Commissioners review proposed land-development code changes on fences, signage, PDs and centers-and-corridors overlay

Seminole County commissioners held a work session Feb. 25 to review potential updates to the county’s land-development code tied to the Envision 2045 comprehensive-plan update. Development Services Director Jose Gomez and consultant Eliza Giuliano led the discussion and asked for direction before drafters start code text this summer.

The presentation outlined five priority topics: fence permitting, I‑4 interchange signage, general sign-code modernization, the planned-development (PD) approval process, and the creation of a core overlay within the centers-and-corridors framework.

Fences: Giuliano and staff presented a proposal to stop requiring building permits for most single-family and two-family residential fences made of wood, vinyl, PVC and potentially aluminum if under 6 feet tall. The proposal would keep permit requirements for corner lots (sight lines), properties abutting lakes or wetlands, easements and other sensitive circumstances. Staff recommended reducing the current side/rear maximum height from 6.5 to 6 feet to avoid confusion with state building-code thresholds that trigger building permits for taller, structural walls.

Commissioners supported streamlining but emphasized clear, proactive public communication and careful exceptions. Several commissioners raised specific concerns about salvage or nonstandard materials (for example, fences made from reclaimed metal or car parts), aesthetics, public-safety and public-health risks, and the need to avoid unintended negative impacts on neighboring property values. Board members suggested drafting precise material definitions and excluding obvious health / safety hazards while allowing reasonable reuse or recycled materials where safe.

I‑4 signage and general sign code: Staff proposed a targeted approach to allow taller pole signs — up to 40 feet — within a quarter-mile of three I‑4 interchanges (SR 46, Lake Mary Boulevard and 434) to reduce variance requests and increase consistency. Commissioners asked for a transparent rationale for selecting specific interchanges, additional analysis of other interchange locations, and exploration of coordination with FDOT where state-managed signage could overshadow local signs.

Sign-code modernization suggested several clarifications: rename "outdoor advertising signs" to "billboards" for clarity, extend pedestrian-oriented signage options from the Oxford overlay countywide, and remove internal contradictions that treat ground and freestanding signs inconsistently.

Planned Development (PD) process: Staff reviewed PD changes adopted in January 2024 (including a requirement that PD applications include a justification narrative and a stronger list of county benefits) and proposed further limits on PD flexibility — notably preventing PD petitions from being used to waive buffer requirements or avoid overlay standards. Staff suggested adding native-plant, pollinator and wildlife-corridor measures to the list of possible "greater benefits" projects can offer.

Centers and corridors core overlay: The comprehensive plan requires a core overlay map; staff presented a draft core overlay that minimally overlaps the centers-and-corridors map and the core mobility-fee area (the area roughly inside I‑4 and SR 17‑92). The board discussed adding an area along West 434 to the core overlay to encourage redevelopment and to pair with a septic-to-sewer concept plan in that corridor. Commissioners signaled support for including West 434 but asked that sewer-availability, underground utilities, compatibility standards and redevelopment mechanics be analyzed further.

Next steps: Staff will use the board’s guidance to draft code amendments this summer and return for at least one more work session and fall adoption hearings. Commissioners asked staff to prepare clear public communications about permit changes, develop precise materials language for fencing, provide interchange-selection analysis for sign changes and further refine PD and core-overlay standards prior to drafting code text.