Miami, FL Zoning
Districts & Requirements
Every zoning district in Miami with permitted uses, setbacks, height limits, and density requirements — in plain English. Miami 21 is one of the first citywide form-based codes in the U.S., adopted in 2010 and regularly amended. It uses a transect system (T1-T6) instead of traditional Euclidean zoning. The number tells you the urban intensity — T3 is suburban, T6 is downtown core. Within each transect, R (Restricted), L (Limited), and O (Open) control what you can build. Florida's Live Local Act (2023) is a game-changer: meet the affordability threshold and you can match the tallest building within a mile on any commercial, industrial, or mixed-use site — by right, no rezoning.
18
Zoning districts
6
Overlay districts
460,000
Population
2024
Code adopted
Quick Reference
Find your district, see what you can do. Click any row for details.
| District | At a glance | Height | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| T3-R | Single-family only. 2 stories, 9 du/acre. No multifamily, no commercial. | 2 stories | 50% (30% second story) |
| T3-L | Single-family with ancillary units. 2 stories, 9 du/acre. Slightly more flexible than T3-R. | 2 stories | 50% (30% second story) |
| T3-O | Duplexes allowed, 3 stories, 18 du/acre. The most flexible T3 — doubles the density of T3-R. | 3 stories | 50% |
| T4-R | Small multifamily, 3 stories, 36 du/acre. Townhouses and small apartments by right. | 3 stories | 60% |
| T4-L | 4 stories, 36 du/acre, limited commercial. Apartments with ground-floor flex. | 4 stories | 60% |
| T4-O | 5 stories, 36 du/acre, full commercial flex. Mixed-use by right on neighborhood corridors. | 5 stories | 80% |
| T5-L | 5 stories, 65 du/acre, full mixed-use. Mid-rise on major corridors. | 5 stories | 80% |
| T5-O | 8 stories, 65 du/acre, full mixed-use. The jump to mid-rise concrete construction. | 8 stories | 80% |
| T6-8 | 8 stories by right, 12 with bonus. 150 du/acre. Entry-level tower zone with FLR 5. | 8 stories (12 with public benefits) | 80% |
| T6-12 | 12 stories by right, 20 with bonus. FLR 7.5. Mid-rise tower scale in emerging corridors. | 12 stories (20 with public benefits) | 80% |
| T6-24 | 24 stories by right, 36 with bonus. FLR 11. Real tower territory — Brickell fringe, Edgewater. | 24 stories (36 with public benefits) | 80% |
| T6-48 | 48 stories by right, 60+ with bonus. FLR 17. Core Brickell and downtown tower sites. | 48 stories (60+ with public benefits) | 80% |
| T6-80 | 80 stories by right, unlimited with bonus. FLR 24. Miami's most permissive zoning. | 80 stories (unlimited with public benefits) | 80% |
| D1 | Light industrial with residential. 36 du/acre, live/work allowed. The adaptive reuse play. | Varies by sub-zone (typically 3-8 stories) | 80% |
| D2 | Heavy industrial and warehouse. No residential. Live Local Act could unlock housing if 40% affordable. | Varies (typically 3-5 stories) | 80% |
| D3 | Marine-dependent industrial on the river. Working waterfront protection limits conversion. | 3 stories (typically) | 80% |
| CI | Government, schools, hospitals, religious institutions. 2025 YIGBY policy may unlock affordable housing on religious land. | Matches abutting transect zone | Matches abutting transect |
| T1 | Environmental conservation. No development. Wetlands, preserves, and natural areas. | N/A | 0% |
T3 — Sub-Urban
3 districts in Miami
T3-R
Sub-Urban RestrictedLow-density single-family neighborhoods. One unit per lot, 2-story max. These are Miami's protected residential enclaves — Coral Gate, Silver Bluff edges, parts of Coconut Grove.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family detached home
- ✓Accessory structure
- ✓Home occupation
- ✗Duplexes or multifamily
- ✗Commercial or retail
- ✗Townhouses
Key numbers
- Height
- 2 stories
- Lot min
- 5,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 50% (30% second story)
- Front
- 20 ft
- Side
- 7.5 ft (15% of lot width)
- Rear
- 15 ft
What this means in practice
50% coverage on 5,000 SF = 2,500 SF footprint. With the 30% second-story restriction, your second floor maxes at 1,500 SF — so plan a two-story around 4,000 SF total. T3-R land near T4 or T5 boundaries is the rezoning play: if the comp plan supports it, converting T3-R to T4-L on a 10,000 SF lot takes you from 1 unit to potentially 8 units.
