Daytona Beach, FL Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Downtown Design Guide (2026)
Key Facts
- District
- RDD-2, Central Business District
- Base FAR
- 3.0
- Plaza requirement at FAR 2.0-3.0
- 10% of site area
- Beach Street height step-back
- 40 feet
- Min site width (N/S)
- 200 ft average
Summary
To build above the standard floor area ratio or height cap in Downtown Daytona Beach's Central Business District (RDD-2), a developer has to meet Land Development Code Section 4.7.O.6's design conditions: river views preserved, pedestrian plazas sized to FAR, urban design elements like fountains and textured paving, and a lower building line along Beach Street to keep it walkable.
6.Modified Intensity and Dimensional Standards.a.The maximum density may be exceeded in accordance with the density bonus provisions in the comprehensive plan's redevelopment element.b.The maximum floor area ratio (FAR) for nonresidential development and the maximum structure height for any development may be exceeded, provided the following standards are met:i.Structures facing a commercially-oriented street or open space shall have a mix of tenants or be designed to generate uses providing a range of activities and services for day and evening hours...iii.Pedestrian plaza spaces shall be provided at intersections on corner lots, or adjacent to public rights-of-way on other lots... The minimum land area devoted to pedestrian plazas shall exceed a percentage of the development site area, depending on the development's floor area ratio (FAR), as follows:(a)Where FAR is greater than 1.0, but less than 2.0: five percent of site area.(b)Where FAR is at least 2.0, but less than 3.0: ten percent of site area.(c)Where FAR is at least 3.0, but less than 4.0: 15 percent of site area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 78 | Land Development Code: Supplement 36).
Full Breakdown
6, Modified Intensity and Dimensional Standards, lets a Redevelopment Downtown - Central Business District (RDD-2) project exceed both the maximum floor area ratio for nonresidential development and the maximum structure height, but only if the development meets a defined list of downtown design conditions. Structures facing a commercially-oriented street or open space must carry a mix of tenants or be designed for activity across day and evening hours. Significant views of the Halifax River have to be provided or maintained, and any impact on river views from existing buildings has to be minimized.
0. The Code also requires urban design elements: textured paving and wall materials, landscaping, lighting, water features such as fountains and ponds, and site furniture like benches and drinking fountains. To protect the pedestrian feel of Beach Street specifically, building height along that street cannot exceed the RDD-1 district's height requirement for the first 40 feet back from the street, and the project's site width, measured north-south, has to average 200 feet with at least 100 feet of frontage along Beach Street. 6 functions as downtown's bonus-for-design mechanism.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding RDD-2's base floor area ratio or height cap without satisfying every Section 4.7.O.6 design condition, plazas, river-view protection, urban design elements and the Beach Street height step-back, is an unauthorized departure from the approved development order under LDC Section 10.2. City staff can revoke the development order, issue a Stop Work Order, and cite the developer for a civil infraction of $100 to $250, with Code Enforcement Board fines and a lien for continued noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a downtown Daytona Beach building exceed the standard height limit?
How much plaza space does a bonus-height downtown project need?
What counts as a required urban design element downtown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Daytona Beach
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Daytona Beach to another location·View the Florida zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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