Overview
Traditional Euclidean district-and-overlay code with strong form-sensitive embeddings in NT and Storefront Conservation Corridor districts. Code is explicitly updated bi-annually and includes the recent Ord. 611-H (July 2025) reform of Neighborhood Traditional districts — emphasizing pre-automobile neighborhood patterns (rear alley access, reduced front setbacks, front porches, recognized architectural styles). Peninsular geography drives extreme CHHA exposure; Albert Whitted Airport on downtown waterfront constrains downtown height envelope. | naming_convention_raw=abbreviation-encoded with purpose-prefixed sub-districts: NT (Neighborhood Traditional) / NS (Neighborhood Suburban) / NSM (Neighborhood Suburban Multi-Family) / CRT-CRS (Corridor Residential Traditional/Suburban) / CCT-CCS (Corridor Commercial Traditional/Suburban) / IT-IS (Industrial Traditional/Suburban) / DC (Downtown Center) / EC (Employment Center) / IC (Institutional Center) / RC (Retail Center) / P (Preservation). Traditional vs Suburban pairings encode pre-war vs post-war neighborhood form. ; sub_flags_raw=[coastal-fl, chha-heavily-exposed, downtown-airport-constrained, live-local-active, brt-transit-emerging, historic-district-heavy]
- Neighborhood Traditional districts substantially reformed by Ord. 611-H (eff. July 18, 2025) — NT-1 through NT-4 were reformed to emphasize pre-automobile neighborhood patterns: reduced front setbacks, front porches and primary entrances facing the street, rear alley vehicular access (not front driveways), recognized architectural styles with consistent materials, and ADU (garage apartment) allowances in NT-1 subject to lot size and parking standards. Some NT districts allow multifamily units historically built for winter tourist industry — renovating/revitalizing these is preferred over replacement. This is a notable form-based approach embedded within an otherwise use-based code. — [Ord. 611-H; §16.20.010 LDRs]
- Albert Whitted Airport on downtown waterfront is a binding height constraint — The FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces for Albert Whitted Airport (a general aviation facility on downtown St. Petersburg waterfront) descend over a substantial area of downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. Part 77 ceilings can bind below the Downtown Center district's nominal maximum height and below the Live Local Act's 1-mile height floor — treat as federal_state_conflict (FM-P) where LLA height floor otherwise would apply near Albert Whitted. — [c§16.30.010 LDRs; 14 CFR Part 77]
- Peninsula geography drives extensive CHHA exposure — St. Petersburg is an urban peninsula (Pinellas Peninsula) with CHHA covering a substantial share of downtown, waterfront residential, Snell Isle, and Boca Ciega Bay frontage. c§163.3178(9) F.S. prohibits net new dwelling units in the CHHA — a meaningful constraint on downtown intensification and on Live Local Act density floors within mapped CHHA parcels. LLA does NOT override the CHHA prohibition; LLA density floors apply only outside CHHA or subject to evacuation-clearance findings. — [c§16.30.040 LDRs; c§163.3178(9) F.S.; St. Petersburg Comprehensive Plan Coastal Management Element]
+ 7 more in Quirks & notes
Districts
| Code | Name | Category | Min lot | Height | Coverage | FAR | Du/ac | Parking | Setbacks F/S/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NT-1 | Neighborhood Traditional Single-Family 1 | res_sf | — | 24 ft[1] | — | 0.5[2] | — | — | — / — / — |
| NT-2 | Neighborhood Traditional Single-Family 2 | res_sf | — | 24 ft[3] | — | 0.4[4] | — | — | — / — / — |
| NT-3 | Neighborhood Traditional Single-Family 3 | res_sf | — | 24 ft[5] | — | 0.4[6] | — | — | — / — / — |
| NT-4 | Neighborhood Traditional Mixed Use 4 | res_sf | — | 24 ft[7] | — | 0.5[8] | — | — | — / — / — |
| NTM | Neighborhood Traditional Mixed Residential | res_mf | — | 24 ft[9] | — | 0.5[10] | — | — | — / — / — |
| NS-1 | Neighborhood Suburban Single-Family 1 | res_sf | — | 24 ft[11] | — | —[12] | — | — | — / — / — |
| NS-2 | Neighborhood Suburban Single-Family 2 | res_sf | — | 24 ft[13] | — | —[14] | — | — | — / — / — |
| NSM-1 | Neighborhood Suburban Multi-Family 1 | res_mf | — | — | — | 0.5[15] | — | — | — / — / — |
