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Port St. Lucie, FL Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section: City Code § 158.071(I), RE district
RE front/rear setback: 25 feet each
RE side setback: 10 feet each side
Corner lot rule: Additional setback under § 158.203
Waterfront setback: 50-75 feet under § 158.202
Variance authority: Board of Zoning Appeals

Summary

Port St. Lucie's Estate Residential (RE) zoning district requires a 25-foot front setback, two 10-foot side setbacks, and a 25-foot rear setback under City Code § 158.071(I). Corner lots pick up an added rule from § 158.203, and any landscaping placed in the setback still has to satisfy the buffering standards in Chapter 154.

(I)Yard Requirements and Landscaping.(1)Front Yard. Each lot shall have a front yard with a building setback line of twenty-five (25) feet, unless otherwise provided by this chapter.(2)Side Yards. Each lot shall have two (2) side yards, each of which shall have a building setback line of ten (10) feet, unless otherwise provided by this chapter. See section 158.203.(3)Rear Yard. Each lot shall have a rear yard with a building setback line of twenty-five (25) feet, unless otherwise provided by this chapter.(4)Landscaping Requirements. Landscaping and buffering requirements are subject to Chapter 154.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 103).

Full Breakdown

071(I) sets the yard setback lines for the Estate Residential (RE) district, the city's large-lot single-family zone: 25 feet in front, 10 feet on each side, and 25 feet in the rear. 203, which adds a special setback rule for corner lots in single-family districts, and subsection (I)(4) folds in the landscaping and buffering standards of Chapter 154 for anything planted within those yards. 060(I). 202, requires an additional setback from any natural and public body of water, 50 feet in single-family districts and 75 feet elsewhere measured from the mean high water line, though that requirement carves out an express exception for boat docks, boardwalks, marinas, and marina-associated structures. 217.

Violations & Fines

Building inside a required setback without an approved variance is a Zoning Code violation of section 158.071(I), and the City will not issue a certificate of occupancy, or will red-tag work in progress, until the structure is relocated or a variance is granted by the Board of Zoning Appeals. Continuing violations are enforced under Chapter 37's schedule of penalties, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far must a house sit from the property line in Port St. Lucie's RE district?

Section 158.071(I) requires a 25-foot front setback, a 10-foot setback on each side, and a 25-foot rear setback in the Estate Residential district. Corner lots pick up an added rule under section 158.203, and anything planted inside the setback must still meet the landscaping standards of Chapter 154.

Are setbacks the same in every Port St. Lucie residential zoning district?

No. RS-1 and RS-2 single-family districts use the same 25-foot front and rear lines with a 10-foot side yard as RE, but the General Use (GU) district requires much deeper yards for a single-family home: 50 feet front and rear, 30 feet on each side, under section 158.060(I).

Does the waterfront setback apply to my boat dock?

No. Section 158.202 requires structures to sit back 50 feet from the mean high water line in single-family districts and 75 feet elsewhere, but the section expressly exempts boat docks, boardwalks, marinas, and marina-associated structures from that setback.

Sources & Official References

[1]Port St. Lucie Code of Ordinances § 158.071 (Municode)

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