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Hendry County commissioners adopt multiple zoning and land‑use changes, clear path for triplexes and contractor code updates
Summary
The Hendry County Board adopted amendments to the Land Development Code and the comprehensive plan June 9, approving the removal of certain rural residential lot‑improvement requirements, aligning contractor licensing with state law, authorizing a triplex in Harlem, and approving multiple rezones; all were approved unanimously.
Hendry County commissioners on June 9 voted unanimously to adopt a package of land‑use and zoning actions that county staff said will simplify rural development rules and allow more housing variety in constrained neighborhoods.
Ryan Alexander, the county’s director of planning and community development, told the board the amendment to the Land Development Code removes landscaping, driveway and sidewalk improvement requirements in several rural residential zoning districts (RRF, RR and RRWE), saying the standards were written for smaller suburban lots and did not fit larger rural parcels. "This will eliminate those requirements for landscaping, driveway, sidewalk within those properties that are zoned RRF, RR, and RRWE," Alexander said during the public hearing. No members of the public spoke on the item and the board adopted the amendment on a roll‑call vote.
At the same meeting the board approved changes to the county’s construction licensing rules to align with state statute, making specialty contractor licenses optional and renewing the construction licensing board so the county can address contractor issues locally. Alexander described the change as necessary to bring Hernry County into compliance with state guidance.
Separately, commissioners adopted CPA26‑00001, a comprehensive‑plan text amendment to allow a triplex on a 0.34‑acre lot in the Harlem community. Alexander said the change responds to a pattern of very small original plats in Harlem where combining lots sometimes results in housing types that do not fit existing multifamily standards; the amendment provides a narrow path so three combined lots can host a triplex without forcing full multifamily standards that staff said would be impractical for that neighborhood. After the comprehensive plan amendment passed, the board approved a related rezoning (RZ24‑Z0061055) to RG4 (multifamily) to permit the triplex.
The board also approved a returned rezoning application (RZ26‑000012, "Tanzetti") converting a medium‑density mobile‑home parcel to a restricted set of commercial uses. Alexander said the applicant had narrowed the originally requested C1/C2 uses following board concerns, and the commissioners accepted the negotiated list of permitted uses.
Votes at a glance: RFQ 2026‑24 (mental health design contract) — approved; Bid 2026‑28 (Wheeler Estates pole barn) — approved; LDC amendment removing certain rural lot improvements — adopted (unanimous); LDC changes for contractor licensing — adopted (unanimous); CPA26‑00001 (Harlem triplex) — adopted (unanimous); RZ24‑Z0061055 (Delat Tobias triplex rezoning) — approved (unanimous); RZ26‑000012 (Tanzetti commercial reszone) — approved (unanimous).
Why it matters: The combined actions change what rural property owners must build when they develop, give the county a tool to handle contractor licensing locally, and create a targeted route to add small‑scale multifamily housing in one historic neighborhood. Proponents framed the changes as responsive, targeted fixes; there were no recorded public objections during the hearings.
The board closed the planning portion of the agenda with unanimous votes on the items; staff said they will proceed with codifying the approved amendments and updating application materials.