T3-L
Sub-Urban LimitedSimilar to T3-R but allows ancillary units (in-law suites, guest houses). Still single-family scale. Found in established neighborhoods transitioning from pure residential.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family detached home
- ✓Ancillary unit (accessory dwelling)
- ✓Home occupation
- ✓Bed and breakfast (with conditions)
- ✗Duplexes or multifamily
- ✗Retail or commercial
- ✗Townhouses
Key numbers
- Height
- 2 stories
- Lot min
- 5,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 50% (30% second story)
- Front
- 20 ft
- Side
- 7.5 ft
- Rear
- 15 ft
What this means in practice
The ancillary unit is the value-add over T3-R. On a 7,500 SF lot, you can build a main house at ~3,750 SF footprint plus a detached ancillary unit in the rear — useful for rental income or multigenerational living. The 30% second-story cap still applies, so keep upper floors compact.
T3-O
Sub-Urban OpenThe most permissive sub-urban zone. Duplexes and two units per lot. 3 stories instead of 2. This is where missing-middle housing starts in Miami — mostly found along corridors transitioning from suburban to urban.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family home
- ✓Duplex (two-family)
- ✓Ancillary unit
- ✓Home occupation
- ✓Bed and breakfast
- ✗Multifamily (3+ units)
- ✗Commercial or retail
- ✗Townhouses
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories
- Lot min
- 5,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 50%
- Front
- 15 ft
- Side
- 7.5 ft
- Rear
- 15 ft
What this means in practice
18 du/acre on a 5,000 SF lot = 2 units. On a 10,000 SF double lot: 4 units. At 50% coverage and 3 stories, a 10,000 SF lot yields ~15,000 SF of gross floor area. Side-by-side duplexes on 50-ft-wide lots are the standard product. If you're assembling T3-O lots near a T4 boundary, the density jump from 18 to 36 du/acre with a rezoning can double your project.
T4 — General Urban
3 districts in Miami
T4-R
General Urban RestrictedLow-rise urban residential. Townhouses, triplexes, and small apartment buildings. 3-story max keeps it compatible with adjacent neighborhoods. Common in Shenandoah, parts of Little Havana, and the Roads.
What you can build
- ✓Single-family and duplex
- ✓Townhouses
- ✓Small apartment buildings
- ✓Live/work
- ✓Bed and breakfast
- ✗Standalone commercial or retail
- ✗Office buildings
- ✗Hotels
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories
- Lot min
- 5,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 60%
- Front
- 10 ft
- Side
- 5 ft (0 ft if attached)
- Rear
- 15 ft
What this means in practice
36 du/acre on a 10,000 SF lot = 8 units. At 60% coverage and 3 stories with FLR 1.25, you get ~12,500 SF of floor area. That's eight 2BR apartments at ~750 SF net each — tight but leasable in Miami's market. Townhouses at 18-20 ft wide are another common product. The FLR is your real constraint, not lot coverage — run both calculations.
T4-L
General Urban LimitedMid-rise urban residential with limited commercial uses. The extra story over T4-R makes a real difference in unit yield. Found along secondary corridors and transition zones between residential neighborhoods and commercial strips.
