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Malabar Zoning Codes

Below are the definitions of each zoning district for the Town of Malabar. For additional information, please call Town Hall. 

CP "Coastal Preserve" - The CP district was originally established by the Town Council through Ordinance Number 7-1-76 Section 5.12 and Ordinance Number 7-12-79 Section 1. This district is intended to preserve a narrow strip of land east of highway US 1 directly abutting the Indian River Lagoon, a State designated Aquatic Preserve. The district provisions are intended to assist in implementing land use, coastal management, and conservation goals, objectives, and policies within the comprehensive plan. for instance, the district provisions reduce exposure to natural hazards to persons or property as a result of windstorms and high tides; preserve the marine resources of the Aquatic Preserve; and restrict usage to noncommercial piers, boat slips, and docks.

RR-65 "Rural Residential" - The RR-65 district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing rural residential development at a density not to exceed one and one-half (1.5) acres per dwelling unit. The district is intended to protect and preserve existing agricultural and rural residential lands. These lands are generally developed for agricultural uses or for large lot rural residential home sites. The area designed for rural residential development is generally incapable of carrying traffic generated by more intense urban developments. The district is intended to accommodate and preserve a unique lifestyle which cannot be accommodated in more dense residential areas. 

RS-21 "Single-Family Low-Density Residential" - The RS-21 district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing low-density single-family residential development at a density not to exceed two (2) single-family dwelling units per acre. The RS-21 district is established in order to protect the quality and character of existing and future neighborhoods, preserve open space, and manage future densities in order to assure compatilibity with existing and projected public services and facilities in the area.

RS-15 "Single-Family Medium-Density Residential" - The RS-15 district is designed to accommidate traditional single-family development on lots not less than 15,000 square feet. The district is established to preserve the stability of existing and future conventional single-family residential neighborhoods, preserve open space, and manage future densities in order to assure that future densities are compatible with existing developments, natural features of the land, as well as existing and projected public services and facilities within the area.

RS-10 "Single-Family Medium-Density Residential" - The RS-10 district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing traditional single-family residential development on lots not less than 10,000 square feet. This district is established to preserve the stability of existing and future single-family residential neighborhoods, preserve open space, and manage future densities in order to assure that they are compatible with existing developments, natural feature of the land, as well as existing and projected public services and facilities within the area.

R-MH "Residential Mobile Homes" - The R-MH district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing high density mobile home residential development. The district is designed for managing mobile home development at a density not to exceed six units per acre. The district is intended to provide sites for mobile home development within existing established mobile home parks.

RM-4 "Multiple-Family Medium-Density Residential" - The RM-4 district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing medium-density residential development not to exceed four units per acre. The district is established to ensure sufficient land area for development of medium-density multiple-family residential developments which are fully serviced by adequate public facilities. Sites for medium-density multiple-family residential development shall be located so that they provide a smooth transition between low density residential development and areas developed and/or designated for more intense uses.

RM- 6 "Multiple-Family High-Density Residential Development" - The RM-6 district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing high-density residential development at a density not to exceed six units per acre. The district is established to ensure that sufficient land is available for developments of high-density residential development and is intended to ensure availability of adequate public facilities.

OI "Office-Institutional" - The OI district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing office-institutional development. This district is designed to accommodate businesses and professional offices together with institutional land uses on sites which:

  • Have accessibility to major thoroughfares;
  • Have potential to be served by a full complement of urban services;
  • Contain sufficient land area to accommodate good principles of urban design, including sufficient land area to provide adequate landscaping and buffers to separate existing as well as potential adjacent land uses of differing intensities;
  •  Accommodate only office buildings and institutional land uses and shall expressly exclude residential uses (except those Community Facilities defined as Nursing Homes and Related Health Care Facilities in 1-2.6.B.10(B)), general retail sales and services, warehousing, and outside storage; and
  • Frequently serve as a transition area which buffers residential uses located in one area from a nearby area which accommodates uses of a higher intensity.
  • A Malabar Vernacular Style is required for all development along arterial roadways.

INS "Institutional Services" - The INS district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing institutional development. The district is intended to accommodate public and semi-public facilities such as government administration buildings; fire, police, and rescue services; health care delivery services; and educational institutions. Land uses such as places of worship, cultural or civic centers, and other similar public or private not-for-profit uses may be included within this district.

CL "Commercial Limited" - The CL district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing limited commercial development accessible to major thoroughfares near residential neighborhoods. Such development is intended to provide essential household services in locations highly accessible to residential areas. For instance, sites within this district are intended to accommodate neighborhood shops with limited inventory or goods. Such shops generally cater to the following markets:

  • Neighborhood residential markets within the immediate vicinity as opposed to city-wide or regional market; or
  • A specialized market with customized market demands.
  • A Malabar Vernacular Style is required for all development along arterial roadways.

Areas designated for limited commercial development are not intended to accommodate large-scale retail sales, services, and trade activities, generally serving a city-wide or regional market. Such stores would usually differ from limited commercial shops since the former would usually require a larger floor area, carry a relatively larger inventory and require substantially greater parking area. Uses, which are not intended to be accommodated within the limited commercial area, include the following: large scale discount stores; health spas; supermarket; department stores; large scale wholesaling and warehousing activities; general sales, services or repair of motor vehicles, heavy equipment, machinery or accessory parts, including tire and battery shops and automotive service centers; commercial amusements; and fast food establishments primarily serving in disposable containers and/or providing drive-in facilities. No residential uses shall be located in the limited commercial district.