| NSM-2 | Neighborhood Suburban Multi-Family 2 | res_mf | — | — | — | 0.6[16] | — | — | — / — / — |
| NSE | Neighborhood Suburban Estate | res_sf | — | 24 ft[17] | — | —[18] | — | — | — / — / — |
| NMH | Neighborhood Suburban Mobile Home | res_sf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| NPUD-1 | Neighborhood Planned Unit Development 1 | res_sf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| NPUD-2 | Neighborhood Planned Unit Development 2 | res_mf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| CRT-1 | Corridor Residential Traditional 1 | res_mf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| CRT-2 | Corridor Residential Traditional 2 | res_mf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| CRS-1 | Corridor Residential Suburban 1 | res_mf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| CRS-2 | Corridor Residential Suburban 2 | res_mf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| CCT-1 | Corridor Commercial Traditional 1 | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| CCT-2 | Corridor Commercial Traditional 2 | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| CCS-1 | Corridor Commercial Suburban 1 | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| CCS-2 | Corridor Commercial Suburban 2 | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| CCS-3 | Corridor Commercial Suburban 3 | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| IT | Industrial Traditional | ind | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| IS | Industrial Suburban | ind | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| DC | Downtown Center (composite — DC-1, DC-2, DC-3, DC-C, DC-P sub-districts) | mu | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — / — / — |
| EC | Employment Center | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| IC | Institutional Center | spec | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| RC | Retail Center | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| P | Preservation | spec | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found
Overlays
Parcels within Albert Whitted Airport's FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces (primary surface, approach, transition, horizontal, conical) and mapped noise impact zones. Because the airport occupies downtown waterfront, the overlay reaches across the Downtown Center, adjacent waterfront residential, and much of the peninsula east of 4th Street N/S.
Designated historic buildings eligible for adaptive reuse incentives under the overlay's applicability criteria.
Mapped Artist Enclave area (specific location not confirmed from available sources; common anchor is the Warehouse Arts District / Deuces corridor, but boundary requires §16.30.030 retrieval).
Parcels within the mapped CHHA boundary per the Pinellas County / state-designated Category 1 SLOSH line; overlay boundary appears on St. Petersburg Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use and Coastal Management Element maps. CHHA includes Zone V and certain AE zones under FEMA.
Parcels in the vicinity of Sunrunner BRT stations. Adoption to date confirmed at 22nd Street S. station (Ord. 583-H); additional station-area overlays may be adopted over time along the 10.3-mile alignment.
Designated historic and archaeological sites and districts throughout the city, as listed in the Local Register of Historic Places and mapped archaeological overlay areas.
Large tracts (minimum acreage threshold not confirmed — typical FL LTPD minimums range 10-25+ acres) seeking comprehensive planned development approval via City Council action.
Designated traditional commercial corridors with historic storefront character; specific corridor list partial (likely includes portions of Central Avenue, 4th Street N, and 9th Street N).
State-designated CRA boundaries within St. Petersburg; each CRA has its own adopted redevelopment plan governing priorities, design standards, and TIF expenditure.
All parcels within FEMA-mapped SFHA (Zones AE, VE, X-shaded) per current effective Pinellas County FIRM; boundaries viewable on city GIS flood-zone viewer.
State preemptions
Adopted building codes
Statewide — FL Building Code 7th ed
Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.
