Tamarac, FL Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front setback (all residential districts)
- 20 ft
- Interior side setback, R-1
- 5 ft
- Interior side setback, RE/R-2/R-3
- 7.5 ft
- Corner side setback, R-3
- 20 ft
- Rear setback near golf course/water, RE/R-1/R-2
- 8 ft
- Nonresidential use add-on
- +10 ft on every side
Summary
In the City of Tamarac, Table 10-2.2 of the Land Development Code fixes minimum yard setbacks for the four residential zoning districts: RE, R-1, R-2 and R-3. Front setbacks hold at 20 feet citywide, while side, corner and rear minimums shift by district, from a 5-foot interior side yard in R-1 to a 20-foot corner side yard in R-3, with smaller rear setbacks next to golf courses or water bodies.
Table 10-2.2: Dimensional Standards for Residential Districts
RE R-1 R-2 R-3 ... Setbacks, Minimum (ft) [1] [2] Front Standard 20 20 20 20 Side Interior 7.5 5 7.5 7.5 Corner 10 10 10 20 Rear Standard 15 8 15 15
Adjacent to golf course, RC or RR Districts, or water body 8 8 8 15 [ ... 2]: ... Nonresidential uses shall have a 10-foot greater setback on all sides of the building in all zoning districts.
Full Breakdown
Community Development staff check yard setbacks against Table 10-2.2 of the Land Development Code (effective July 12, 2018) at building permit review. The front setback is a uniform 20 feet in RE, R-1, R-2 and R-3. Interior side setbacks are 7.5 feet in RE, R-2 and R-3 but only 5 feet in R-1; corner side setbacks are 10 feet in RE, R-1 and R-2 and 20 feet in R-3. The standard rear setback is 15 feet in RE, R-2 and R-3, dropping to 8 feet in R-1.
Any rear yard adjacent to a golf course, an RC or RR district, or a water body gets a reduced 8-foot rear setback in RE, R-1 and R-2, and a 15-foot rear setback in R-3. Nonresidential uses built in a residential district must add 10 feet to every required setback, per the table's own notes. Section 10-2.6(C) fills in how a setback is actually measured: a straight horizontal line from the front, corner, side or rear lot line to the nearest vertical wall of the structure, ignoring allowed projections such as unroofed patios, cornices, or A/C and pool equipment kept out of the front yard.
Contextual front setback averaging applies on local streets: if both abutting homes sit closer to the street than the district minimum, a new house need only match their average setback rather than the full 20 feet. Mechanical equipment, including A/C units and pool pumps, is barred from the front yard entirely and must still meet the side and rear setback lines of Article 2.
Violations & Fines
Community Development's Building Division reviews setbacks at permit application and again at foundation/slab inspection; an encroaching structure fails inspection and cannot proceed until corrected or granted a variance. A structure built without the required setback is a code violation referred to the city's special magistrate under Chapter 2, who can order removal or relocation of the encroaching portion and impose fines that accrue daily until the property is brought into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum front yard setback in Tamarac's residential zones?
Does R-1 get a smaller side setback than the other districts?
Is the rear setback smaller next to a golf course or lake?
Do commercial buildings in a residential district get different setbacks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tamarac
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Tamarac to another location·View the Florida building setbacks & zoning overview
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