ADU rules in Manatee County, FL — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
In unincorporated Manatee County, a detached accessory dwelling unit may be placed under the Land Development Code. It must be a single story with a maximum height of twelve feet (no lofts) unless it instead meets the principal dwelling's zoning-district setback and height standards.
Manatee County's Land Development Code (Chapter 5) governs accessory dwelling units on unincorporated land. An ADU, attached or detached, must follow the setback and height requirements of the principal dwelling's standard zoning district, or, for a detached ADU, meet the alternative standard: a maximum height of twelve (12) feet and a single story with no lofts. Exterior stairways may not encroach into the district's standard setbacks and may not sit on the rear of the ADU, and porches or balconies must face the principal dwelling. A mobile home may serve as an ADU if it meets the code's square-footage limit. Inside Bradenton, Palmetto, and the Anna Maria Island cities, the city's ADU code applies instead.
Building or occupying an accessory dwelling that exceeds the height limit or ignores setback and design standards is a Land Development Code violation enforced by Manatee County code enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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