5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in St. Lucie County, Florida.
Verified from official government sources
The St. Lucie County Land Development Code has no separate ADU or guest-house use; a second living unit is treated as an accessory structure and is capped in size. Florida law (F.S. 163.31771) lets counties choose to allow ADUs in single-family zones.
F.S. 163.31771(2)
A local government may adopt an ordinance to allow accessory dwelling units in any area zoned for single-family residential use.
In unincorporated St. Lucie County, a storage shed is an accessory structure. Under LDC 8.00.02(B) all accessory structures together may not cover more than 35% of the lot's permitted building area, and a Florida Building Code permit is generally required.
SLC LDC 8.00.02(B)
No accessory structure or use in any residential zoning district shall occupy more than thirty-five percent (35%) of the maximum permitted building area of the entire lot.
Converting a garage to living space in unincorporated St. Lucie County is a Florida Building Code change-of-use needing a permit. The new area must meet zoning, and required off-street parking removed from the garage must be replaced elsewhere on the lot.
SLC LDC 8.00.01
Accessory structures and uses are permitted in any zoning district in connection with any principal lawfully existing permitted use within such district... provided that all accessory structures or uses shall meet the requirements for the zoning district in which the structure or use is located.
In unincorporated St. Lucie County a carport is an accessory structure. LDC 8.00.02(C) lets a residential carport exceed the house height but caps it at 20 feet and requires it to sit at least 5 feet behind the home's front facade.
SLC LDC 8.00.02(C)
Non-commercial garages, carports, and enclosed storage structures located within residential zoning districts may exceed the height of the primary structure but shall then be limited to twenty (20) feet in height and located a minimum of five (5) feet behind the front facade of the primary structure.
St. Lucie County has no tiny-home ordinance. A site-built tiny house on a foundation is a dwelling under the Florida Building Code and zoning; a tiny house on wheels is recreational equipment that LDC 8.00.03 says may not be used for living or sleeping.
SLC LDC 8.00.03(F)(3)
Recreational equipment shall not be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes.
1 cities in St. Lucie County have their own accessory structures rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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