Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Bay Lake, Florida

Rules another office applies inside Bay Lake

Bay Lake does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building permitRequired

  Building work inside the City of Bay Lake, permitted by the CFTOD Building & Safety department

  • Trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, fire alarm, fire suppression) are required in addition to a building permit.
  • Under LDR section 1-20.8, a building permit and a haul permit are required before any building or structure is moved within the district.

  “separate trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, fire alarm, fire suppression) are required in addition to a building permit.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the City of Bay Lake (municipality:FL:04150) is covered by the joint CFTOD Land Development Regulations, which are titled for the City of Bay Lake and the City of Lake Buena Vista. The district, not the city, is the body shown as adopting this code; whether the city separately administers its own zoning ordinance was not verified.

  • Text states that the City of Bay Lake must follow the notice and ordinance adoption procedures of section 166.041, Florida Statutes, for amendments to land development regulations within its jurisdiction.
  • Before first reading and public hearing, a city must send the district board of supervisors its proposed amendments at least sixty (60) days in advance, with a summary explaining why the amendments are more stringent than and not in conflict with the district's land development regulations.
  • Written notice of readings and hearings on city LDR amendments must be sent to the district at least fifteen (15) days in advance.

  LDR amendment notice to district: >= 60 days (advance copy of proposed amendments before first reading)

  “as municipalities, the city of lake buena vista and city of bay lake are required to comply with the notice and ordinance adoption procedures of section 166.041, florida statutes for considering any amendments to land development regulations within their jurisdictions.”

• Septic permitLimited

  New septic systems inside the City of Bay Lake

  • Septic tanks are allowed only in listed applications, including a residential development that meets all of these criteria: average maximum gross density of one (1) unit per acre within the developable portion of the site; the central sewer system is not available; and soils are demonstrably suitable for septic tank use.
  • A new septic system requires a detailed plan showing connection to the central system within five years after the final development order.
  • The septic permit application process itself was not located.

  maximum average gross density for septic residential development: <= 1 unit per acre (within the developable portion of the site) · connection deadline after final development order: 5 years (for new septic tanks or package plants)

  “septic tanks shall be allowed only for the following applications:”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-central-sewer wastewater systems inside the City of Bay Lake

  • Individual septic tanks and independent package plants are limited to the listed applications in LDR section 5-60.4, and each requires a connection plan to the central system within five years.

  “new independent package plants and individual septic tank systems shall not be permitted unless accompanied by a detailed plan that ensures that the project will be connected to the central system five (5) years after the final development order.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit fees for construction inside the City of Bay Lake, set by the CFTOD Building & Safety department

  • Fee schedule adopted November 1, 2023 (revision stamp rev. 2024/09 noted on the page; not treated as an effective date).
  • Fees are estimates; final fees are assessed at application and are nonrefundable.
  • State surcharges are calculated on the permit fee with a $2.00 minimum each ($4.00 combined).

  plan review fee: 50 percent of permit fee (projects management and electrical show power permits are exempt) · state surcharge, professional regulation trust fund: 1 percent of permit fee (minimum $2.00) · state surcharge, building code administrators and inspectors fund: 1.5 percent of permit fee (minimum $2.00)

  “plan review is 50% of the permit fee; project management and electrical show power permits are exempt from plan review.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Bay Lake or Orange County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for work inside the City of Bay Lake
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside the City of Bay Lake
• Zoning districts — Zoning or land-use districts mapped inside the City of Bay Lake
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for a home inside the City of Bay Lake
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for the main single-family residential district inside the City of Bay Lake

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.