Active Zoning Text Amendments

Active Zoning Text Amendments (ZTAs) listed below are ordered chronologically by filing date.

ZTA Description Date Filed

Batch 2025 Zoning Text Amendment (25-ZTA-01) – The ZTA proposes to:

Clarify that decorative panels, including metal panels, may screen all sides of rooftop mechanical equipment, not just parapet walls, and that the equipment be fully screened from view on all sides.

  • Modify the definition of ‘dwelling unit’ to allow for an accessory room that does not connect to the primary residence.
  • Deleting the definition of ‘commercial parking lots’ from the Zoning Code for consistency with commercial parking use characteristics and standards.
  • Clarifying a minimum five-foot setback for swimming pools and pool cages.
  • Clarifying the bicycle standards required for all developments.
  • Clarifying parking is not permitted in the waterfront setback of any zone district. 
  • Removing the two-story maximum height standard in the Residential Single Multiple 9 (RSM-9) zone district. The amendment does not change or increase the overall maximum height of permitted structures, which currently remains at 30 feet, consistent with all other single-family zone districts, height will continue to be measured in feet.
  • Modifying landscape plan requirements for zoning lots with a front zoning lot line less than 30 feet in length.
  • Removing Saw Palmetto and Reclinata from the protected tree definition. Reclinata is considered a Class II invasive by the Florida Invasive Species Council and a Saw Palmetto does not meet the definition of a protected tree due to its typical trunk height.
  • Removing Pink Tabebuia (Tabebuai heterophylla) from the recommended tree list in the Zoning Code as it is now listed as a Class II invasive.
  • Stating a penalty applies when a property owner or contractor removes a grand tree without properly displaying the permit and identifying the tree with an orange ribbon. Identifying a grand tree to be removed is an existing regulation.
  • Adding language to Article VII, Division 3.1, Tree Protection, to clarify when these regulations apply.
  • Allowing three palm trees of certain species to be considered equivalent to a canopy tree for landscaping requirements.
  • Modifying the minimum ground-story height requirement at the sidewalk level on primary streets.
  • Modifying existing maximum building length from 200 feet to 250 feet in the Urban Mixed-Use zone districts for design flexibility.
  • Correcting language that identifies when Section IV-102 of the Zoning Code applies and relocating existing language to a different section in the Zoning Code for applicability consistency.
  • Allowing the Historic Preservation Board to authorize a variance or adjustment to the maximum density permitted on a zoning lot related to locally designated structures.
  • Updating language to be consistent with Senate Bill 812 and new Section of Florida Statute 177.073.
  • Including cementitious finish as a permitted exterior finish material and allowing metal as a permissible material for window surrounds for buildings fronting primary streets.
  • Adding Affordable Housing Agreements and Historic Preservation Transfer of Development Rights Agreements to the enforcement section of the Zoning Code.
  • Eliminating the requirement that the Building Official is required to be appointed by the City Manager.
  • Clarifying window signs have additional standards within the Downtown zone districts, Commercial Tourist (CT), Commercial Business Newtown (CBN), Urban Mixed-Use zone districts, Housing Authority Overlay District (HAOD), and North Trail Overlay District (NTOD).
  • Revising how height of objects greater than 30 inches are measured within the waterfront setback.

6/25/25

 

 

