Davie to reopen debate on accessory-building size after resident objections

The Town of Davie council voted unanimously to ask staff to prepare options and schedule a public workshop to reconsider a recent code change that limits the size of detached accessory buildings, Mayor Judy Paul said during the meeting.

Council members said the move responds to a stream of residents who objected that the ordinance's 600-square-foot limit is too rigid and that the change was buried in a larger package.

The mayor called for the reexamination after receiving residents at the meeting. "I'd like to ask the council if they would, go along with me to readdress that recent code change for the size of accessory buildings," Mayor Judy Paul said. The council made a motion to have the town administrator prepare options and possibly hold a workshop; the motion passed unanimously, and council members said they would aim to hold the workshop in early August.

Why it matters: Residents and local professionals said the ordinance as written could limit common household uses — detached garages, workshops and other enclosed spaces — in ways that do not account for lot size, lot coverage rules or existing residential uses. Several speakers told the council the requirement originated from drainage concerns, but they argued a single-size ceiling does not fit Davie’s wide range of lot sizes.

Several residents and one architect described difficulty understanding the ordinance package as it was posted. "The way that this is presented is with titles only," resident Chris Love told the council, saying he had to file a public-record request to see the full language. Architect Stephen Page told council members that after decades of practice in Davie he was uncertain how the ordinance classifies common building elements: "...after working, I guess, 45 years now, living in Davie for 25 years, practicing in Davie for 40, I don't have a clue," he said, adding that lot coverage rules — not a use-based accessory definition — determine how many and how large structures can be on a lot.

Planning & Zoning context: A member of the Planning & Zoning (P&Z) board told the council the P&Z hearing had approved the ordinance package as a bundled item despite disagreement on the accessory-building size limit. The P&Z speaker said the board recorded that members wanted the 600-square-foot provision removed but voted to approve the whole package because staff had already spent substantial time on the rest of the ordinance language.

Implementation questions and limits: Residents asked whether the adopted ordinance could be suspended immediately to avoid preventing construction currently in the pipeline. Staff and other officials clarified that the ordinance already is legally effective. "It's on the books. It was passed. It's a valid ordinance. It's on our website," a staff member said, explaining that the town uploads codified ordinances to the municipal code database on a quarterly schedule but that the lack of immediate posting does not mean the ordinance is not in force. Staff further told the public that building permits already issued remain valid for 180 days and that any amendment would need to go back to P&Z and receive two council hearings, a process that could take several months.

Next steps: The council asked the town administrator to prepare options for reconsideration and to set a workshop that would allow residents to testify and propose alternatives. The council and staff agreed to try to schedule that workshop in early August and to notify citizens who spoke at the meeting individually in addition to public notice.

Ending: Council members emphasized they want the workshop to be an open forum for residents to present examples, lot sizes and proposed uses so staff can craft options that address drainage concerns while allowing scalable solutions for different lot sizes.