Tamarac, FL Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Height max, RE/R-1/R-2
- 2 floors; 30 ft
- Height max, R-3
- 3 floors; 40 ft
- Step-down rule
- required next to 1-2 family homes
- Appurtenance allowance
- up to 10 ft above cap
- Monument/water tank exception
- up to 75 ft
- Religious steeple exception
- up to 50 ft
Summary
In the City of Tamarac, Table 10-2.2 of the Land Development Code caps residential building height at 2 floors and 30 feet in the RE, R-1 and R-2 districts, rising to 3 floors and 40 feet in R-3. A multi-story building next to a single- or two-family home must step down to match the neighbor's height, and height is measured from finished grade to the roof's midpoint or parapet.
RE R-1 R-2 R-3 ... Height, max 2 floors; 30 ft 2 floors; 30 ft 2 floors; 30 ft 3 floors; 40 ft ... NOTES [1]: Multi-story buildings directly adjacent to single- or two-family residential buildings shall "step down" in height on the abutting edge to match the height of the adjacent structure. ... (D)Building Standards (1)Building Height Measurement (a)The height of a structure shall be determined by measuring the vertical distance from the average elevation of the finished lot grade at the front of the building to the top of a parapet or to the top of a flat roof, or to the mid-height of an angular roof, whichever is the tallest.
Full Breakdown
Tamarac's Land Development Code sets residential height by district in Table 10-2.2: RE, R-1 and R-2 are limited to 2 floors and 30 feet, while R-3, the multi-family district, allows 3 floors and 40 feet. Table Note 1 requires any multi-story building directly adjacent to a single- or two-family residential building to "step down" in height on the shared edge to match the adjacent structure, preventing a tall R-3 building from towering over a neighboring R-1 or R-2 home. Section 10-2.6(D) spells out how height is measured: the vertical distance from the average finished lot grade at the front of the building to the top of a parapet, the top of a flat roof, or the mid-height of an angular roof, whichever point is tallest.
A stated maximum of "three stories or 40 feet" caps both figures independently: the building cannot exceed three stories and, within those stories, cannot exceed 40 feet, including any wall built to hide air-conditioning or other equipment. Cupolas, flagpoles, chimneys, antennas, HVAC equipment, elevator housings and stairwell towers are exempt from the height cap outright, but any such appurtenance may not rise more than 10 feet above the maximum permitted building height (except flagpoles, church belfries and antennas that need more height to function) and cannot be built to add usable floor area.
Monuments, public art and water tanks may reach 75 feet, and a steeple on a religious building may reach 50 feet, both well above the base residential caps.
Violations & Fines
Building plans exceeding the district height cap are rejected at permit review by Community Development's Building Division, and any structure built taller than Table 10-2.2 allows without a variance is referred to the city's special magistrate under Chapter 2 for a code enforcement hearing. The magistrate can order the excess height removed or altered and levy a daily fine that continues to accrue until the structure is brought into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Tamarac house be built taller than 30 feet?
How is building height actually measured in Tamarac?
Do rooftop equipment or antennas count toward the height limit?
Are there any structures allowed to exceed the residential height caps entirely?
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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Structure Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Broward County handle structure height limits.