Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Winter Haven, Florida

Winter Haven’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Winter Haven city limits

  “The purpose of the R-1, Single family Residential-Large Lot zoning district is to provide areas for single-family, low density residential development”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts in Winter Haven city (Municode Ch. 21, Art. II Div. 2)

  • Residential districts named in the code include AG1, RE, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, RM and MX; non-residential districts not reviewed.

  “residential zoning districts include AG1, RE, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, RM and MX zoning districts.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  R-1 Single Family Residential—Large Lot district inside Winter Haven city

  • Other districts differ

  minimum living area: >= 1000 square feet

  “Lot/Parcel Size Area Minimum 7,500 square feet Width Minimum 75 feet Depth Minimum 100 feet Living Area Minimum 1,000 square feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — AG Agriculture district inside Winter Haven city

    “Lot/Parcel Size Area Minimum 217,500 square feet Width Minimum 250 feet Depth Minimum 400 feet Living Area Minimum 900 square feet”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  AG Agriculture district inside Winter Haven city

  • Maximum density 0.20 dwelling units per gross acre

  minimum lot area: >= 217500 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 250 feet · minimum lot depth: >= 400 feet

  “Lot/Parcel Size Area Minimum 217,500 square feet Width Minimum 250 feet Depth Minimum 400 feet Living Area Minimum 900 square feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 district inside Winter Haven city

    “Lot/Parcel Size Area Minimum 7,500 square feet Width Minimum 75 feet Depth Minimum 100 feet Living Area Minimum 1,000 square feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings in the R-1 district inside Winter Haven city

  • Front living area minimum 25 feet; porch/covered entry minimum 15 feet
  • Highwater mark minimum 40 feet
  • Accessory structures: side and rear minimum 3 feet

  side setback: >= 5 feet · street side setback: >= 20 feet · rear setback: >= 20 feet · front-entry garage setback: >= 25 feet

  “Front Entry Garage Minimum 25 feet Side Entry Garage Minimum 25 feet Side Minimum 5 feet Street Side Minimum 20 feet Rear Minimum 20 feet”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Principal buildings in the AG district inside Winter Haven city

    “Front Minimum 40 feet Side Minimum 30 feet Street Side Minimum 30 feet Rear Minimum 50 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 district inside Winter Haven city

  • Accessory structures on lots up to 1 acre: maximum 15% of lot coverage up to 1,200 sq ft; lots over 1 acre: 2,000 sq ft

  maximum impervious surface ratio: <= 60 percent

  “Building Height Maximum 2 floors up to 35 feet Impervious Surface Ratio Maximum 60 percent”

• Building heightSpecified

  AG Agriculture district inside Winter Haven city

  • Accessory structure height maximum 45 feet

  maximum building height: <= 45 feet

  “Building Height Maximum 45 feet Impervious Surface Ratio None”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 district inside Winter Haven city

    “Building Height Maximum 2 floors up to 35 feet Impervious Surface Ratio Maximum 60 percent”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles on lots in residentially zoned districts inside Winter Haven city

  • RVs may be parked for storage only in side or rear yard at least 5 feet from property line
  • In front of living area only up to 7 days per calendar year within a defined area; storage indefinitely if at least 60 feet from front property line
  • No RV parked on a residential lot without a principal structure unless under common ownership of a contiguous lot

  front-yard RV parking limit: <= 7 days per calendar year (storage allowed indefinitely at least 60 feet from front property line)

  “recreational vehicles may be parked up to seven (7) days in any calendar year in front of the living area of the principal building”

• Camping on your landProhibited

  Overnight camping in City of Winter Haven public parks only (not private land)

  • Exception: permanent cabins for organized supervised camping provided by the director

  “No person shall set up tents, shacks, or any other temporary shelter for the purpose of overnight camping”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured homes in the RM zoning district inside Winter Haven city

  • Site development plan approval required before a park is developed or expanded
  • Park standards in Sec. 21-223 supersede normal district standards
  • Manufactured homes outside RM not reviewed

  “Manufactured home parks are a permitted use in an RM zoning district.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory residential units in the R-1 district inside Winter Haven city

  • Accessory structure square footage must be less than the principal structure
  • Must comply with Sec. 21-102

  minimum accessory residential unit living area: >= 400 square feet

  “Accessory Residential Unit Minimum 400 square foot living area”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision plats inside Winter Haven city

  • Plat with a lot divided by a right-of-way or easement needs the lot to meet district minimums on one side

  “No proposed subdivision plat that includes a lot divided by a right-of-way or easement shall be approved, unless such lot meets the minimum lot requirements on one (1) side of the right-of-way or easement required by the applicable zoning district.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways serving residential districts inside Winter Haven city

  • Driveways must be concrete, asphalt, brick, concrete pavers, or similar hard all-weather surface
  • Portion in right-of-way must be asphalt, concrete, brick or decorative pavers

  “driveways shall be constructed of concrete, asphalt, brick, concrete pavers, or similar hard surface, all-weather material. No driveway shall be constructed without a permit.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Recreational vehicles and park trailers placed in flood hazard areas inside Winter Haven city

  • Temporary placement: on site fewer than 180 consecutive days, or fully licensed and highway-ready with quick-disconnect utilities and no permanent attachments
  • Otherwise must meet Sec. 21-267 requirements for manufactured homes
  • Other floodplain development rules not reviewed

  temporary RV placement limit: < 180 consecutive days (or highway-ready with quick-disconnect utilities)

  “Recreational vehicles and park trailers placed temporarily in flood hazard areas shall: (1) Be on the site for fewer than one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days; or”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Winter Haven or Polk County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Winter Haven city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Winter Haven city
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Winter Haven city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Winter Haven city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Winter Haven city

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.