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Planners back draft that measures steep roofs to midpoint to limit 'hidden' extra floors
Summary
The Planning Board reviewed proposed language to measure building height for roofs steeper than 12:12 to the midpoint between ridge and lowest eave, a change staff says will prevent developers from using very steep roofs to add an occupiable floor; the board gave unanimous nonbinding support for the approach.
On May 12, 2026, Pensacola planning staff presented draft language to clarify how building height is measured for buildings with steeply pitched roofs. The proposed rule reads: "For buildings with roof slopes exceeding 12 on 12, building height shall be measured to the midpoint between the highest ridge and the lowest eave of the primary roof."
Supporters said the midpoint method prevents a design loophole in which very steep roofs are used to create an additional occupiable floor above an allowed story limit. "If someone wants a steeper roof, it does allow them to go through that without the need for, like, a variance," a planning staff member said, but added the measurement aims to prevent attempts to gain an extra floor via roof geometry.
Opponents and some board members asked whether measuring to the midpoint or to the lowest eave penalizes pitched roofs or produces inconsistent results when parapets and multiple roof forms are present. One member noted such measurements can affect interior ceiling heights and asked whether a simpler maximum‑height measure to the highest building element would be clearer; staff responded that the draft balances simplification with flexibility for varied roof styles and that exceptions for civic or ornamental features remain in the code.
Public commenter Colin Gold pressed the board on aesthetic and affordability tradeoffs, saying some steep‑roof designs provide affordable, usable attic space. Staff and board members said the proposal addresses rare "what if" scenarios where a developer might stack most of the allowed stories and then add an extra occupiable level hidden inside a very steep roof.
The board gave nonbinding unanimous support in a straw vote to advance the midpoint measurement language. Staff will refine the drafting (including cross‑references to parapet and plate measurement rules) and return the item for formal action.
