Doral, FL Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Downtown Design Guide (2026)

The DMU district under Chapter 68, Article V, Division 3 of the Doral Code exists to blend business, office and residential uses vertically and horizontally in the city center. Section 68-556 sets the core numbers developers must design to: density is capped at 25 units per gross acre, though the city can approve up to 35 units per gross acre for projects that exceed minimum standards in section 86-83 with creative excellence, plus a workforce housing density bonus of up to 30 percent of total units if at least two-thirds of the bonus units qualify as workforce housing under Miami-Dade County Code Chapter 17, Article IX.

25 for each floor above, not counting structured parking, and landscaped open space must cover at least 10 percent of the site. Maximum building height is eight stories, though the planning and zoning director can approve greater height for creative-excellence projects. Section 68-557 layers on design and site standards: a minimum ten-acre parcel size to rezone into DMU (five acres for parcels near NW 58th Street and NW 87th Avenue), a landscape buffer strip at least ten feet wide along every public street frontage, mandatory underground utilities, and site plans that must demonstrate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles and compliance with the FDOT Context Classification Guide for connectivity and walkability.

DMU projects with more than 1,500 residential units and 500,000 square feet of commercial space face project-specific parking ratios, such as one space per dwelling unit and one space per three hotel lodging units. Every rezoning to DMU also requires two or more of an AICP-certified urban planner, a state-registered landscape architect, a state-licensed architect, or a state-registered civil engineer to certify the design. Final design elements, including urban design guidelines, landscaping and signage, are subject to city council approval during the DMU rezoning hearing under section 53-184.