Panama City, Florida Planning 101
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Get a handle on how to effectively & rapidly manuever the development order processes of the City PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA PLANNING 101 PLA NNING DEPA City of Panama City, FLRTMENT UN IFIED LAND D EVELOPMEN A Referen T CODE ce Guide for the Citizens! 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 defi nitions enforcement nonconformities concurrency sign subdivision supplemental public parking landscaping environment design zoning review admin. general management standards of land standards improvements & loading & buff ering protection standards districts authority processes City of Panama City, FL City, Panama of City Unifi Code ed Land Development Unified Land Development Code Chapter 101 - GENERAL Page 1- 1 section The provisions of this Unified Land Development general CHAPTER 101 – GENERAL Code are declared to be the minimum require- 1 ments necessary to protect human, environmen- tal, social, and economic resources; and to main- processes Sec. 101-1. Title. This Chapter shall be entitled and tain, through orderly growth, and development, admin. may be referred to as the Unified Land Development and redevelopment the character and stability of 2 Code (“ULDC”). present and future land use within the city. authority Sec. 101-2. Purpose and Intent. This ULDC is enact- review Sec. 101-3. - Interpretation. The following rules 3 ed pursuant to the requirements and authority of F.S. of interpretation and construction shall apply to Ch. 163, pt. II (the Local Government Comprehensive this ULDC: districts Planning and Land Development Regulation Act) and zoning the general powers confirmed in F.S. Ch. 166 (Home A. All words used in the present tense include 4 Rules Powers Act) and the Constitution of the State of the future; all words in the single number include Florida. the plural and the plural the singular; the words standards design “person,” “developer,” “occupant,” “lessee,” “build- 5 The purpose of the ULDC is to implement further the er,” and “owner” include a firm, corporation, or Comprehensive Plan of the City by establishing regula- other corporate entity as well as a natural person. environment protection tions, procedures and standards for review and approv- The word “used” shall be deemed to include the al of all development and uses of land and water in the words “arranged,” “designed,” or “intended to be 6 City. Further, the ULDC is adopted in order to foster used,” and the word “occupied” shall be deemed landscaping landscaping and preserve public health, safety, comfort and welfare, to include the words “arranged,” “designed,” or & buffering and to aid in the harmonious, orderly, and progressive “intended to be occupied.” 7 development and redevelopment of the City. It is the in- tent of this ULDC that the development process in the B. In computing any period of time prescribed or & loading City of Panama City be efficient, in terms of time and allowed by this ULDC, the day of the act, event or parking 8 expense; effective, in terms of addressing the natural re- default from which the designated period of time source and public facility implications of proposed de- begins to run shall not be included. The last day of velopment; equitable, in terms of consistency with es- improvements the period so computed shall be included unless public tablished regulations and procedures, and show respect it is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday in which 9 for the rights of property owners, and the consideration event the period shall run until the end of the for the interests of the citizens of the City. next day which is neither a Saturday, Sunday or supplemental standards legal holiday. When the period of time prescribed 10 The ULDC shall provide a cohesive blueprint for devel- or allowed is less than seven days, intermediate opment and redevelopment of the City by addressing Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays shall be ex- subdivision strategies to accommodate growth while maintaining cluded in the computation. land of neighborhood integrity; ensuring appropriate height 11 and site development requirements and design guide- C. Unless otherwise defined in this ULDC, words lines; ensuring appropriate transitions and linkages and phrases shall be construed according to the standards sign between different neighborhoods and uses; encourag- common and approved usage of the language. 12 ing more walkable neighborhoods; buffering neighbor- Technical words and phrases and such others as hoods and existing development from the encroach- management may have acquired a peculiar and appropriate concurrency ment of incompatible uses; limiting the intensity of meaning in law shall be construed and under- 13 future development and redevelopment in a manner stood according to such meaning. that is consistent with current development patterns and that minimizes further negative impacts to the D. In the interpretation of an application of this nonconformities City’s infrastructure, traffic congestion, hurricane evac- ULDC, all provisions shall be liberally construed 14 uation clearance times and quality of life and imple- in favor of the objectives and purposes of the city and deemed neither to limit nor repeal other menting specific development or redevelopment goals enforce ment or plans that may be established for particular areas by powers granted under state statutes. 