Miami-Dade County, FL Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum lot size
- 5 acres
- Minimum frontage
- 200 feet
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Miami-Dade (UMSA) only
- First-offense penalty
- $500 civil fine
- State protection cited
- Fla. Stat. § 823.14
Summary
Unincorporated Miami-Dade zones farmland AU, requiring 5 acres and 200 feet of frontage per lot and disclosing Right-to-Farm Act protection to buyers of AU land.
Lots for any use in AU District shall contain a minimum of five (5) acres, and have a minimum street frontage of two hundred (200) feet. Credit shall be given towards lot area requirements for right-of-way dedication from the site.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 135).
Full Breakdown
In the UMSA (unincorporated Miami-Dade County only, this does not reach Miami, Hialeah, or the county's other 33 cities), Chapter 33's AU Agricultural District sets a 5-acre minimum lot size and 200-foot minimum street frontage for any use, crediting right-of-way dedication toward the area requirement. Smaller legacy lots (10,000 sq ft to 1 acre) get a narrower carve-out. Sellers of AU-zoned land, or land adjoining AU parcels, must give buyers a signed disclosure that farm activity there, crop cultivation, livestock breeding, spraying, and the resulting noise, odor, dust, and traffic, is lawful and may be shielded from nuisance suits under Florida's Right to Farm Act, Fla. Stat. § 823.14.
Violations & Fines
Using AU land for a purpose not on the permitted-use list, or building on an undersized lot without qualifying for an exception, draws a $500 civil penalty for a first offense, $1,000 for a second within five years, and $2,500 for a third, under the Chapter 8CC schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the AU district apply inside cities like Miami or Homestead?
Can a smaller lot still be used for agriculture?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami-Dade County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miami-Dade County to another location·View the Florida right to farm overview
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