What you can build
- ✓Apartments and townhouses
- ✓Duplex through small multifamily
- ✓Limited commercial (office, personal service)
- ✓Live/work
- ✗Full retail or restaurant
- ✗Hotels
- ✗Industrial
Key numbers
- Height
- 4 stories
- Lot min
- 5,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 60%
- Front
- 10 ft
- Side
- 5 ft (0 ft if attached)
- Rear
- 15 ft
What this means in practice
The extra story and FLR bump from 1.25 to 1.5 is significant. On a 10,000 SF lot: FLR 1.5 = 15,000 SF of floor area. At 36 du/acre that's 8 units — averaging 1,200 SF each (comfortable 2BR/2BA). Four stories of wood-frame construction over slab is the sweet spot before you hit structured parking and concrete costs. Compare your per-unit cost carefully against T4-R.
T4-O
General Urban OpenThe most permissive T4. Full commercial uses allowed — retail, restaurant, office — plus 5 stories. This is Miami's neighborhood mixed-use workhorse, lining corridors like Calle Ocho, Coral Way, and Bird Road.
What you can build
- ✓Mixed-use (residential + commercial)
- ✓Apartments and townhouses
- ✓Retail, restaurant, office
- ✓Hotels and hostels
- ✓Live/work
- ✗Industrial
- ✗Auto-oriented (drive-throughs, gas stations)
- ✗Large-format retail
Key numbers
- Height
- 5 stories
- Lot min
- 5,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 80%
- Front
- 10 ft
- Side
- 0 ft or 5 ft
- Rear
- 5 ft
What this means in practice
T4-O is a Live Local Act target. On commercial-zoned T4-O, if there's a T6-24 building within a mile, you can build 24 stories with 40% affordable units — no rezoning. Without Live Local: 5 stories at FLR 2.0 on a 10,000 SF lot = 20,000 SF. Ground-floor retail at $35-50/SF NNN + 4 floors of apartments is the standard play. The 80% coverage means parking goes behind or below.
T5 — Urban Center
2 districts in Miami
T5-L
Urban Center LimitedMid-rise mixed-use corridors. 5 stories, 65 du/acre. Found along Biscayne Boulevard north of downtown, parts of Coral Way, and Upper Eastside. Full commercial and residential flexibility.
What you can build
- ✓Mixed-use buildings
- ✓Apartment buildings
- ✓Office and retail
- ✓Hotels
- ✓Restaurants and entertainment
- ✗Heavy industrial
- ✗Auto-oriented uses
- ✗Large-format big-box retail
Key numbers
- Height
- 5 stories
- Lot min
- 5,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 80%
- Front
- 10 ft
- Side
- 0 ft or 5 ft
- Rear
- 5 ft
What this means in practice
65 du/acre on a half-acre site = 32 units. FLR 2.5 on 21,780 SF = 54,450 SF of floor area. That's 32 apartments averaging 1,300 SF each — generous 2BR/2BA product. Five-story wood-frame over concrete podium with ground-floor retail is the proven format. Structured parking adds $25K-40K per space in Miami — try to keep ratios at 1:1 or below.
T5-O
Urban Center OpenThe most permissive urban center zone. 8 stories and 65 du/acre. This is where you cross from wood-frame to concrete construction — a major cost inflection point. Edgewater, MiMo District, parts of Wynwood.
What you can build
- ✓Mid-rise mixed-use
- ✓Apartment buildings
- ✓Office towers
- ✓Hotels
- ✓Retail, restaurant, entertainment
- ✗Heavy industrial
- ✗Auto-oriented uses
Key numbers
- Height
- 8 stories
- Lot min
- 5,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 80%
- Front
- 10 ft
- Side
- 0 ft
- Rear
- 5 ft
What this means in practice
8 stories requires concrete or steel — budget $250-350/SF hard costs vs $180-250 for wood-frame. FLR 3.5 on a 20,000 SF lot = 70,000 SF. At 65 du/acre, a half-acre yields 32 units at ~1,600 SF average — or go smaller units for higher count. Assemble at least 15,000 SF to make structured parking pencil. T5-O sites near Metrorail or Metromover get reduced parking requirements, which significantly improves the pro forma.
