Fla. Stat. 163.3202
Land development regulations
(1)
Within 1 year after submission of its comprehensive plan or revised comprehensive plan for review pursuant to s. 163.3191, each county and each municipality shall adopt or amend and enforce land development regulations that are consistent with and implement their adopted comprehensive plan.(2)
Local land development regulations shall contain specific and detailed provisions necessary or desirable to implement the adopted comprehensive plan and shall at a minimum:Regulate the subdivision of land.Regulate the use of land and water for those land use categories included in the land use element and ensure the compatibility of adjacent uses and provide for open space.Provide for protection of potable water wellfields.Regulate areas subject to seasonal and periodic flooding and provide for drainage and stormwater management.Ensure the protection of environmentally sensitive lands designated in the comprehensive plan.Regulate signage.Provide that public facilities and services meet or exceed the standards established in the capital improvements element required by s. 163.3177 and are available when needed for the development, or that development orders and permits are conditioned on the availability of these public facilities and services necessary to serve the proposed development. A local government may not issue a development order or permit that results in a reduction in the level of services for the affected public facilities below the level of services provided in the local government’s comprehensive plan.Ensure safe and convenient onsite traffic flow, considering needed vehicle parking.Maintain the existing density of residential properties or recreational vehicle parks if the properties are intended for residential use and are located in the unincorporated areas that have sufficient infrastructure, as determined by a local governing authority, and are not located within a coastal high-hazard area under s. 163.3178.Incorporate preexisting development orders identified pursuant to s. 163.3167(3).(a)
Regulate the subdivision of land.(b)
Regulate the use of land and water for those land use categories included in the land use element and ensure the compatibility of adjacent uses and provide for open space.(c)
Provide for protection of potable water wellfields.(d)
Regulate areas subject to seasonal and periodic flooding and provide for drainage and stormwater management.(e)
Ensure the protection of environmentally sensitive lands designated in the comprehensive plan.(f)
Regulate signage.(g)
Provide that public facilities and services meet or exceed the standards established in the capital improvements element required by s. 163.3177 and are available when needed for the development, or that development orders and permits are conditioned on the availability of these public facilities and services necessary to serve the proposed development. A local government may not issue a development order or permit that results in a reduction in the level of services for the affected public facilities below the level of services provided in the local government’s comprehensive plan.(h)
Ensure safe and convenient onsite traffic flow, considering needed vehicle parking.(i)
Maintain the existing density of residential properties or recreational vehicle parks if the properties are intended for residential use and are located in the unincorporated areas that have sufficient infrastructure, as determined by a local governing authority, and are not located within a coastal high-hazard area under s. 163.3178.(j)
Incorporate preexisting development orders identified pursuant to s. 163.3167(3).(3)
This section shall be construed to encourage the use of innovative land development regulations which include provisions such as transfer of development rights, incentive and inclusionary zoning, planned unit development, impact fees, and performance zoning. These and all other such regulations shall be combined and compiled into a single land development code for the jurisdiction. A general zoning code shall not be required if a local government’s adopted land development regulations meet the requirements of this section.(4)
The state land planning agency may require a local government to submit one or more land development regulations if it has reasonable grounds to believe that a local government has totally failed to adopt any one or more of the land development regulations required by this section. Once the state land planning agency determines after review and consultation with local government whether the local government has adopted regulations required by this section, the state land planning agency shall notify the local government in writing within 30 calendar days after receipt of the regulations from the local government. If the state land planning agency determines that the local government has failed to adopt regulations required by this section, it may institute an action in circuit court to require adoption of these regulations. This action shall not review compliance of adopted regulations with this section or consistency with locally adopted plans.(5)(a)
Land development regulations relating to building design elements may not be applied to a single-family or two-family dwelling unless:The dwelling is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, as defined in s. 267.021(5); is located in a National Register Historic District; or is designated as a historic property or located in a historic district, under the terms of a local preservation ordinance;
The regulations are adopted in order to implement the National Flood Insurance Program;
The regulations are adopted pursuant to and in compliance with chapter 553;
The dwelling is located in a community redevelopment area, as defined in s. 163.340(10);
The regulations are required to ensure protection of coastal wildlife in compliance with s. 161.052, s. 161.053, s. 161.0531, s. 161.085, s. 161.163, or chapter 373;
The dwelling is located in a planned unit development or master planned community created pursuant to a local ordinance, resolution, or other final action approved by the local governing body before July 1, 2023; or
The dwelling is located within the jurisdiction of a local government that has a design review board or an architectural review board created before January 1, 2020.
For purposes of this subsection, the term:“Building design elements” means the external building color; the type or style of exterior cladding material; the style or material of roof structures or porches; the exterior nonstructural architectural ornamentation; the location or architectural styling of windows or doors; the location or orientation of the garage; the number and type of rooms; and the interior layout of rooms. The term does not include the height, bulk, orientation, or location of a dwelling on a zoning lot; or the use of buffering or screening to minimize potential adverse physical or visual impacts or to protect the privacy of neighbors.
“Planned unit development” or “master planned community” means an area of land that is planned and developed as a single entity or in approved stages with uses and structures substantially related to the character of the entire development, or a self-contained development in which the subdivision and zoning controls are applied to the project as a whole rather than to individual lots.
This subsection does not affect the validity or enforceability of private covenants or other contractual agreements relating to building design elements.(5)(a)
Land development regulations relating to building design elements may not be applied to a single-family or two-family dwelling unless:The dwelling is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, as defined in s. 267.021(5); is located in a National Register Historic District; or is designated as a historic property or located in a historic district, under the terms of a local preservation ordinance;The regulations are adopted in order to implement the National Flood Insurance Program;The regulations are adopted pursuant to and in compliance with chapter 553;The dwelling is located in a community redevelopment area, as defined in s. 163.340(10);The regulations are required to ensure protection of coastal wildlife in compliance with s. 161.052, s. 161.053, s. 161.0531, s. 161.085, s. 161.163, or chapter 373;The dwelling is located in a planned unit development or master planned community created pursuant to a local ordinance, resolution, or other final action approved by the local governing body before July 1, 2023; orThe dwelling is located within the jurisdiction of a local government that has a design review board or an architectural review board created before January 1, 2020.(b)
For purposes of this subsection, the term:“Building design elements” means the external building color; the type or style of exterior cladding material; the style or material of roof structures or porches; the exterior nonstructural architectural ornamentation; the location or architectural styling of windows or doors; the location or orientation of the garage; the number and type of rooms; and the interior layout of rooms. The term does not include the height, bulk, orientation, or location of a dwelling on a zoning lot; or the use of buffering or screening to minimize potential adverse physical or visual impacts or to protect the privacy of neighbors.“Planned unit development” or “master planned community” means an area of land that is planned and developed as a single entity or in approved stages with uses and structures substantially related to the character of the entire development, or a self-contained development in which the subdivision and zoning controls are applied to the project as a whole rather than to individual lots.(c)
This subsection does not affect the validity or enforceability of private covenants or other contractual agreements relating to building design elements.(6)
Land development regulations relating to any characteristic of development other than use, or intensity or density of use, do not apply to Florida College System institutions as defined in s. 1000.21(5).(7)
The state land planning agency shall adopt rules for review and schedules for adoption of land development regulations.
Source:
Section 163.3202 — Land development regulations, https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0163.3202 (accessed Aug. 7, 2025).