Oviedo — City staff opened a discussion Dec. 1 on a "glitch" ordinance intended to fix implementation issues that surfaced after the city rewrote its Land Development Code earlier this year.

Dr. Correa (planning staff) described the package as corrections and clarifications that include making some final plats administratively approvable, clarifying inspections and guarantees, adding certain uses (for example floating solar facilities and resiliency facilities to comply with recent state statute changes), revising the permissible-uses table, and mapping zoning districts to match future land-use categories.

A central point of debate was a proposed mass mapping of several small-lot single-family areas to R1B so the zoning would be consistent with medium-density residential (MDR) future land use and remove long-standing nonconformities. R1B differs from R1 primarily by allowing townhomes as a permissible use and by different minimum lot-width requirements, which can bring platted lots into compliance.

Council members raised concern that leaving 'single-family attached/townhome' as an automatic use in R1B could enable piecemeal redevelopment (for example, an owner combining adjacent lots to seek higher-density construction) and change neighborhood character. Staff and the city attorney explained that rezoning to higher-intensity districts would still require a quasi‑judicial process and "competent substantial evidence," but acknowledged the concern about small, incremental conversions.

After extended discussion, the council signaled consensus to remove townhomes as a by-right permissible use in R1B (council direction to staff). A staff member confirmed the change can be made in the permissible-uses table prior to public-hearing steps.

Other technical items discussed included clarifying how density bonuses are calculated, permitting detached accessory structures to proceed by building permit under limited conditions, and adding definitions for resiliency and floating solar facilities to align with the comprehensive plan and state statute. Staff said the glitch ordinance will go to the Local Planning Agency (public hearing) Dec. 16 and Jan. 5, with first reading at council and hoped adoption on Jan. 20, 2026.

Why it matters: Mapping to R1B would bring many older, narrow platted lots into zoning compliance without forcing property owners through deviations. However, allowing townhomes by right where homeowners now expect single-family character could accelerate changes in neighborhood form; removing townhomes from R1B preserves a higher barrier to that specific change while still leaving rezoning and quasi-judicial review as possible paths.

What happens next: Staff will update the presentation/packet and the permissible-uses table to remove 'townhomes' from R1B as directed; the glitch ordinance then enters the public-hearing schedule with LPA and subsequent council readings.