-1

Residential Estate

Residential Districts

RE‑1, 2

Residential Estate

RE‑1,2

Residential Estate

--

--

RE-3

Residential Estate

RSF‑1,2,3,4

Residential Single Family

RSF‑1,2,3,4

Residential Single Family

RMF‑1,2,3

Residential Multifamily

RMF‑1,2,3

Residential Multifamily

RMF-4

Residential Multifamily

RMF-4

RMF-4/Inactive District

RMH

Residential Manufactured Home

RMH

Residential Manufactured Home

RTR

Residential Tourist Resort

TR

TR/Inactive District

RC

Residential Combination

RC

RC/Inactive District

Commercial and Industrial Districts

CN

Commercial Neighborhood

CN

Commercial Neighborhood

OPI

Office, Professional and Institutional

OPI

Office, Professional and Institutional

CG

Commercial General

CG

Commercial General

CSC

Commercial Shopping Center

CG

Commercial General

CI

Commercial Intensive

CI

Commercial Intensive

CHI

Commercial Highway Interchange

CHI

Commercial Highway Interchange

CM

Commercial Marine

CM

Commercial Marine

--

--

IR

Industrial and Research

ILW

Light Industrial and Warehousing

ILW

Industrial, Light Manufacturing and Warehousing

I

Industrial

ILW

Industrial, Light Manufacturing and Warehousing

Planned Development Districts

PUD

Planned Unit Development

PUD

Planned Unit Development Overlay

OPI/PD

Planned Light Office, Professional
 and Institutional

OPI/PD

Planned Office, Professional
and Institutional

PCD

Planned Commerce Development

PCD

Planned Commerce Development

PID

Planned Industrial Development

PID

PID/Inactive District

PRD

Planned Recreational Development

PRD

PRD/Inactive District

Special Purpose Districts

GU

Government Use

GU

Government Use

MP

Marine Park

MP

Marine Park

OVERLAY DISTRICTS

Special Purpose Overlay Districts

UDOD

Urban Design Overlay District

--

-- DELETED --

--

--

HPIOD

Historic Preservation Incentive Overlay District

AOOD

Arts and Office Overlay District

CTOD

Commercial Transition Overlay District

EBD

Englewood Business District

MSOD

Main Street Overlay District

SKOD

Siesta Key Overlay District

SKOD

Siesta Key Overlay District

--

--

MRPZ

Myakka River Protection Zone

TDR Overlay Districts

CSZ

Conservation Sending Zone

CSZ

Conservation Sending Zone

RSZ

Residential Sending Zone

RSZ

Residential Sending Zone

RRZ

Residential Receiving Zone

RRZ

Residential Receiving Zone

HDRRZ

High Density Residential Receiving Zone

HDRRZ

High Density Residential
Receiving Zone

FUD

Future Urban Development Overlay

FUD

Future Urban Development Overlay

FURRZ

Future Urban Residential Receiving Zone

FURRZ

Future Urban Residential Receiving Zone

 

b.      Approvals prior to October 27, 2003 that reference the standards from the old Urban Design Overlay District (UDOD) shall apply the general development standards in Article 7 in place of any such stipulation.

1.9.2.     Applications and Prior Approvals

a.     Special Exceptions

1.      Approved Special Exception With a Binding Development Concept Plan

Where a special exception with a binding development concept plan was approved prior to October 27, 2003, the provisions of these zoning regulations shall apply to the extent that they do not conflict with the binding development concept plan.

2.     Approved Special Exception Without a Binding Development Concept Plan

Where an approved special exception does not have a binding development concept plan and development has occurred since the approval, any expansions not triggering a new special exception public hearing in accordance with Section 3.16 may proceed but shall be in compliance with these zoning regulations. Under such circumstances, a Development Concept Plan shall be prepared and filed in conjunction with any site and development plan or preliminary plans filed and shall become the binding development concept plan for the special exception.

3.      Pending Special Exception Applications
i.       Special exception applications deemed complete by the Growth Management Business Center on or before October 27, 2003 may be approved after October 27, 2003. After the completeness determination, changes to the development concept plan submitted with the special exception are allowed only at the request of County Staff, the Planning Commission, or the Board of County Commissioners. The special exception shall be reviewed in accordance with the applicable requirements of the zoning ordinance in effect at the time of application for the special exception, as reflected on the Development Concept Plan. Where changes to the development concept plan submitted with the special exception are made by the applicant after October 27, 2003, these zoning regulations in their entirety shall apply.
ii.      If the special exception application is approved, the applicant may then file site and development plans, preliminary plans or commercial subdivision plans after October 27, 2003, at which point these zoning regulations shall apply to the extent that they do not conflict with the binding development concept plan.

COMMENTARY: For example, if a 15-foot wide landscape buffer was shown on the binding development concept plan approved for the special exception and these regulations calls for a 20-foot buffer, then the applicant would provide the 15-foot buffer shown on the development concept plan.

iii.    A special exception application deemed complete by the Growth Management Business Center, on or before October 27, 2003 may continue to be processed even where the special exception use is listed in Section 5.1.2 as a permitted use, limited use or prohibited use in these zoning regulations. However, applicants have the option of withdrawing the application if the special exception becomes a permitted use.