Quirks & notes
- Neighborhood Traditional districts substantially reformed by Ord. 611-H (eff. July 18, 2025) — NT-1 through NT-4 were reformed to emphasize pre-automobile neighborhood patterns: reduced front setbacks, front porches and primary entrances facing the street, rear alley vehicular access (not front driveways), recognized architectural styles with consistent materials, and ADU (garage apartment) allowances in NT-1 subject to lot size and parking standards. Some NT districts allow multifamily units historically built for winter tourist industry — renovating/revitalizing these is preferred over replacement. This is a notable form-based approach embedded within an otherwise use-based code. — [Ord. 611-H; §16.20.010 LDRs]
- Albert Whitted Airport on downtown waterfront is a binding height constraint — The FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces for Albert Whitted Airport (a general aviation facility on downtown St. Petersburg waterfront) descend over a substantial area of downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. Part 77 ceilings can bind below the Downtown Center district's nominal maximum height and below the Live Local Act's 1-mile height floor — treat as federal_state_conflict (FM-P) where LLA height floor otherwise would apply near Albert Whitted. — [c§16.30.010 LDRs; 14 CFR Part 77]
- Peninsula geography drives extensive CHHA exposure — St. Petersburg is an urban peninsula (Pinellas Peninsula) with CHHA covering a substantial share of downtown, waterfront residential, Snell Isle, and Boca Ciega Bay frontage. c§163.3178(9) F.S. prohibits net new dwelling units in the CHHA — a meaningful constraint on downtown intensification and on Live Local Act density floors within mapped CHHA parcels. LLA does NOT override the CHHA prohibition; LLA density floors apply only outside CHHA or subject to evacuation-clearance findings. — [c§16.30.040 LDRs; c§163.3178(9) F.S.; St. Petersburg Comprehensive Plan Coastal Management Element]
- Live Local Act active pipeline — Alta Roosevelt confirmed — Alta Roosevelt (381 units, ~152 workforce) moved forward administratively in 2024 as a confirmed Live Local project, demonstrating that St. Petersburg is an active LLA market. The law's preemption of local height and density limits is materially significant given the city's peninsular land constraints and the high downtown intensity ceiling set by DC. — [c§166.04151(7) F.S.; city Planning Division records; Alta Roosevelt site plan approval (2024)]
- Sunrunner BRT is the city's emerging transit-oriented overlay anchor — The Sunrunner BRT line (PSTA's 10.3-mile BRT connecting downtown to St. Pete Beach; opened October 2022) is the region's first true BRT. Ord. 583-H adopted the Sunrunner TEC-Local Overlay at the 22nd Street S. Station (§16.30.050). Additional station-area overlays may follow along the alignment. Sunrunner proximity also unlocks Live Local Act transit-proximity parking-reduction step-up for qualifying projects. — [c§16.30.050 LDRs; Ord. 583-H; PSTA Sunrunner BRT operational data]
- Storefront Conservation Corridor is a form-based overlay inside an otherwise use-based code — §16.30.095 Storefront Conservation Corridor overlay is specifically aimed at preserving the physical pattern of traditional commercial storefronts — build-to-line alignment, facade transparency, pedestrian orientation — rather than use or pure historic character. A deliberate urbanist approach to maintaining walkable commercial corridors that functions as a form-based regulator on top of CCT/CCS base districts. — [c§16.30.095 LDRs]
- TDR program for both environmental and historic preservation — St. Petersburg has a codified Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program at §16.70.040 awarding development rights credits for both environmental preservation (§16.70.040.1.16) and historic preservation (§16.70.040.1.17). This bifurcated TDR structure gives property owners a transferable incentive to protect resources — unusual among FL cities where TDRs, if they exist, typically cover only one category. — [c§16.70.040 LDRs (TDR program)]
- LDR updated bi-annually — The code is explicitly structured for regular updates, typically twice per year. This creates a more dynamic code environment than annual or infrequent update cycles; research records on St. Petersburg should track Ord. numbering and supplement dates carefully. — [St. Petersburg Planning Department code maintenance policy]
- Multiple Community Redevelopment Areas with active TIF flows — St. Petersburg has multiple state-designated CRAs including Downtown CRA, South St. Petersburg CRA (Deuces corridor / 22nd St S), Intown West CRA, and others. Each CRA has its own adopted redevelopment plan and TIF flow; project-specific design standards, funding priorities, and sunset dates vary by CRA boundary. Developers must check CRA boundaries and applicable plan policies in addition to base-district zoning. — [c§16.06 LDRs; Ch. 163, Part III, F.S.]