T6 — Urban Core
5 districts in Miami
T6-8
Urban Core 8The first T6 tier. 8 stories by right, 12 with public benefits. 150 du/acre and FLR of 5 create significant density potential. Found at the edges of Brickell, Little Havana east, Overtown, and Allapattah near transit.
What you can build
- ✓High-density apartments
- ✓Mixed-use towers
- ✓Office buildings
- ✓Hotels
- ✓Retail, restaurant, entertainment
- ✗Industrial
- ✗Single-family (min 2-story frontage)
Key numbers
- Height
- 8 stories (12 with public benefits)
- Lot min
- 5,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 80%
- Front
- 10 ft (first 8 stories)
- Side
- 0 ft (first 8 stories)
- Rear
- 0 ft
What this means in practice
FLR 5 is the real driver — on a 20,000 SF lot, that's 100,000 SF of building. At 150 du/acre on a half-acre, you can fit 75 units. The public benefits bonus to 12 stories requires affordable housing (2 SF bonus per 1 SF affordable provided on-site), LEED certification, or a payment into the Public Benefits Trust Fund. In Allapattah and Little Haiti, T6-8 land is still trading at $100-175/SF — run the numbers against construction at $300-400/SF for concrete mid-rise.
T6-12
Urban Core 1212 stories and FLR 7.5 by right. With public benefits, you can reach 20 stories. This is the zone where tower-form development becomes economically viable. Edgewater, Midtown, Arts + Entertainment District.
What you can build
- ✓Tower-form mixed-use
- ✓High-density apartments
- ✓Office buildings
- ✓Hotels
- ✓Retail and entertainment
- ✗Industrial
- ✗Single-family
Key numbers
- Height
- 12 stories (20 with public benefits)
- Lot min
- 5,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 80%
- Front
- 10 ft (first 8 stories), 20 ft above
- Side
- 0 ft (first 8 stories), 10 ft above
- Rear
- 0 ft
What this means in practice
Above 8 stories, the step-back kicks in: 20 ft from front, 10 ft from sides. Design your podium at 8 stories lot-line to lot-line, then step the tower back. FLR 7.5 on a 15,000 SF lot = 112,500 SF. That's 80-100 apartments plus ground-floor retail. The bonus to 20 stories through affordable housing almost always pencils — the extra 8 floors of market-rate units at Edgewater rents ($3.50-4.50/SF/month) far exceed the affordable unit cost.
T6-24
Urban Core 24Major tower zone. 24 stories by right and FLR 11 create substantial development capacity. This is where Miami's condo and rental tower pipeline is concentrated outside the Brickell/downtown core.
What you can build
- ✓Tower-scale mixed-use
- ✓Condo and rental towers
- ✓Class A office
- ✓Full-service hotels
- ✓Ground-floor retail and restaurant
- ✗Industrial
- ✗Single-family
- ✗Auto-oriented uses
Key numbers
- Height
- 24 stories (36 with public benefits)
- Lot min
- 10,000 SF
- Width
- 100 ft
- Coverage
- 80%
- Front
- 10 ft (first 8 stories), 20 ft above
- Side
- 0 ft (first 8 stories), 30 ft above
- Rear
- 0 ft
What this means in practice
FLR 11 on a 20,000 SF lot = 220,000 SF — a ~200-unit tower with retail. The 30-ft side step-back above story 8 is the design constraint: on a 100-ft-wide lot, your tower floor plate shrinks to 40 ft wide above the podium. Assemble wider lots (150 ft+) for efficient tower plates. Land in T6-24 zones trades at $200-400/SF depending on location — total project cost for a 24-story tower runs $350-500/SF all-in.
T6-48
Urban Core 48Brickell Avenue, downtown Miami, and the Arts + Entertainment District. 48 stories by right with FLR 17. The public benefits program can push past 60 stories. This is Miami's supertall zone.
