Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Garages topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning and Zoning Commission recommends approval of Ordinance 45-26 to clarify garage rules and raise detached-garage height
Summary
The commission voted unanimously to recommend Ordinance 45-26, a Land Development Code amendment that resolves a setback inconsistency, raises the maximum detached-garage height from 14 to 16 feet to better fit most RVs, and clarifies minimum garage and breezeway dimensions.
The Cape Coral Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of Ordinance 45-26, a proposed amendment to the city’s Land Development Code that revises dimensional rules for attached and detached garages. Chad Boyko, principal planner in the city’s planning division, presented the changes and answered commissioner questions.
“We're looking at increasing the height from 14 feet to 16 feet,” Boyko said, explaining the change would clear most recreational vehicles and reduce homeowners' need to build costlier breezeways to meet attached-garage rules. Boyko told commissioners the code currently showed a 10-foot rear-yard setback for detached garages in a table while the text stated 20 feet; the ordinance makes the setback consistent with the 20-foot standard used for principal structures.
Boyko also sought to clarify minimum interior garage dimensions and breezeway measurements. He said the city will restate the commonly applied 14-foot garage width by 20-foot depth requirement for single-family and duplex garages, and will clarify that breezeways are required to be 4 feet in width and 8 feet in length. The staff presentation noted the code measures building height “from the bottom of the finished floor to the lowest point of the highest eave.”
Commissioner discussion was brief. Commissioner Senator confirmed the 20-foot rear-yard setback matches that for principal structures; Boyko affirmed staff has been enforcing the 20-foot standard and the text amendment is intended to remove ambiguity. After discussion, a motion to recommend approval was made and seconded; a roll-call vote recorded seven ayes and no dissenters.
The commission's action is a recommendation to City Council; the ordinance will require City Council consideration and any subsequent procedural steps by the council. The meeting record shows no public comments were offered on the ordinance during the hearing. The commission adjourned after announcing the next regular meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 2 at 9 a.m. in council chambers.
