PZ&R FAQs

The Comprehensive Plan is the long-term blueprint to guide future decisions made by the Village. Within the Comprehensive Plan are a series of Goals, Objectives, and Policies. Their purpose is to preserve, protect and enhance the quality of life for all residents and business owners in the Village. The plan encourages and supports economically sound residential, educational, employment, cultural, recreational and commercial opportunities for all. The Village’s Comprehensive Plan 2025 may be found HERE

The Future Land Use designation is defined in the Village Comprehensive Plan as the general type of land use that is allowed on a property. For example, single-family residential, multi-family residential, commercial, parks, mixed use and others. Each designation also includes a maximum density or intensity of uses. The Village’s Future Land Use Map (FLUM) may be found HERE.

The State governing laws, Chapter 163, Florida Statutes, requires every local government to establish and implement comprehensive planning programs to guide and manage future growth and development.

The Zoning District defines the types of primary and accessory uses that can be developed along with regulatory standards to guide each development. These standards are generally more detailed includes minimum lot size, lot width, setbacks, heights, parking requirements, percentage open space and maximum lot coverage. The Village’s Zoning Map may be found HERE.

The Village’s Land Development Code (Zoning Code) provides information that outlines requirements for development on your property and may be found HERE.

Zoning provides for orderly development; prevents land use conflicts and haphazard development patterns; protects neighborhoods and provide stability; provides assurances to prospective businesses and investors – seeking to locate in an area with a high level of quality design; preserves property investments and the Village’s tax base; provides minimum development standards; regulates certain land uses which may be undesirable (e.g., noxious activities with noise, fumes or dust, high traffic volume generating facilities, etc.); and, protects certain land uses (e.g., schools, parks/open space, churches, hospitals, water supply and other environmental resources, historic/cultural sites).

There should always be synergy and compatibility between the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code to foster harmonious development in the Village. However, Goals, Objectives and Policies in a Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Regulations can change overtime to adapt to the changing needs of the community or comply with new laws. The Village’s Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code should always be reviewed for consistency if any change is made to one of the documents.

Intensity – The permitted extent of development of a lot through a variety of objective metrics. One of the most common measures of intensity is Floor Area Ratio.

Density – The maximum permissible number of homes (dwelling units) that may be developed on a specific amount of land area, usually expressed in terms of dwelling units per acre.

Floor Area Ratio (FAR) – A ratio, expressed as a quotient, of the maximum permissible floor area on all floors of a building relative to the total area of the site on which the building is located.