What you can build
- ✓Supertall mixed-use towers
- ✓Luxury condo towers
- ✓Class A+ office
- ✓Full-service and luxury hotels
- ✓Large-format retail and restaurant
- ✗Industrial
- ✗Single-family
- ✗Low-density residential
Key numbers
- Height
- 48 stories (60+ with public benefits)
- Lot min
- 10,000 SF
- Width
- 100 ft
- Coverage
- 80%
- Front
- 10 ft (first 8 stories), 20 ft above
- Side
- 0 ft (first 8 stories), 30 ft above
- Rear
- 0 ft
What this means in practice
FLR 17 on a 30,000 SF lot = 510,000 SF — a 400+ unit tower. At these heights, wind loads drive structural costs to $400-600/SF. The 150 du/acre cap is rarely the binding constraint; FLR is. In Brickell, presale condo pricing of $800-1,500/SF supports the economics. Rental pencils at $4.50-6.00/SF/month. Secure your FAA height determination early — proximity to MIA creates real ceiling constraints on the west side of downtown.
T6-80
Urban Core 80The absolute maximum in Miami 21. 80 stories by right, no height cap with public benefits, FLR 24. A handful of sites in the core of Brickell and downtown. This is where 1,000-ft+ supertall projects happen.
What you can build
- ✓Supertall towers (1,000+ ft)
- ✓Ultra-luxury condos
- ✓Trophy office
- ✓Flagship hotels
- ✓Major mixed-use developments
- ✗Industrial
- ✗Single-family or low-density residential
Key numbers
- Height
- 80 stories (unlimited with public benefits)
- Lot min
- 10,000 SF
- Width
- 100 ft
- Coverage
- 80%
- Front
- 10 ft (first 8 stories), 20 ft above
- Side
- 0 ft (first 8 stories), 30 ft above
- Rear
- 0 ft
What this means in practice
FLR 24 on a 40,000 SF lot = 960,000 SF — a million-SF tower. Only a few sites in Miami have this designation. Land trades at $500-1,000+/SF. Total development costs for an 80-story tower run $600-900/SF. The public benefits program can remove the height cap entirely with affordable housing contributions, LEED Platinum, or trust fund payments. At this scale, your binding constraints are FAA approach paths, wind engineering, and capital markets — not zoning.
District Zones
3 districts in Miami
D1
Workplace DistrictWork-live district designed for light industrial, warehouse, and creative uses with limited residential. Found in Wynwood, Little River, Allapattah. These are the adaptive reuse and ground-up creative office sites.
What you can build
- ✓Light industrial and manufacturing
- ✓Office and creative workspace
- ✓Warehouse and distribution
- ✓Live/work units
- ✓Limited retail and restaurant
- ✗Standalone residential (must be live/work or ancillary)
- ✗Heavy industrial
- ✗Hotels (without special approval)
Key numbers
- Height
- Varies by sub-zone (typically 3-8 stories)
- Lot min
- 5,000 SF
- Width
- 50 ft
- Coverage
- 80%
- Front
- 10 ft
- Side
- 0 ft
- Rear
- 5 ft
What this means in practice
D1 is a Live Local Act sweet spot. Industrial zoning qualifies — build 40% affordable and match the height of the tallest building within a mile. In Wynwood, that could mean a 12-story tower on former warehouse land. Even without Live Local, D1 land in Allapattah and Little River trades at $75-150/SF, well below T5 or T6. The live/work allowance lets you build residential units as long as they include a workspace component. Creative office rents $35-55/SF NNN in established D1 areas.
D2
Industrial DistrictTraditional industrial — warehousing, manufacturing, marine industrial along the Miami River, and logistics near the airport. No residential allowed under base zoning, but Live Local Act changes the calculus.
