City of Punta Gorda Section 3.5. GM, General Multi-Family Residential District

The General Multi-Family Residential District is coded to permit the completion

and/or annexation of conventional multi-family residential development within the

district. The district is intended to be medium to high-density residential, with

emphasis on multi-family use. The district is not intended to be available for future

code amendments, nor as a means of expanding the boundaries of existing GM

Districts.

(a) Permitted Principal Uses and Structures.

(1) Single-family dwellings, excluding mobile homes [Single-family homes

constructed on a single multiple-family zoned lot shall maintain all

setback requirements as though it had been built on a GS zoned lot]

(2) Two-family dwellings/duplexes

(3) Multi-family dwellings [requires DRC approval]

(4) Cluster housing [requires DRC approval]

(5) Parks and playgrounds

(6) Occupied single-family residences used as family day care homes (b) Permitted Accessory Uses and Structures.

(1) Private greenhouses and growing of plants and the horticultural

specialties for on-premises use only

(2) Non-commercial hobbies and crafts

(3) Music, art, or similar instruction, provided no more than 2 students at a

time are receiving instruction.

(4) Boat docks

(5) Other uses and structures which are customarily incidental and

subordinate to permitted uses.

(c) Uses Permitted with Conditions.

(1) Essential services 1 and 2

(2) Civic buildings up to 5000 square feet of gross floor area

(3) Neighborhood and outdoor recreation

(4) Recreational facilities

(5) Limited home occupation

(6) Churches, provided parcel area shall not be less than 2 acres [no

temporary revival establishments]

(7) Group home

(d) Prohibited Uses and Structures.

Any use or structure not specifically, provisionally or by reasonable implication

permitted herein.

(e) General Requirements.

(1) Buildings are exempt from the architectural requirements of Article 7.

(2) Development in the GM District which is approved but not yet built is

permitted minor modifications through the administrative process. Such

development, if redesigned, must conform to all of the requirements of

this Article for the GM District.

(f) Special Exceptions.

(1) Yacht clubs, golf courses, including executive or par-3 golf courses and

country clubs, not including miniature golf courses or practice driving

ranges not associated with golf courses, provided that any required

parking area or building is located at least one hundred feet from any

other residentially zoned property.

(2) Schools, kindergarten through high school with educational curriculums.

(3) Group housing facilities and child care facilities other than family day

care homes.

(4) Nursing homes, provided no structure shall be closer than 50 feet to any

boundary line of the property and no off-street parking shall be located

closer than 25 feet to any boundary line of the property.

(5) Rooming or boarding houses

(6) Buildings exceeding 200 feet in length or width.

(7) Civic buildings over 5,000 square feet of gross floor area

(8) And any such other uses as deemed appropriate in the district by the

Zoning Official

(g) Development Standards

(1) Minimum lot size; 8,000 square feet

(2) Minimum lot width; 80 feet

(3) Minimum front yard; 25 feet

(4) Minimum rear yard; abutting another yard, 25 feet; abutting a waterway, a

street, or a golf course, 25 feet

(5) Minimum side yard; abutting another lot and between buildings, one-half

building height but not less than 10 feet; abutting a street, 25 feet

(6) Maximum height; 40 feet above BFE to the highest point of a flat roof or

the top of the tie beam for gable, hip, mansard, and gambrel roofs. There

shall be no more than 3 habitable floor s below the tie beam. Except for

flat roofs, roof structures shall not be included in the calculations of

building height, roof structures are limited to a maximum 6:12 pitch to the

highest point of the roof structure and a maximum height of 10 feet

measured from the top of the tie beam to the highest point of the roof

structure.

(7) Maximum lot coverage; 55 percent coverage; 55 percent

(8) Maximum density [units/acre]; GM-5, 5 units per acre; GM-10, 10 units per

acre; GM-15, 15 units per acre

(9) No multiple-family residential structure may exceed 200 feet in length or

width; except as approved by special exception.