15 the City Commission or redevelopment that is provid- - ed by expressly authorized conditional use approval. E. In the event that any question arises concern- definitions 16 City of Panama City, FL Page Chapter 101 - GENERAL Unified Land Development Code 1- 2 ing the application of regulations, performance stan- Sec. 101-5. - Abrogation. This ULDC is not intended dards, definitions, development criteria, or any other to repeal, abrogate or interfere with any existing ease- 1 section provision of this Chapter, the Planning Director shall ments, covenants, or deed restrictions duly recorded in general be responsible for interpretation and shall look to the the public records of Bay County. City’s Comprehensive Plan for guidance. Responsibili- 2 ty for interpretation by the Director shall be limited to Sec. 101-6. - Relationship to other laws. If any sub- admin. ject of this ULDC is controlled by any other law, statute, processes standards, regulations and requirements of this Chap- ter, but shall not be construed to include interpretation ordinance or regulation, then that which imposes the of any technical codes, nor be construed as overriding more stringent standard or requirement shall govern. 3 review the responsibilities given to any commission, board authority Sec. 101-7. – No Duty to Enforce Private Covenants or official named in other sections or chapters of this and Restrictions. This ULDC does not affect any pri- ULDC. 4 vate agreement or condition such as a deed restriction zoning zoning districts Sec. 101-4. - Applicability. Except as specifically pro- or covenant. Regardless of whether or not such private vided for in this section, the provisions of this Unified restrictions or covenants are less restrictive or impose a higher standard than the provisions of this ULDC, the 5 Land Development Code shall apply to all develop- design ment and redevelopment undertaken in the City. No City has no duty or right to enforce those private re- standards development or redevelopment shall be commenced, strictions or covenants. except in accordance with this Land Development 6 Sec. 101-8. - Severability. This Land Development Code (ULDC). Code (ULDC) and its various articles, sections, sub- protection environment sections, provisions, and clauses thereof, are hereby A. Exceptions. No newly adopted provisions of this declared to be severable and, if any part is adjudged un- 7 ULDC or any amendments shall affect the validity of constitutional or invalid, the remainder of the ULDC any lawfully issued and effective development order or & buffering landscaping landscaping building permit if: shall not be affected thereby. 1. The development order was issued within 6 8 parking months prior to the effective date of this ULDC or & loading any amendment thereto, or 9 2. The respective building permit was issued for the public improvements approved development order and is considered an active permit. 10 3. If a building permit is issued and the development standards supplemental activity continues without interruption (except be- cause of war, natural disaster, or acts of God) until 11 the development is complete, then the development of land of subdivision shall be deemed vested. B. Previously approved development permits. Permits 12 sign for approved projects that have not expired by the ef- standards fective date of this ULDC or any amendment must meet only the requirements of the Code in effect when 13 the development order was approved. If any building concurrency management permit expires or is otherwise invalidated before the commencement of construction, the proposed devel- opment shall comply with the requirements of this 14 ULDC and any applicable amendments hereto. nonconformities C. Consistency with plan. Nothing in this section shall 15 be construed to authorize a development that is incon- enforcement sistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan. 16 City of Panama City, FL definitions Unified Land Development Code Chapter 102 - ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES Page 2- 1 article is to provide a uniform system for the review of general CHAPTER 102 - ADMINISTRATIVE development or redevelopment activities undertaken 1 within the City. PROCESSES. section processes admin. ARTICLE I. - IN GENERAL Sec. 102-24. - Development review process. A. Developers shall comply with the following proce- 2 Sec. 102-1. - Public purpose. The purpose of this dures: chapter is to set forth responsibilities and procedures 1. An application form for development approval authority review for the administration of this Unified Land Develop- must be obtained from the City, which shall be in 3 ment Code. the format prescribed by the Director and shall be completed by the developer or the developer’s au- districts Sec. 102-2. - Applicability. thorized agent.