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Commissioners direct staff to pursue code change raising residential height limit to 42 feet
Summary
Monroe County commissioners directed staff to begin an amendment to the county comprehensive plan and land development code to increase the maximum residential structure height from 35 feet to 42 feet, opting not to cap the number of habitable floors.
The Monroe County Board directed staff to prepare a code amendment to increase the maximum height for residential structures from 35 feet to 42 feet and to begin the formal amendment process. The board’s majority favored the staff-preferred Option 2, which would raise the height limit without imposing a cap on the number of habitable floors.
Planning staff told the commission the proposal responds to recurring sea-level-rise and flood-elevation issues. Staff noted current rules allow up to 38 feet in certain voluntarily elevated structures and that the new FEMA maps could set different baselines; staff recommended the 42-foot cap without a floor-count limit because elevated structures may include enclosed non-habitable ground-level spaces that make a three-story appearance.
Public comment included environmental and housing advocates. Jordan Mannix Lechner, executive director of Last Stand, told the board, “Last Stand wholeheartedly supports policies that reduce barriers to the development of affordable housing,” and suggested an alternative that would limit taller exceptions to deed-restricted multifamily affordable projects.
Board action and next steps: Commissioners Lincoln, Raschein and Rice supported Option 2 during deliberations and the board voted to direct staff to draft ordinance language for a formal amendment. Staff will refine definitions (including how “grade” is measured), coordinate consistency with airport height and FAA requirements for airport-adjacent zones, and include technical items such as rooftop mechanical equipment, elevator shafts and railings in follow-up language.
Why it matters: raising maximum heights is intended to allow households to place livable space above design flood elevations without losing habitable area, addressing both private homeowner needs and the county’s flood-resilience goals. The board emphasized careful drafting and multiple follow-ups before any final ordinance is adopted.
