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Cape Canaveral adopts revised RPUD zoning rules, sets 45‑ft height and 4‑acre minimum
Summary
The City Council adopted Ordinance 07‑2025 on second reading, revising Planned Residential Unit Development rules to allow smaller, neighborhood‑scale RPUDs (minimum 4 acres, minimum 15 dwelling units) and to cap building height at 45 feet; council and residents discussed trade‑offs and potential in‑fill options.
The City of Cape Canaveral adopted Ordinance 07‑2025 on Nov. 18, 2025, updating the city’s Planned Residential Unit Development (RPUD) standards. The final ordinance clarifies procedures and sets two key numeric rules: the maximum building height for RPUD projects is 45 feet, and the minimum parcel size for an RPUD is 4 acres with a minimum of 15 dwelling units.
City staff and the city attorney told the council the change lowers the threshold from the previous 10‑acre rule to encourage creative, neighborhood‑scale residential development while keeping final approval authority with the council. The update is intended to provide a “toolbox” for design flexibility, resilience and higher‑quality neighborhood planning rather than enabling one‑off infill lots.
At the public hearing several residents and developers asked why the threshold was set at four acres. One resident, identified in the record as Mr. Burgger, warned that four acres remains out of reach for small local buyers and urged the council not to limit creative proposals; staff replied that aggregation of parcels and redevelopment opportunities could create RPUD‑eligible sites and that other zoning tools exist for smaller projects.
City staff provided an inventory showing that only a small share of the city’s parcels currently meet the 4‑acre threshold unaggregated, and that the ordinance will therefore apply to a limited number of locations, though reassemblies or redevelopment could change that in the future. The city attorney noted RPUD approval would continue to require council action on a case‑by‑case basis.
The council adopted the ordinance on second and final reading by a unanimous 4–0 roll call vote. The measure adds the clarified RPUD procedures to the municipal code and is effective upon adoption.
Key provisions adopted: - Maximum RPUD building height: 45 ft. - Minimum RPUD parcel size: 4 acres. - Minimum dwelling units for RPUD: 15 units.
Vote on Ordinance 07‑2025 (second reading): Mayor Tim Jackson — yes; Wes Morrison — yes; Thomas Shoryak — yes; Council Member Willis — yes. Motion passed 4–0.
What this means: The ordinance gives the city and developers a more flexible framework to pursue planned residential neighborhoods while preserving council oversight of any RPUD proposals. Council members encouraged staff to continue dialogue with property owners and to consider additional zoning tools if smaller, creative infill proposals require a different pathway.