- Albert Whitted long-term future is actively debated — Albert Whitted Airport's long-term future (continue as GA airport vs redevelop as waterfront park/mixed-use) is an ongoing city policy debate. Any resolution toward closure would unlock significant downtown height envelope currently constrained by Part 77 surfaces. Until any such change, the AWA overlay remains binding. — [St. Petersburg city policy record]
Formulas
Definitions
- height
- Building height measured to (a) beginning of roofline (cornice) and (b) top of roof peak; NT/NS/NSM use a stepped-setback schedule keyed to roofline height; special measurement rules apply in NT districts (Ord. 611-H July 2025) and in mapped Albert Whitted Airport Overlay where FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces apply
- lot_coverage
- Building footprint / lot area; NT districts use 0.55 max residential building coverage (0.60 if one-story principal); separate impervious-surface site-area-ratio cap
- far
- Gross floor area / lot area; FAR includes enclosed space above design flood elevation, excludes enclosed space below DFE plus up to 500 sf of ADU floor area in rear one-third (NT) or first 200 sf of garage per unit (NTM); NT/NTM provide a stacked menu of FAR bonuses up to 0.20
- du_ac
- Dwelling units per gross acre; NT-1/NT-2/NT-4 = 15 (1 principal + 1 ADU per lot); NT-3 = 7; NS-1 = 7.5; NS-2 = 5; NSE = 2; NSM-1 = 15 base, +6 workforce; NSM-2 = 24 base, +6 workforce; NTM-1 = 30; DC-C density-uncapped (FAR-driven)
- setback_front
- Front property line to nearest building face; NT districts emphasize reduced/traditional setbacks per Ord. 611-H; setback minimums step up as roofline height increases
- setback_side
- Interior side and street-side; NS-E uses largest minimums (15-25 ft interior side, 20-30 ft street-side); NT-1/2 minimum 6 ft (lots >60 ft) or 10% lot width (lots <=60 ft)
- setback_rear
- Rear setback varies with alley width; alley-served NT lots use 22 ft including alley width; NS rear setbacks 20-40 ft principal stepped by height
- parking
- Spaces per unit or per 1000 sf per Matrix: Use Permissions and Parking Requirements (§16.10.020.1); minimum 1 space/unit in NTM; reductions apply in DC and under Live Local Act (c§166.04151(7))
Capacity calculations
- nt_traditional_sf
NT-1: 15 du/ac (1 principal + 1 ADU per lot); NT-2: 15 du/ac (1+1); NT-3: 7 du/ac (1+1); NT-4: 15 du/ac (1+1); NT-1/NT-4 res FAR 0.50, NT-2/NT-3 res FAR 0.40; primary building height 24 ft beginning of roofline / 36 ft top of peak; min lot width res 45-60 ft, min lot area res 4,500-7,620 sf (per §16.20.010 Ord. 611-H eff. 7/18/2025)- ntm_traditional_mixed
NTM-1: 30 du/ac (max 4 units per building); res and non-res FAR 0.50 base + up to 0.20 bonus; primary height 24/36 ft; front setback 18 ft (12 ft porch, 8 ft stoop); interior side 5 ft; rear w/ alley 22 ft, no alley 10 ft; max building width 40 ft (per §16.20.015 Ord. 611-H)- ns_suburban_sf
NS-1: 7.5 du/ac, min lot res 5,800 sf / 75 ft, non-res FAR 0.35; NS-2: 5 du/ac, min lot res 8,700 sf / 100 ft, non-res FAR 0.30; NS-E: 2 du/ac, min lot res 1.0 acre / 200 ft, non-res FAR 0.20; res FAR N/A (no FAR cap on SF residential); building height 24/36 ft; max building coverage 0.55 (0.60 if 1-story); max impervious 0.60 (NS-1/NS-2), 0.40 (NS-E) (per §16.20.020 Ord. 611-H)- nsm_multifamily
NSM-1: 15 du/ac base + 15 missing-middle bonus + 6 workforce bonus; non-res FAR 0.50; impervious 0.65; min lot 4,500 sf. NSM-2: 24 du/ac base + 6 workforce bonus (no missing-middle bonus); non-res FAR 0.60; impervious 0.75; min lot 4,500 sf (per §16.20.030 Ord. 611-H)- crt_crs_corridor_residential
