In unincorporated Sarasota County RSF districts, a single-family structure may not exceed 35 feet, measured from the established minimum floor elevation, including in-structure parking. Detached accessory structures are capped at 20 feet.
Sarasota County's RSF district standards limit single-family structure height to 35 feet, measured from the established minimum floor elevation and including structures with in-structure parking. Accessory structures in residential districts (except in the Siesta Key Overlay District) may not exceed 20 feet, and where the principal structure is over 20 feet, the accessory structure may not exceed the height of the principal structure (Section 5.4). Height measurement is defined in Section 6.2 of the Zoning Regulations. Fences and walls are governed separately by Sec. 7.8 (8-foot side/rear cap). Different maximums apply in multifamily (RMF), commercial, and overlay districts, and coastal or floodplain elevation rules can further affect measured height. Confirm the applicable cap with Sarasota County Planning and Development Services
Exceeding the district height limit is a zoning violation. Remedies include denial of the building permit, a required height variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals, or removal of the over-height portion; unresolved cases reach the Special Magistrate.
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