Rezoning Process & Requirements

HOW TO DETERMINE THE ZONING OF PROPERTY

A property’s official zoning classification can be obtained from either the Planning & Development Division at (407) 665-7371 or the Seminole County Property Appraiser website. If needed, a letter confirming the zoning classification of a property may be obtained from the Planning Division. The property’s tax parcel identification number (PIN) or address must be provided to determine the zoning classification.

The tax parcel identification number can be obtained from the Seminole County Property Appraiser’s Office, which can be contacted at (407) 665-7555.

WHAT IS A REZONING?

Zoning regulations are the rules that determine how parcels of land may be used or developed. When owners want to use or develop property in a manner that does not conform to the current zoning district regulations, they must apply for a change of zoning or what is commonly described as a “REZONING” or “REZONE”.

To obtain County support, the applicant should demonstrate that the proposed rezoning is consistent with the Seminole County Comprehensive Plan and benefits the community as a whole. Zoning applications are decided by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC). Some applications may require a Future Land Use (FLU) Amendment, which can be processed in conjunction with a rezoning request.

Table of Future Land Use Designations and Zoning District Regulations

THE REZONING PROCESS

The process for initiating a rezoning application begins with the Planning & Development Division, located at:

Seminole County Services Building
Room 2028
1101 East First Street
Sanford, FL 32771
(407) 665-7371

Please read the Community Meeting Procedure and the Public Notice Amendment Procedure.

Applications and applicable fees are submitted to this office, following pre-application, which is summarized along with the entire rezoning process below:

1. Pre-Application

The applicant should first review the County’s Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code to determine whether the proposal meets all of the County’s requirements and is consistent with trends of existing development. Prior to submitting an application for rezoning, the applicant is urged to prepare a preliminary development proposal to discuss with planning staff. Pre-Application meetings are also available, should an applicant wish to be advised by the Development Review Committee (DRC).

2. Application Submittal

Once a proposal has been prepared, a completed rezoning application package is submitted via email to eplandesk@seminolecountyfl.gov, via postal mail, or in person. The applicant may also choose to concurrently submit an application for a Future Land Use (FLU) Amendment. Where a rezoning is perceived to generate an impact on the surrounding neighborhood or community, the applicant is further urged to hold an information meeting or open house to inform the affected public of the proposal.

Fee Summary

Application and Attachment Documents

3. Application Distribution and Sufficiency Review

An application is determined to be “sufficient” when it contains the following information:

1. Statement of the request (e.g., request to rezone approximately 5 acres from A-1 to C-1 for retail).
2. Applicant’s contact information including name, mailing address, phone and fax numbers and e-mail address.
3. Project name.
4. Site address.
5. Current use of property.
6. Boundary survey and legal description of property.
7. Size of property.
8. Copy of fully executed sales contract.
9. Applicable fee.
   • Rezoning applications to RP (Residential Professional), OP (Office Professional), RM-2 (Single-Family Mobile Home Park), RM-3 (Travel Trailer and Campsites), and R-3 / R-3A / R-4 (Multiple-Family Dwelling) require a site plan depicting the following additional information:
10. Vicinity map showing the location of proposed development and relationship to surrounding road network.
11. Arrow indicating NORTH.
12. Location and size of existing or proposed septic system, drain field, and well (if applicable).
13. Location, size and type of any trees to be removed or retained.
14. Location and width of all easements (e.g., drainage, landscape, sidewalk, ingress and egress).
15. Location and width of existing or proposed driveway access.
16. Parcel Identification Number assigned by Property Appraiser.
17. Identification of available utilities.
18. Description of known code enforcement violations on property.
19. Property accessibility to inspection by Planning Division Staff.
20. Authorization form (if the applicant & owner are not the same).
21. Location and setbacks from property lines for all proposed and existing buildings and structures.
22. Location and size of buffers, including but not limited to existing and proposed landscaping, fences and walls.
23. Location, number and size of existing and proposed parking spaces.
24. Height of buildings and structures, measured from the existing grade.
25. Location of fire lanes.
26. Location of existing and proposed signage.
27. Location of wetlands and/or flood prone areas.
28. Location, type and height of existing or proposed outdoor lighting.
29. 8.5” x 11” Site plan depicting existing & proposed buildings, structures & improvements

The rezoning application is circulated to internal County departments and divisions as necessary. The application is reviewed by staff to ensure the proposed development or range of allowable development complies with the County’s development policies. The applicant may be requested to submit additional information or revise the proposal as a result of the sufficiency review.

4. Comments Document (COMDOC)

Following distribution and review of a proposed rezoning application, a Comments Document (COMDOC) is sent to the applicant, which outlines staff comments. The COMDOC also identifies the preliminary list of technical requirements for the development to proceed, which may include infrastructure improvements, issuance of applicable permits, etc. The scheduled meeting date, time and location for discussion of the proposal by the DRC is also indicated.

5. Development Review Committee (DRC) Meeting

Following delivery of the COMDOC to the applicant, County staff meets as a technical review team to discuss issues and respond to questions by the applicant.

6. Planning & Zoning Commission / Local Planning Agency Public Hearing

The County’s Planning and Zoning Commission / Local Planning Agency (P&Z / LPA) consists of volunteer, unpaid members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) to advise on planning and land development matters.

Approximately 15 days in advance of the public hearing, a notification letter detailing the rezoning request is sent to all property owners within a minimum of 500 feet of the property under consideration, and a legal ad explaining the same is published in the Orlando Sentinel.

Any affected party may submit comments or testify at the public hearing. The applicant is strongly encouraged to attend the public hearing to present and respond to public concerns regarding the proposal. After receiving staff’s written recommendations and input from both the applicant and the affected public on the rezoning application, the P&Z / LPA makes a recommendation to the BCC. If the P&Z / LPA does not support the application, the applicant may revise the proposal to respond to the concerns identified during the P&Z / LPA public hearing.

7. Board of County Commissioners (BCC) Public Hearing

Approximately 15 days in advance of the public hearing, a notification letter detailing the rezoning request is sent to all property owners within a minimum of 500 feet of the property under consideration, and a legal ad explaining the same is published in the Orlando Sentinel.

After the P&Z considers the rezoning application, its recommendation is forwarded by staff to the BCC for decision. The BCC considers the rezoning application and may reject, approve, or conditionally approve the development proposal based on recommended changes. Should conditions be imposed in association with the rezoning, they are reflected in a development order.

8. Amendment to the Official Zoning Map

If the rezoning application is approved by the BCC, an ordinance effecting the change is executed by the Chairman of the BCC and forwarded to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity within 10 days from the decision date. Also, the development order associated with the rezoning is executed first by the applicant and subsequently by the Chairman before it is forwarded to the Land Records Division for recording.

The official zoning map is then revised to reflect the newly approved amendment. With the exception of PUD / PCD zoning, which requires a two-step zoning process, all proposed development allowed by the zoning amendment must then proceed through the subdivision / site plan review process.

HOW LONG DOES THE REZONING PROCESS TAKE?

A rezoning application generally takes six (6) months to process, from start to finish. It should be recognized that the more complex a proposal is, the more time it is likely to require. To assist with the timely processing of a rezoning application, the applicant should provide complete application and plan submissions.