What you can build
- ✓Warehousing and distribution
- ✓Manufacturing and processing
- ✓Marine industrial (along the river)
- ✓Truck and vehicle facilities
- ✓Outdoor storage
- ✗Residential (under base zoning)
- ✗Retail or restaurant (except accessory)
- ✗Hotels
- ✗Office (except accessory)
Key numbers
- Height
- Varies (typically 3-5 stories)
- Lot min
- None
- Width
- None
- Coverage
- 80%
- Front
- 10 ft
- Side
- 0 ft
- Rear
- 5 ft
What this means in practice
D2 land is the cheapest developable land in the city proper — $50-100/SF along the river, less in outlying areas. The Live Local Act makes D2 sites eligible for multifamily if 40% of units are affordable at 120% AMI, with height matching the tallest building within one mile. D2 sites along the river near Brickell could theoretically match 48-60 story towers nearby. The 30-year affordability covenant is real — model your exit carefully. Also check environmental: many D2 sites have Phase I/II issues that add $500K-2M to remediation.
D3
Waterfront Industrial DistrictMiami River working waterfront. Marine industrial, boatyards, cargo operations. Protected by working waterfront policies — conversion to residential or commercial faces significant regulatory barriers.
What you can build
- ✓Marine industrial operations
- ✓Boatyards and marine repair
- ✓Cargo handling and storage
- ✓Marine-dependent commercial
- ✗Residential
- ✗Non-marine commercial
- ✗Hotels or hospitality
- ✗Retail (except accessory marine supply)
Key numbers
- Height
- 3 stories (typically)
- Lot min
- None
- Width
- None
- Coverage
- 80%
- Front
- 10 ft
- Side
- 0 ft
- Rear
- 5 ft (waterfront setback varies)
What this means in practice
D3 land looks cheap on paper ($40-80/SF) but conversion is nearly impossible without a comp plan amendment. The city actively protects the working waterfront. If you're evaluating a D3 site for non-marine use, plan for a 2-3 year entitlement process with no guarantee of approval. The real play: marine-dependent businesses that benefit from river access. Leave the conversion speculation to developers with deep political relationships.
Civic Zones
1 district in Miami
CI
Civic InstitutionCovers government buildings, schools, hospitals, religious institutions, and public facilities. Standards match the abutting transect zone. The 2025 Live Local Act YIGBY provision opens religious institution land to affordable housing development.
What you can build
- ✓Government buildings and facilities
- ✓Schools and universities
- ✓Hospitals and medical campuses
- ✓Religious institutions
- ✓Affordable housing on religious land (2025 YIGBY)
- ✗Market-rate residential (without Live Local qualification)
- ✗Commercial retail
- ✗Industrial
Key numbers
- Height
- Matches abutting transect zone
- Lot min
- Varies
- Width
- Varies
- Coverage
- Matches abutting transect
- Front
- Matches abutting transect
- Side
- Matches abutting transect
- Rear
- Matches abutting transect
What this means in practice
CI parcels take their development standards from whatever transect zone they abut. A church in a T6-12 area can build to T6-12 standards. The 2025 YIGBY (Yes In God's Backyard) provision lets religious institutions partner with developers to build affordable housing on their land statewide. In Miami, this opens thousands of parcels. Check the abutting zone first — a CI parcel next to T3-R has very different potential than one next to T6-24.
Conservation
1 district in Miami
T1
Natural ZoneEnvironmentally sensitive land to remain in a natural state. Mangrove preserves, wetlands, coastal hammocks. No development potential — these parcels have zero buildable area.
What you can build
- ✓Nature trails and boardwalks (with permits)
- ✓Environmental restoration
- ✗Any building or structure
- ✗Residential or commercial
- ✗Infrastructure beyond trails
Key numbers
- Height
- N/A
- Lot min
- N/A
- Width
- N/A
- Coverage
- 0%
- Front
- N/A
- Side
- N/A
- Rear
- N/A
What this means in practice
If a parcel is T1, walk away. No development potential, no rezoning path. T1 parcels are conservation land — often waterfront mangroves or inland hammocks. Occasionally a property description will include a T1 sliver along a waterway — subtract that area entirely from your buildable calculations.
