Martin County, FL Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- GC / HI coverage cap
- 60 percent maximum
- CO / PS-1/PS-2 coverage cap
- 45 percent maximum
- COR-1/COR-2 coverage cap
- 40 percent maximum
- Residential districts
- no numeric cap, min. 50% open space instead
- Governing table
- LDR Table 3.12.1, Development Standards
Summary
LDR Table 3.12.1 sets a maximum building coverage percentage for commercial and industrial zoning districts under Section 3.12, ranging from 40 percent in COR-1 up to 60 percent in GC and HI. Most single-family residential districts carry no numeric coverage cap but instead a 50 percent minimum open space requirement.
Sec. 3.12. - Development standards. The land development standards set forth in Tables 3.12.1 and 3.12.2 shall apply to all lands zoned in accordance with this Division. TABLE 3.12.1 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS [column headers:] Zoning District | Min. Lot Area (sq. ft.) | Min. Lot Width (ft) | Max. Res. Density (upa) | Max. Hotel Density (upa) | Max. Building Coverage (%) | Max. Height (ft)/(stories) | Min. Open Space (%) | Other Req. (footnote). [data row:] A GC 10,000 80 — 20.00 60 40 20 —
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 62 | Land Development Regulations: Supplement 62).
Full Breakdown
1 carries a dedicated Max. Building Coverage (%) column alongside minimum lot area, lot width, density, height and open space. Coverage caps step up with commercial intensity: CO and PS-1/PS-2 sit at 45 percent, COR-1 and COR-2 at 40 percent, LC, CC, WRC and WGC at 50 percent, and GC and HI at 60 percent, while LI and GI run 40 and 50 percent respectively. The single-family and multifamily 'A' category districts, from AG-20A through RM-10, show a dash in the Max. Building Coverage column rather than a numeric cap; those districts are instead controlled by a minimum open space requirement, which runs 50 percent for most agricultural and residential estate districts and 30 to 40 percent in the denser RS and RM tiers, so building footprint is capped indirectly by what open space the lot must retain rather than a direct coverage ceiling. 2, so a lot must satisfy both the percentage cap and the perimeter setbacks at the same time.
Violations & Fines
Site plans that exceed the Table 3.12.1 building coverage percentage for their zoning district are rejected at Growth Management's site plan review stage, and a structure built beyond the approved coverage without a variance is a code violation that can block certificate of occupancy issuance and draw code enforcement action requiring removal of the excess building area.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum building coverage allowed on a commercial lot in Martin County?
Does my single-family lot in Martin County have a building coverage limit?
Do I need to meet both the setback lines and the coverage percentage in Martin County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Martin County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Martin County to another location·View the Florida building setbacks & zoning overview
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