Dade City, FL Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)

Section 4.4.4(A) of the Dade City Land Development Regulations sets the standards for an accessory dwelling unit, and Table 4.4-1 in Sec. 4.4.2 lists Accessory Dwelling Units with a cross-reference to that subsection. The size cap is the lesser of two numbers: 33 percent of the habitable floor area of the principal dwelling unit, or 800 square feet. A 2,000 square foot house therefore supports a 660 square foot unit, while a 3,000 square foot house tops out at 800. The unit can hold private sanitary facilities with hot and cold running water plus cooking and food storage facilities, so it can be a complete small home.

The lot limit is one (1) accessory dwelling unit in addition to the principal single-family detached dwelling. Mobile homes, recreational vehicles, and travel trailers cannot serve as the unit. The unit must meet every development standard that applies to a principal dwelling in its zone district, and under 4.4.4(A)(8) the ADU section controls if it conflicts with another LDR requirement.

Placement is governed by Sec. 4.4.2(E)(1)(d): accessory dwelling units shall not be located in any required yard. The general accessory rules in 4.4.2(E) add that accessory structures stay clear of platted or recorded easements, may not project beyond the front building line of the principal structure, and, for residential accessory structures, the combined floor area of all detached accessory structures is limited to 33 percent of the principal structure's floor area. Under 4.4.2(B)(7) the ADU cannot be built before the principal home exists. Parking is one (1) off-street space for each bedroom in the unit. The unit does not count toward maximum residential density, which keeps an ADU from using up the density a lot is entitled to. Resale is blocked: the unit cannot be sold apart from the principal dwelling on the same lot.

The Community Development Director interprets uses the table does not list (4.4.2(D)(3)).