Recently Completed Zoning Text Amendments

ZTA Description Ordinance Number(s)
Public Art Zoning Text Amendment (24-ZTA-07) - An Ordinance to reflect the adopted 2030 Public Art Plan and associated programs, provide additional developer options to provide public art, define the role of the public art manager, and clarify the public art approval process, exceptions, and additions. The Ordinance also allows the public art fund to support the advancement of the program, and all actions associated with operations and stewardship of the public art collection. 25-5558
Community Gardens, Accessory Uses to Religious Institutions, and Seawalls (24-ZTA-06) - An Ordinance to allow community gardens as a permitted use within the downtown zone districts, clarify uses that are permitted as an accessory use to religious institutions, and update the maximum allowed height of seawalls and bulkheads to account for sea level rise. 25-5552
Historic Preservation Transfer of Development Rights Program (24-ZTA-05) - An Ordinance to implement a downtown Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program to incentivize the preservation of designated historic buildings. The voluntary TDR program for the downtown zone districts provides a market-based incentive for preserving designated historic buildings by allowing the unused development rights on a site with existing, designated historic building to be transferred to another site. Transferable development rights may include density and building height. The proposed Zoning Text Amendment would limit the additional building height to a maximum of two stories. 25-5556
Batch 2024 Zoning Text Amendment (24-ZTA-04) - An Ordinance to modify language to facilitate tree preservation, encourage Florida-friendly and native trees, define and codify standards for commercial artwork signs, create a definition for the term "Freeboard" and clarify how height for single-family homes is measured, allow generators and pool equipment to encroach no more than three feet into the required side yard setback, allow for permeable paving surfaces in drive aisles for grass parking lots, allow non-opaque fencing on vacant lots, modify the definition of "structure," include food distribution on an individual appointment-only basis as a community service use, provide flexibility within the design standards of the Newtown Conservation Historic Overlay District, create a standard lot area and lot width for single-family attached housing types and modify front setbacks for multiple-family developments in Residential Multiple Family zone districts, remove vacation of utility easements on private property from the vacation of streets and rights-of-way requirements, add definitions for the terms "front yard," "side yard," and "rear yard," modify the definition of "eaves," codify when a development requires a staging permit, amend the facade and streetwall requirement, remove the six foot separation requirement between an accessory dwelling unit and the principal building, add standards for bollard lighting, allow alternative parking ratios for administrative site plans outside the downtown to be reviewed administratively, allow community gardens as a permitted use in parks within downtown zone districts, and modify the use characteristics for accessory uses of religious institutions. 24-5540
Solar Utilities (24-ZTA-03) - An Ordinance to allow a Solar Utility as a permitted use in the Industrial General District (IGD) and Industrial Heavy District (IHD) zone districts and to adopt certain development standards for solar utilities. 24-5523
Housing Authority Overlay District (24-ZTA-01) - An Ordinance to expand the Housing Authority Overlay District by adding 1442 22nd Street (PID 2024-06-0047) into the district, increase maximum residential density from 25 dwelling units per acre to 50 dwelling units per acre for property designated as Multiple Family – High Density on the Future Land Use Map, and increase maximum building height from 35 feet to 45 feet. 24-5513
Commercial Corridors and Commercial Centers Attainable Housing ZTA (24-ZTA-02) - An Ordinance to create three (3) new Urban Mixed-Use zone districts to implement the adopted Urban Mixed-Use Future Land Use classification along commercial corridors and commercial centers. Utilizing existing design standards and New Urbanism principles, the ZTA proposes to create regulations for these new Urban Mixed-Use zone districts to incentivize private development of on-site attainable housing and encourage compatible, mixed-use development. 24-5510
Restaurants, Bars, and Nightclubs (23-ZTA-04) - Ordinances to modify definitions for the terms "Bar," "Outdoor Bar," and "Nightclub"; add a definition for the term "Bottle Club"; update primary use tables; apply additional standards for outdoor seating and other outdoor areas of establishments; update the separation requirements among bars, outdoor bars, nightclubs, and alcoholic beverage stores; expand the downtown exemption area map to include other redeveloping commercial areas of the downtown; and modify permitting process for outdoor bars that are accessory to restaurants, hotels/motels, and private clubs. 23-5502
23-5503
Attainable Housing Density Bonus for Downtown Zone Districts (23-ZTA-03) - Ordinances to include an "Attainable Housing Density Bonus" in which specific downtown zone districts may achieve a density bonus of up to four times (4x) the base density when a certain percentage of the residential units exceeding the base density are designated as attainable housing units. Attainable housing units must be located on the development site and must be designated as attainable for a minimum of 30 years. Specifications regarding development requirements for a mix of attainable incomes, affordability, and monitoring are reflected in the ZTA. Detailed affordability monitoring requirements for the attainable owner-occupied or rental units are proposed to be recorded within a covenant or monitoring agreement, respectively, with owner-occupied units administered through a Community Land Trust. 23-5487
23-5488
23-5489
Historic Preservation Board and Public Art Committee Membership ZTA (23-ZTA-02) - An ordinance to revise the Historic Preservation Board membership and the Public Art Committee membership requirements to make the standards and quorum consistent. 23-5485
Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) Batch 2023 (23-ZTA-01) - Ordinances to ensure consistency between the definition and standards for a subdivision, regulate the use of interstitial space, create a definition and standards for accessory kitchens, clarify where banquet halls less than 5,000 square feet are permitted, clarify the expansion allowance for nonconforming structures, clarify the daylight plane requirement for single-family homes, modify standard requiring a noise mitigation wall for outdoor mechanical equipment for single-family homes, clarify where swimming pools are permitted for the DTN, RSM-9, and RTD-9 zone districts, expand permitted parking surface materials to include permeable parking surfaces, provide parking requirements for self-storage facilities, expand the ability to apply for an alternative parking ratio option outside of the downtown, enhancements to tree mitigation requirements, include balconies and covered front porches in the setback encroachment regulations, and establish a threshold to require residential developments to have refuse and recycling picked up on private property. 23-5468
23-5469
23-5470
23-5471
23-5472
23-5473
23-5474
23-5475
23-5476
23-5477
Alcohol Production Terminology (22-ZTA-08) - An ordinance to create new definitions for terms: “Brewpub”, “Microbrewery”, “Regional brewery" “Tasting room”, “Accessory nanobrewery/nanodistillery”, and “Winery”, update primary use charts, and create additional use standards for new uses. 22-5427
Missing Middle Overlay District (22-ZTA-07) - An ordinance to create a new "Missing Middle" Overlay District (MMOD) that will increase the allowable residential dwelling unit density in excess of 12 units per acre up to a maximum of 35 units per acre when providing for attainable housing in order to provide for a range of small multi-dwelling housing types such as duplexes, triplexes, and cottage court housing. 22-5430
Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) Batch 2022 (22-ZTA-06) - An ordinance to draft and modify definitions and use standards to provide for clarification and consistency; correct scrivener errors found in the Zoning Code, make minor text revisions to North Trail Overlay District (NTOD); add language that provides for greater screening between registered vacation rentals and single family uses; modify the definition for restaurants and add language to facilitate outdoor restaurants and seating; permit mobile food trucks as a permitted use in DTC zone district and simplify approval process, and make minor text revisions to site plan criteria, site plans in the downtown, and conditional use criteria. 22-5414(PDF, 6MB)
22-5415
Primary Grid Streets (22-ZTA-02) - An ordinance to enhance the primary grid street network in downtown Sarasota through proposed additions and proposed removals of primary streets. 22-5402
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