Building Setbacks & Zoning in Miramar, FL

Miramar maintains 135 local ordinances across all categories, and 3 of those deal specifically with building setbacks & zoning. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Miramar falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Setback Rules

Miramar's Land Development Code sets minimum yard setbacks by single-family district in Table 402-2. Front setbacks range from 50 feet in the RL, E, and RS1 districts down to 10 feet in the Trailer/Mobile Home Park (T) district, while side setbacks run from 25 feet down to 5 feet and rear setbacks from 25 feet down to 10 feet, all under LDC Sec. 402.

Key details: RL/E/RS1 front setback: 50 feet. T district front setback: 10 feet. RL/E/RS1 side setback: 25 feet. RS2 side setback: 5 feet. Rear setback range: 10 to 25 feet by district.

Construction that encroaches into a required front, side, corner, or rear setback cannot obtain a building permit or certificate of occupancy without a variance from the Board of Adjustment, and unpermitted work that violates the approved setback lines is enforced under the city's general penalty, Code of Ordinances Sec. 1-13: a fine up to $500, up to 60 days imprisonment, or both, with each day of the violation a separate offense.

Structure Height Limits

Miramar's Land Development Code sets a 40-foot maximum building height in the RL, E, and RS1 single-family districts and a 35-foot maximum in RS2 through RS8, dropping to 25 feet in the Trailer/Mobile Home Park (T) district, under Table 402-2 of LDC Sec. 402. The table does not cap the number of stories in any single-family zone.

Key details: RL/E/RS1 height cap: 40 feet. RS2-RS8 height cap: 35 feet. T district height cap: 25 feet. Story limit: None specified (N/A) in Table 402-2. Multi-family cap: 35 feet flat under Table 402-3.

A structure built above the district's height limit cannot receive a certificate of occupancy until it is brought into compliance or granted a variance by the Board of Adjustment. Building without an approved permit, or in violation of the approved plans, is enforced under the city's general penalty, Code of Ordinances Sec. 1-13: a fine up to $500, up to 60 days imprisonment, or both, with each day of the violation treated as a separate offense.

Lot Coverage Limits

Miramar's Land Development Code caps building lot coverage at 40 percent of the parcel in the RL, E, and RS1 single-family districts (Table 402-2, LDC Sec. 402). The denser single-family zones, RS2 through RS8, and the Trailer/Mobile Home Park (T) district carry no lot-coverage figure in that table; multi-family districts use a separate plot-coverage cap under Table 402-3.

Key details: RL/E/RS1 cap: 40% max building lot coverage. RS2-RS8 & T districts: No coverage cap in Table 402-2. Measurement rule: Includes all principal & accessory structures. Multi-family cap: 40-50% under Table 402-3. General penalty: Up to $500 fine, 60 days jail per Sec. 1-13.

Exceeding the Table 402-2 coverage cap blocks issuance of a building permit until plans are revised, and construction that proceeds without an approved permit is enforced under the city's general penalty provision, Code of Ordinances Sec. 1-13: a fine up to $500, up to 60 days imprisonment, or both, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense. The city can also treat the non-compliant structure as a public nuisance subject to abatement.

The Bottom Line

Miramar's building setbacks & zoning rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Miramar is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Miramar's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.