Coral Gables, FL Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Downtown Design Guide (2026)
Key Facts
- Max height
- 4 stories or 50 feet
- Storefront requirement
- 90% of Mile frontage
- Min ground floor height
- 15 feet
- Front/side setback
- Zero feet mandatory
- Big-site trigger
- 200 ft frontage / 20,000 sq ft
Summary
A mandatory downtown design overlay caps Miracle Mile buildings at 4 stories/50 feet and forces 90% ground-floor storefronts with zero setbacks.
The building height of the development of the properties shall be limited to not more than four (4) stories or fifty (50) feet of building height, whichever is less, measured from finished floor to the tie-beam on the top floor for properties from Miracle Mile to the centerline of the alley to the north or south of Miracle Mile. Additional height or stories available from architectural incentives shall not apply on Miracle Mile.
A minimum of ninety (90%) percent of the lot front facing Miracle Mile, at ground level, shall be storefronts limited to retail, restaurant, art galleries, personal services, courtyards and building entries. Minimum ground floor height shall be fifteen (15) feet to create high-quality shopfronts.
Except for pedestrian building entrances and pedestrian courtyards there shall be a mandatory zero (0) foot setback along the Miracle Mile frontage and there shall be no side setbacks along Miracle Mile to ensure a continuous pedestrian scale façade up to the third floor, with the maximum allowable stepback possible that does not impede the property owner's use of allowable FAR, above the third floor. Where possible, a ten (10) foot minimum stepback above the third floor, shall be required if it does not impede the property owner's use of allowable FAR.
Required parking is prohibited on properties facing Miracle mile and shall be provided remotely per Section 10-109.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Fee Schedule: Supplement 2 | Zoning Code: Supplement 1 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 25 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
The Zain/Friedman Miracle Mile Downtown District Overlay (DO) locks in the low-rise, pedestrian-scaled look of Coral Gables' historic downtown. Buildings fronting Miracle Mile are capped at four stories or 50 feet, whichever is less, with architectural height/story bonuses barred outright on the Mile. Ground floors must be 90% storefronts (retail, restaurant, gallery, personal-service, courtyard, or entry uses) at a minimum 15-foot ceiling height, built to a mandatory zero-foot front setback with no side setbacks through the third floor. Required parking cannot face Miracle Mile and must be provided remotely, and Transfer of Development Rights cannot be used as a receiver site there. Large combined-frontage assemblages (200+ feet, 20,000+ sq ft) trigger Planning and Zoning Board site plan review plus City Commission approval.
Violations & Fines
Development in the DO District that doesn't meet these standards is denied site plan approval; large assemblages skipping Planning & Zoning Board/City Commission review cannot proceed, and architectural height bonuses are simply unavailable on Miracle Mile regardless of underlying MX2 zoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a new building on Miracle Mile get extra height through bonuses?
Where can required parking for a Miracle Mile building go?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coral Gables
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Coral Gables to another location·View the Florida zoning overlays & bonuses overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Downtown Design Guide in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Miami-Dade County handle downtown design guide.