Development Bonus Program
The Public Benefits Program allows bonus height and FLR in T6 zones. Qualifying benefits include affordable/workforce housing (2 SF bonus per 1 SF affordable on-site, or 1:1 off-site), LEED certification, public parks and open space, brownfield remediation, or a cash payment into the Public Benefits Trust Fund. The payment option is mapped by area — amounts vary by Market Area Development Fee zone. T6-8 can reach 12 stories, T6-12 can reach 20, T6-24 can reach 36, and T6-80 has no cap with public benefits. The affordable housing path typically produces the best ROI: the bonus floors of market-rate units more than offset the affordable unit cost at Miami rents. Always model the public benefits pro forma against the base entitlement — in most T6 zones, the bonus adds 30-50% to project value.
Overlay Districts
Neighborhood Conservation Districts (NCDs)
Overlays that add stricter standards to protect neighborhood character. NCD-1 (Morningside), NCD-2 and NCD-3 (Coconut Grove) are the main ones. Additional height, setback, and design restrictions apply on top of the base transect. If you're developing in Coconut Grove, check NCD-3 first — it limits height, requires additional landscape buffers, and has tree canopy protection that can reduce your buildable footprint by 20-30%.
Special Area Plans (SAPs)
Custom zoning overlays for specific neighborhoods. The Wynwood SAP (NRD-1) created the Wynwood Arts District with its own density, height, and use standards. The Little Haiti/Little River NRD-2 (Wynwood Norte) has its own public benefits program. SAPs override the base transect — always check whether an SAP applies before relying on base zoning standards.
Historic Preservation Districts
Multiple local historic districts including MiMo Biscayne Boulevard, Lummus Park, Spring Garden, and portions of Coconut Grove. Certificate of Appropriateness required for exterior modifications. Demolition review adds 2-4 months. TDR (Transfer of Development Rights) program lets historic property owners sell unused development rights to receiving sites in T6 zones — a monetization path without physical development.
FEMA Flood Zones
Most of Miami is in FEMA flood zones AE or VE. Base flood elevation plus freeboard determines your finished floor height — typically 7-12 ft above grade. This means ground-floor parking podiums are standard, not optional. Flood insurance costs $5,000-25,000/year per residential unit in VE zones. Factor flood zone into your acquisition diligence — it directly impacts construction cost, insurance, and ground-floor use feasibility.
Coastal High Hazard Area (CHHA)
Category 1 storm surge zone covers much of eastern Miami. Stricter building codes, wind load requirements (180+ mph design), and impact-rated windows/doors are mandatory. These requirements add 10-15% to construction costs compared to non-CHHA sites. All of Brickell, downtown, and the beach are in the CHHA.
Transit Station Neighborhood Development (TSND)
2024 overlay allowing increased density and reduced parking near Metrorail and Metromover stations. Within a half-mile of transit, parking minimums drop significantly and density bonuses apply. This is designed to incentivize transit-oriented development and can add 20-30% to your unit count versus base zoning. Check the TSND map before finalizing parking counts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Miami 21 differ from traditional zoning?
Miami 21 is a form-based code organized by transect zones (T1-T6) instead of traditional use-based categories (R-1, C-2). The transect number indicates urban intensity: T3 is suburban, T6 is downtown core. Within each transect, R (Restricted), L (Limited), and O (Open) control the range of allowed uses and building intensity. The code regulates building form and placement, not just land use — setbacks, step-backs, frontage requirements, and building massing are all specified.
What is the Live Local Act and how does it affect Miami?
