§ 1. Establishment of zoning districts.
A.
Zoning district designation: The unincorporated area of Hernando County, Florida, is divided into the following zoning districts, as shown on the "Official Zoning District Map, Hernando County, Florida," and these zoning districts are designated, as follows:
(1)
R-1A Residential District: This district is designed primarily to permit the continued development of established residential areas which include a mixture of conventional single-family dwellings and mobile homes and is, therefore, not intended to be utilized extensively for future development.
(2)
R-1B Residential District: This district is designed to protect medium-density, single-family development and is intended to be the district most utilized for regulating single-family development located within, or adjacent to, urbanizing areas within the county.
(3)
R-1C Residential District: This district is designed to encourage and protect low-density, single-family development and is intended to be the district most utilized for regulating future single-family development within the county.
(4)
R-2.5 Residential District: This district is designed to encourage and protect low-density, single-family development at a maximum density of two and one-half (2½) units per acre. The district is designed primarily for new development and is not intended for extensive use in established neighborhoods. Any request for this district within an established neighborhood shall be by petition of owners of sixty-six (66) percent or more of the area proposed to be rezoned. In established neighborhoods, the minimum land area necessary for consideration of a zoning amendment petition to this district shall be an entire subdivision, subdivision unit or subdivision tract or at least ten (10) acres in size.
(5)
RM Residential Mobile Home District: This district is designed to allow the development of low-density mobile home subdivisions.
(6)
R-2 Residential District: This district is designed to permit medium-density residential development consisting of both single-family and two-family dwellings.
(7)
R-3 Residential District: This district is designed to permit higher-density single-lot principal building residential development consisting of both single-family and multifamily dwellings.
(8)
R-4 Residential District: This district is designed to permit higher-density single-lot principal building residential development consisting of both single family and multifamily dwellings.
(9)
A/R Agricultural/Residential District: This district is designed to allow the utilization of tracts of land for single-family dwellings while preserving the open character of the land. This zoning district is designed for use in areas which, by virtue of their location, physical characteristics and/or relationship to other land use areas, should be developed carefully and at a low-density to maintain their overall character within the county.
(10)
A/R-1 Agricultural/Residential District: This district is designed to allow the utilization of land for single-family mobile home dwellings while preserving the open character of the land. This zoning district is designed for use in areas which, by virtue of their location, physical characteristics, and/or relationship to other land use areas, should be developed carefully and at a low-density to maintain their overall character within the county.
(11)
A/R-2 Agricultural/Residential Districts: This district is designed to allow the continued development of low-density, single-family housing, characterized by an established mixture of both conventional single-family dwellings and mobile homes. The A/R-2 district is not to be utilized for future development.
(12)
County 2.5 District: This district is intended to apply to an area of low-density residential uses in a semirural environment, permitting residential activities and limited agricultural activities while preserving the open character of the land.
(13)
AG Agricultural District: This district is designed to promote and encourage the conservation and utilization of prime and productive agricultural land, as well as the preservation of the open character of certain land, which, by virtue of their topography, soil types, natural resources and/or relationship to other land use areas, should be carefully reviewed and evaluated prior to their possible development or else should continue to be developed at a relatively low-density to maintain their overall natural environment and unique character with the county.
(14)
R-1-MH Residential Single-Family Manufactured Housing District: This district is designed to permit development of low-density, modular-manufactured housing units to accommodate this changing industry and is, therefore, not intended to be utilized extensively for future development.
(15)
C-1 General Commercial District: This district is predominately designed to serve the general retail shopping needs of a community or area with uses to include convenience goods, shopping goods, personal services and limited institutional uses.
(16)
C-2 Highway Commercial District: This district is designed to permit the development of commercial areas at appropriate locations on major highways and is intended to meet the needs of motorists and other consumers through the provision of automobile-oriented service activities and other heavier commercial activities, in addition to those allowable in the C-1 district, located in a desirable grouping rather than in a strip or linear fashion along the highway.
(17)
C-3 Neighborhood Commercial District: This district is designed to permit the development of local small scale commercial areas which are properly located in regard to both adjacent streets and surrounding residential areas and intended to serve local neighborhood needs through the provision of easily accessible convenience goods and personal services.
(18)
C-4 Heavy Highway Commercial District: This district is designed to permit the development of heavy commercial areas at appropriate locations on major highways to minimize land use conflicts by providing desirable clusters or groupings of heavy commercial uses in appropriate areas rather than scattered in a strip or linear fashion along highways.
(19)
A-C Agricultural Commercial District: This district is intended to permit the development of properly located, limited and specialized commercial areas intended to serve the needs of neighboring rural and agricultural areas.
(20)
OP Office-Professional District: The district is intended to permit the development of administrative and professional offices, and other related low-profile, low-density land uses.
(21)
R-C Recreational Commercial District: This district is designed to permit the development of recreational vehicle/travel trailer park areas at appropriate locations on major highways, providing for limited occupancy on a temporary or seasonal basis not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days.
(22)
I-1 Industrial District: This district is designed to encourage and promote the development of a coordinated and related industrial complex in a general area that is large enough to meet the needs of several types and varieties of industrial activities. The characteristics of uses in this district include light industrial development, distribution, research and development, processing, storage and related intensive commercial uses. Outdoor storage and more intense industrial activities may be permitted subject to performance conditions.