CG "Commercial General" - The CG district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing general commercial development. The general commercial district is designed to accommodate general retail sales and services. Sites designated for CG zoning shall be located in highly accessible areas adjacent to major thoroughfares which possess necessary location, site, and market requirements required by general commercial land use activities.

The general commercial district shall also accommodate commercial trades in strategically designated areas as defined in the conditional use criteria. Development standards within the land development code shall require that site plans incorporate amenities necessary to prevent potential adverse effects on the traffic circulation system, public services, and residential development within the vicinity.

The general commercial district is not intended to accommodate manufacturing, processing, or assembly of goods, sales and services of heavy commercial vehicles and equipment, or related services or maintenance activities; warehousing; uses requiring extensive outside storage; or other activities or trades which may generate nuisance impacts, including glare, smoke, or other air pollutants, noise, vibration or major fire hazards. Finally, no permanent residential housing shall be located within the general commercial district.

The location and distribution of general commercial activities shall be determined based on the following considerations:

  • Trip generation characteristics, impact on existing and plan transportation facilities and ability to achieve a functional internal circulation and landscaped off-street parking system;
  • Location and site requirements based on specific needs of respective commercial activities, their market area, anticipated employment generation, and floor area requirements;
  • Compatibility with and impact on other surrounding commercial activities;
  • Relationship to surrounding land uses and natural systems; and.
  • Impact on existing and planned community services and utilities.
  • A Malabar Vernacular Style is required for all development along arterial roadways.

IND "Industrial" - The industrial district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing industrial development. In locating industrial districts, consideration shall be directed to selecting sites accessible to rail facilities, terminal facilities, major arterials, labor markets, and necessary urban services. Industrial districts shall not include residential activities. However, residence for night watchman or custodians whose presence on industrial sites is necessary for security purposes may be approved as an accessory use. Industrial districts shall be accessible to major thoroughfares and shall be buffered from residential neighborhoods. Any additional industrial zoning shall be consistent with the comprehensive plan, including criteria for siting industrial activities, including but not limited to, policy 1-1.3.1, policy 1-1.3.2, and policy 1-1.3.3.

PUD "Planned Unit Development" - The PUD district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing planned unit development. The comprehensive plan incorporates policies encouraging innovative development concepts, including mixed use development. The planned unit development is intended to provide a voluntary framework for coordinating objectives of developers which may require departures from established public policy. The planned unit development district provides a management strategy for negotiating innovative development concepts, design amenities, and measures for protecting natural features of the land. The management process shall promote public and private coordination and cooperation. The land development code incorporates detailed regulations, standards, and procedures for implementing the planned unit development concept. The planned unit development district shall be available as a voluntary approach for managing specific development characteristics and project amenities to be incorporated in residential, commercial, industrial or mixed use development. Developers who voluntarily participate in the process shall bind themselves as well as their successors in title to the stipulations within the development order approving the planned unit development district.

R/LC "Residential Limited Commercial" - The R/LC district is established to implement comprehensive plan policies for managing development on land specifically designated for mixed use Residential and Limited Commercial development on the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map (FLUM). Such development is intended to accommodate limited commercial goods and services together with residential activities on specific sites designated "R/LC" which are situated along the west side of the US 1 corridor as delineated on the FLUM. For instance, sites within this district are intended to accommodate neighborhood shops with limited inventory or goods as well as single family and multiple family structures with a density up to six (6) units per acre. Commercial activities shall generally cater to the following markets:

  • Local residential markets within the town as opposed to regional markets; or
  • Specialized markets with customized market demands.
  • A Malabar Vernacular Style is required for all development along arterial roadways.

Areas designated for mixed use Residential and Limited Commercial development are not intended to accommodate commercial activities with a floor area in excess of four thousand (4,000) square feet, such as large-scale retail sales and/or service facilities or trade activities. These types of commercial activities generally serve regional markets and the intensity of such commercial activities is not generally compatible with residential activities located within the same structure or located at an adjacent or nearby site. Such stores would usually differ from limited commercial shops since the former would usually require a floor area larger than four thousand (4,000) square feet; would generally carry a relatively larger inventory; and require substantially greater parking area. Uses, which are not intended to be accommodated within the limited commercial area, include the following: large-scale discount stores; health spas; supermarket; department stores; large scale wholesaling and warehousing activities; general sales, services or repair of motor vehicles, heavy equipment, machinery or accessory parts, including tire and battery shops and automotive service centers; commercial amusements; and fast food establishments primarily serving in disposal containers and/or providing drive-in facilities.

Single family or multiple family residential uses with a density no greater than six (6) units per acre may also be located in the R/LC district. Such residential uses may be located either within a freestanding structure or within a structure housing both Residential and Limited Commercial activities. The R/LC district is intended and shall be interpreted to be a "commercial" district with respect to required setbacks and other size and dimension provisions referenced by zoning district in this Code.