CRT-1: 1-3 stories typical, MF allowed, density bonus for workforce/missing middle (§16.20.060); CRT-2: 2-4 stories typical, MF allowed, density bonus for workforce; CRS-1/CRS-2: suburban corridor MF (§16.20.070); specific du/ac, FAR, and height values partial — Municode SPA blocked direct retrieval this pass- cct_ccs_corridor_commercial
CCT-1: 1-3 stories typical, MU+MF, density bonus for workforce/missing middle (§16.20.080); CCT-2: 1-5 stories typical, MU+MF, density bonus for workforce; CCS-1/2/3: suburban auto-oriented (§16.20.090); specific dimensional values partial — Municode SPA blocked direct retrieval- it_is_industrial
IT (§16.20.100): traditional urban industrial with potential live/work via AE overlay; IS (§16.20.110): suburban industrial; specific dimensional values partial — Municode SPA blocked- dc_downtown_center
DC district per §16.20.120 is subdivided into DC-1, DC-2, DC-3, DC-C (Downtown Center-Core) and DC-P sub-districts. DC-C: baseline FAR 4.0, no maximum building height (DRC review for >450 ft); FAR bonuses available (e.g., 400 Central project received +4.0 bonus for total 8.0 FAR); DC-2 baseline FAR 3.0 with bonus pathway to higher (per third-party reporting on city action). Specific du/ac, setbacks, and granular DC-1/DC-3/DC-P standards partial — Municode SPA blocked direct retrieval- ec_employment_center
Major office/campus form; §16.20.130 — Municode SPA blocked- ic_institutional_center
Hospitals, universities, civic; §16.20.140 — Municode SPA blocked- rc_retail_center
Shopping center form; §16.20.150 — Municode SPA blocked- p_preservation
Environmental preservation, passive recreation; §16.20.160 — Municode SPA blocked
Massing explorer
Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.
| District | Category | Height | FAR | Coverage | Setbacks | Parking | Density | Min lot | Overlays |
|---|
Sources & references
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Research status
Publication gates
| primary url present | passed | |
|---|---|---|
| no aggregator cited | passed | |
| confidence tags full form | passed | |
| overlays have parameters trigger confidence | passed | |
| preempt section city specific | passed |
Data quality
- Corridor and commercial dimensional tables — CRT-1, CRT-2, CRS-1, CRS-2, CCT-1, CCT-2, CCS-1/2/3, IT, IS — specific min lot, height, FAR, du/ac, setbacks, parking remain partial pending §16.20.060 / .070 / .080 / .090 / .100 / .110 retrieval (Municode SPA blocked direct fetch this pass
- only narrative descriptions retrieved from Council file PDF). Downtown Center §16.20.120 — DC-1, DC-2, DC-3, DC-C, DC-P sub-district granular standards beyond DC-C FAR 4.0 baseline / no nominal max height. EC §16.20.130, IC §16.20.140, RC §16.20.150, P §16.20.160 dimensional tables. NMH §16.20.040, NPUD §16.20.050 standards. Albert Whitted Part 77 surface geometry and specific height limits. CHHA boundary extent within St. Petersburg. Sunrunner TEC-Local Overlay (Ord. 583-H) specific parameters. HAPO design standards and COA process. Storefront Conservation Corridor build-to-line dimensions and facade transparency standards. Artist Enclave boundary and parameters. LTPD minimum acreage threshold. CRS class and floodplain freeboard inches. Individual CRA plan policies and sunset dates. Live Local Act density floor exact value (DC-C du/ac equivalent).
Known issues
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