Florida's Live Local Act (SB 102, effective July 2023, amended 2024-2025) preempts local zoning for qualifying affordable housing developments. On any site zoned commercial, industrial, or mixed-use, you can build multifamily if 40% of units are affordable at 120% AMI for 30 years. Height matches the tallest building within one mile. Density and FAR match the highest allowed in the jurisdiction. In Miami, this means a D1 warehouse site next to Wynwood could theoretically build 12+ stories, or a D2 site near Brickell could match 48-story towers — all by administrative approval, no rezoning, no public hearing.
What are the R, L, and O suffixes?
Restricted (R) is the most limited — fewest allowed uses and lowest intensity. Limited (L) adds more uses and slightly more building capacity. Open (O) is the most permissive — full commercial uses, more height, and higher FLR. The difference matters most in T4: T4-R allows only residential at 3 stories, while T4-O allows full mixed-use at 5 stories with FLR 2.0. Always check the suffix — it determines whether commercial uses are by-right.
How does the Public Benefits Program work?
In T6 zones, you can exceed the base height and FLR by providing public benefits: affordable housing (2 SF bonus per 1 SF provided on-site), LEED certification, public parks, or paying into the trust fund. T6-8 goes from 8 to 12 stories. T6-80 has no cap with public benefits. The affordable housing option gives the best return — model the cost of the affordable units against the revenue from bonus market-rate floors. At current Miami rents, the bonus almost always pencils.
What's the difference between T5 and T6?
T5 (Urban Center) allows 5-8 stories at 65 du/acre. T6 (Urban Core) starts at 8 stories and goes up to 80, at 150 du/acre. The biggest difference is FLR: T5-O caps at 3.5, while T6-8 starts at 5 and T6-80 reaches 24. T6 also triggers different setback rules — podium at the property line for the first 8 stories with step-backs above. Construction type changes too: T5 can still be wood-frame over podium, while T6 is almost always full concrete or steel.
What are the step-back requirements in T6?
For the first 8 stories, T6 buildings can build to the property line on sides and rear (10 ft front setback). Above story 8: 20 ft step-back from the front, 10-30 ft from sides depending on the T6 sub-zone. This creates the podium-and-tower form you see throughout Brickell and downtown. On narrow lots (under 100 ft wide), the side step-backs squeeze your tower floor plate — which is why lot assembly is critical for efficient T6 development.
Can I convert a warehouse to residential in Wynwood?
Depends on the zoning. Most of Wynwood is covered by the NRD-1 Special Area Plan, which has its own rules separate from the base transect. D1-zoned sites allow live/work units. The Live Local Act may also apply if the site is commercial or industrial zoned. Check whether the specific parcel is in NRD-1 or base D1 zoning — the rules are different. Also verify the building's structural capacity: pre-1960 concrete block warehouses often can't support additional floors without significant reinforcement.
How do flood zones affect development in Miami?
Most of the city is in FEMA flood zones AE or VE. Your finished floor elevation must be at or above base flood elevation plus freeboard — typically 7-12 ft above grade. This is why almost every new building in Miami has a parking podium: the ground level is elevated. VE zones (coastal) require breakaway walls below the flood line. Factor flood insurance into your operating budget: $5,000-25,000/year per residential unit in high-risk zones. Ground-floor retail in flood zones must be designed for flood damage — no drywall below BFE.
What parking is required?
Miami 21 requires 1.5 spaces per residential unit in most zones, 1 per hotel room, and varies for commercial (1 per 300-500 SF). However, the TSND overlay near Metrorail/Metromover stations reduces requirements by 30-50%. Shared parking agreements can reduce counts further. At T6 densities, structured parking costs $25,000-45,000 per space — reducing your parking ratio by even 0.25 spaces per unit saves $1-2M on a 200-unit project.
What's a Neighborhood Conservation District (NCD)?
NCDs are overlays that add restrictions beyond the base transect zone to protect neighborhood character. NCD-3 (Coconut Grove) is the most significant — it limits height, adds tree canopy requirements, and requires additional setbacks that can reduce buildable area by 20-30% compared to what the base zone allows. If a property is in an NCD, check the NCD standards first — they override the base transect wherever they're more restrictive.
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