(23)
PDP Planned Development Project District: The planned development project (PDP) is a specialized zoning district which provides a level of density and/or intensity, and a list of permitted uses. A narrative description and a master plan are part of the PDP zoning. The master plan is a visual depiction of the general layout of the project in conformance with the PDP rules with any additional performance standards or specific deviations requested. The process for approval of a PDP zoning is through the zoning amendment process as provided for in this ordinance. This master plan must be reviewed and approved by the governing body. The list of permitted PDP districts are contained in Section 5 of this article and the requirements related to PDP districts are contained in article VIII of this Code.
(24)
CM-1 Marine Commercial District: The purpose and intent of the CM-1 district is to permit the designation of suitable locations for and to ensure the proper development and use of land and adjacent waters for commercial marinas and other uses incidental to such facilities. The principal uses of land at these locations shall be limited to waterfront dependent uses required for the support of recreational boating and fishing. The principal criterion for designating such locations, and regulating the development and use thereof, shall be minimizing or eliminating adverse impact on the natural environment.
(25)
CM-2 Heavy Marine Commercial District: The purpose and intent of the CM-2 district is to permit the designation of suitable locations for and to ensure the proper development and use of land and adjacent waters for commercial marinas and commercial fishing establishments. Such uses are more intense than those normally encountered in a recreational marina, yet far short of the intensity of use represented by the storage and commodity handling facilities and equipment attendant to the waterborne commerce movement facilities that are normally associated with seaports. The heavy marine commercial district is intended to accommodate such uses as boat and engine maintenance and repair and landing, icing and shipping of fish and seafood.
(26)
CV Conservation District: This district is designed to retain and preserve public and quasipublic lands designated for conservation containing vital resources to the county, such as state forests, wetlands, riverine protection zones, wildlife and marine habitat. Privately owned isolated uplands in the Coastal Zone which have been designated for conservation on the county Comprehensive Plan may also be included in this designation.
(27)
PSF Public Service Facility Overlay District: The Public Service Facility Overlay District is an additional designation created for placement over a property or portion thereof which allows governmental uses and structures and public service uses and structures. The Public Service Overlay District may be placed over any zoning district after review, in accordance with the rezoning process. All development within the Public Service Facility Overlay District must meet, at a minimum, the dimension and area regulations of the underlying zoning district. These standards may be increased by the board of county commissioners to protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Hernando County.
(28)
M Mining District: This district is designed to provide a means for extraction of natural resources in the general area where they are found.
(29)
Resort Overlay District: The Resort Overlay District is an additional designation created for placement over a property or portion thereof which allows resort residential uses. The Resort Overlay District may be placed over any Residential, Rural or Conservation zoning district after review, in accordance with the rezoning process. All development within the Resort Overlay District must meet, at a minimum, the dimension and area regulations of the underlying zoning district. These standards may be increased by the board county commissioners to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Hernando County.
(30)
I-2 Heavy Industrial District: The purpose of the I-2 Heavy Industrial District is to provide areas for the establishment of heavy industrial uses necessary for the development of a sound and diversified economic base. Heavy industrial uses should be compatible within the overall area in which they are located. This district accommodates a broad range of industrial uses and typical uses include manufacturing, processing, production, assembly, warehousing, distribution and heavier type industrial uses which may involve extensive outdoor storage and activities which may result in significant impacts.
B.
Interpretation of zoning district boundaries: The following rules shall be used to interpret the exact location of the zoning district boundaries shown on the zoning map:
(1)
Where a zoning district boundary follows a street or railroad, the center line of the street or railroad right-of-way is the boundary of the zoning district.
(2)
Where a zoning district boundary approximately follows a lot or property line, that line is the boundary of the zoning district.
(3)
Where a zoning district boundary follows a stream or the shore of a body of water, other than the Gulf of Mexico, the center of the stream, canal, creek or lake shall be the boundary of the zoning district. If the zoning district abuts the Gulf of Mexico, the boundary of the zoning district shall extend to the mean low tide water mark.
(4)
Where a zoning district boundary does not clearly follow any of the features mentioned above, its exact location on the ground shall be determined by measurement according to map scale.
(5)
In any case the exact location of a zoning district boundary is not clear, the administrative official shall appeal to the board for an interpretation and administrative decision.
C.
Areas unassigned to a zoning district: In case any area within the unincorporated area of Hernando County, Florida, is not included within a designated zoning district, the commission shall initiate the zoning amendment procedure within thirty (30) days after notification of such fact in order to assign such area to a zoning district. Zoning permits shall not be issued for such area until it is assigned to a zoning district.
(Ord. No. 74-8, § 1, 10-15-74; Ord. No. 76-2, § 10, 2-17-76; Ord. No. 84-14, § I, 8-21-84; Ord. No. 87-8, § 4, 3-3-87; Ord. No. 87-9, § 2, 3-3-87; Ord. No. 87-18, § 2, 5-26-87; Ord. No. 87-26, § 1, 10-20-87; Ord. No. 88-27, § 1, 8-10-88; Ord. No. 89-2, § 1, 1-24-89; Ord. No. 91-31, § 1, 9-24-91; Ord. No. 93-30, § 5, 12-21-93; Ord. No. 96-08, § 7, 5-7-96; Ord. No. 96-19, § 3, 9-10-96; Ord. No. 99-14, § 2, 7-6-99; Ord. No. 2002-15, § 5, 8-6-02; Ord. No. 2004-03, § 4, 2-24-04; Ord. No. 2008-05, §§ XI, XII, 2-26-08; Ord. No. 2010-1, § I, 1-26-10)