COMMENTARY: For example, it might be in the applicant’s best interest to withdraw a special exception application if the use becomes a permitted use in the updated regulations. Any special exception that becomes a prohibited use in the updated regulations may continue, but would be treated as a non-conforming use with regard to expansion of use.

4.     If an approved special exception use becomes either a permitted, limited or prohibited use, the approved special exception remains in effect, and the use continues to be subject to the approved stipulations and binding development concept plan.

b.     Zoning Map Amendments (Rezoning)

1.     Approved Rezoning With Binding Development Concept Plan

Where a zoning map amendment (rezoning) for a district that requires a binding development concept plan was approved prior to October 27, 2003, the provisions of these zoning regulations shall apply to the extent that they do not conflict with the binding development concept plan.

 

2.     Pending Rezoning Application With a Binding Development Concept Plan
i.       An application for a zoning map amendment (rezoning) deemed complete by the Growth Management Business Center on or before October 27, 2003 for a district that requires a binding development concept plan as specified in Section 3.1.5 may be approved after October 27, 2003. After the completeness determination, changes to the development concept plan submitted are allowed only at the request of County Staff, the Planning Commission, or the Board of County Commissioners. Where changes to the development concept plan submitted with the zoning map amendment (rezoning) are made by the applicant after October 27, 2003, these zoning regulations in their entirety shall apply
ii.      Applicants with pending zoning map amendment (rezoning) applications for the CG (Commercial, General) District that have been deemed complete by the Growth Management Business Center on or before October 27, 2003 shall have the option of binding the zoning map amendment to the development concept plan as submitted with their application through a stipulation in the adopting ordinance for the zoning map amendment (rezoning). In such cases, the zoning ordinance in effect at the time of application shall apply as reflected on the binding Development Concept Plan. The provisions of these zoning regulations shall apply to the extent that they do not conflict with the binding development concept plan. Alternatively, applicants may choose not to stipulate compliance with the development concept plan and may develop in accordance with these zoning regulations.
3.     Pending Rezoning That Does Not Require a Binding Development Concept Plan

Where a zoning map amendment (rezoning) to a district that does not require a binding development concept plan, subsequent preliminary plans or site and development plans shall be subject to the requirements of these zoning regulations. Modifications needed to comply with a stipulation contained in the zoning map amendment (rezoning) are not subject to these zoning regulations.

COMMENTARY: For example, if a specific buffer is required by stipulation in the rezoning ordinance, then that stipulated buffer must be provided, regardless of the buffer required in these zoning regulations.

c.     Preliminary Plan, Site and Development Plan, Commercial Subdivision Plan

1.      Applications for preliminary plans, site and development plans or commercial subdivisions accepted by the Development Services Business Center prior to October 27, 2003 shall be processed under the requirements of the zoning ordinance in effect at the time of application.

2.      Individual site and development plans for a previously approved commercial subdivision shall be processed under the requirements of the ordinance in effect prior to October 27, 2003.

3.      Plans shall meet all the requirements in the submission checklist to be accepted by the Development Services Business Center.

4.      Plans submitted after October 27, 2003 must be in compliance with the binding development concept plan for the accompanying special exception or zoning map amendment (rezoning) as described above.

5.      The plans shall be reviewed for compliance with the requirements of these zoning regulations to the extent they do not conflict with the binding development concept plan.

6.      Modifications to approved preliminary, site and development and commercial subdivision plans that are processed as “walk through” changes, shall comply with the regulations in effect prior to October 27, 2003 if the original plan was approved under the prior ordinance. Individual site and development plans filed for a previously approved commercial subdivision may also be processed under the regulations in effect prior to October 27, 2003.

7.      Any changes that require the filing of a new preliminary or site and development plan shall comply with the requirements of these zoning regulations.

d.     Constructions Plans (Horizontal Development)

All construction plans must comply with the approved preliminary, site and development or commercial subdivision plan and the zoning ordinance applied in the review of such plans.

e.     Building Permits (Vertical Development)

All building permits must be consistent with the approved preliminary, site and development and construction plans and the zoning ordinance applied in the review of such plans.

f.      Sign Permits

Sign permits issued after October 27, 2003 must comply with these zoning regulations regardless of when the application for the sign permit was submitted.

g.     Variances

Variance applications shall be submitted only for variance from the zoning ordinance in effect at the time the application is acted upon, regardless of when the application was filed.

h.     General

1.      The evaluation of the standards in these zoning regulations against an adopted binding development concept plan shall be the responsibility of the Zoning Administrator.

2.      For those applicants filing a site and development plan, preliminary plan or commercial subdivision plan after October 27, 2003, it is strongly recommended that a preapplication meeting in accordance with Section 3.1.5 be held with the Development Review Committee prior to filing in order to allow County Staff and the applicant to discuss the plans before filing.