How Kissimmee Handles Environmental Rules: A Practical Guide
Kissimmee maintains 112 local ordinances across all categories, and 4 of those deal specifically with environmental rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Kissimmee falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Flood Zones
Kissimmee requires a floodplain development permit for construction, filling, or grading in FEMA-mapped flood hazard areas, with new lowest floors set at least 18 inches above base flood elevation.
Key details: Administrator: City manager as floodplain administrator. Flood maps: 2013 Osceola County FIRM/FIS. Elevation rule: Lowest floor 18 in. above base flood. Applies to: Filling, grading, buildings, manufactured homes, RVs.
Building or filling in a mapped flood hazard area without a floodplain development permit, or without required lowest-floor elevation documentation, is presumed a violation; the floodplain administrator may issue a notice of violation or stop-work order under LDC § 14-9-1.J.
Flood Elevation Requirements
Kissimmee requires fill in special flood hazard subdivisions to raise the lowest floor at least 18 inches above the 100-year base flood elevation, exceeding the state minimum.
Key details: Minimum fill elevation: 18 in. above base flood elev.. Applies in: special flood hazard areas only. Determined by: city engineer. Exceeds: state 1-ft freeboard minimum. Administered by: city floodplain administrator.
Building or filling below the required elevation without the documented certification of elevation is presumed a violation under § 14-9-1(J), enforceable through the floodplain administrator's permit-suspension and code-enforcement powers.
Erosion Control
Kissimmee requires an early land preparation or site improvement permit before any grading, tree removal, or vegetation clearing, with limited exemptions for small residential lots and agriculture.
Key details: Permit trigger: Any terrain or vegetation alteration. Small-lot exemption: Under 2 acres, owner-directed clearing. Plan detail: Topography and drainage at 1-ft contours. Other exemptions: Nurseries, agriculture, ROW work, emergencies.
Clearing, grading, or removing vegetation without the required early land preparation or site improvement permit, outside the narrow residential, agricultural, right-of-way, or emergency exemptions, violates LDC § 14-9-4.A.
Stormwater Management
Kissimmee prohibits illegal connections and discharges to its storm sewer system, and requires construction, commercial, and industrial sites to control runoff and file erosion-control plans.
Key details: Core rule: illegal connections/discharges banned. Governing program: city's NPDES MS4 permit. Construction plan fee: $125 per site plan. Private facility inspection: every 2 years. Enforcement: citation plus cost lien.
Illegal connections/discharges, and failure to correct them on the city manager's approved schedule, are punished under § 1-22 and F.S. ch. 162, with each day a separate offense and city repair costs recoverable as a property lien.
The Bottom Line
Kissimmee's environmental rules 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 Kissimmee is broadly strict or permissive.
Keep in mind that Kissimmee can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.