Detached Garage and Accessory Building Setbacks in Kissimmee

In the City of Kissimmee, detached accessory buildings under 12 feet in height must be set back at least six feet from the rear property line, while those 12 feet or taller must meet the standard principal building rear setbacks for their specific zoning district. Detached garages and accessory structures are strictly prohibited from being located in front of the principal building's façade and must always comply with the side and street side yard setbacks established for the district in which they are located [Section 14-6-1]. Additionally, these structures must be subordinate to the main building, meaning they must occupy less than 50% of the principal building's square footage and have a lower roof height [Section 14-6-1].

General Requirements for Accessory Structures

In Kissimmee, an accessory structure is defined as a building or use that is customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal use and located on the same lot [Section 14-2]. Before constructing a detached garage or shed, the City of Kissimmee requires that the principal structure already be approved, established, or under construction [Section 14-6-1].

Size and Height Limitations

The City of Kissimmee enforces specific scale requirements to ensure accessory buildings do not overwhelm the primary residence:

Square Footage: The accessory structure must be less than 50 percent of the size of the principal structure [Section 14-6-1].
Height: The accessory structure must be smaller in height than the principal building [Section 14-6-1].

Setback Requirements by Location

Setbacks for accessory buildings in the City of Kissimmee depend on the height of the proposed structure and the specific zoning district.

Location on Lot	Setback Requirement
Rear Yard (Structure < 12ft tall)	Minimum 6 feet from the rear property line [Section 14-6-1.B].
Rear Yard (Structure 12ft+ tall)	Must meet the same rear setback as the principal building in that district [Section 14-6-1.B].
Side Yard	Must meet the principal building side yard setback for the specific zoning district [Section 14-6-1.C].
Street Side Yard	Must meet the principal building street side yard setback for the specific zoning district [Section 14-6-1.C].
Front Yard	Prohibited; structures cannot be located in front of the principal building façade [Section 14-6-1.D].
Separation from Main Building	Minimum 5 feet or more if not a screen enclosure [Section 14-6-1.E].

Residential District Principal Setbacks

Because accessory structures over 12 feet tall—or those placed in side yards—must adhere to the principal building setbacks of the City of Kissimmee, the following standards from the Land Development Code apply:

Zoning District	Side Setback (Min. Feet)	Rear Setback (Min. Feet)
RE (Residential Estate)	15 ft	35 ft
RA-1 (Single Family)	9 ft	25 ft
RA-2 (Single Family)	8 ft	25 ft
RA-3 (Single Family)	7 ft	25 ft
RA-4 (Single Family)	5 ft	25 ft
RB-1 (Medium Density)	5 ft	25 ft
RB-2 (Medium Density)	5 ft	20 ft
RC-1 & RC-2 (Multi-Family)	10 ft	20 ft
MH (Mobile Home)	5 ft	25 ft

Note: For properties within the Kissimmee Form-Based Code area (Transect Zones T3 through T6), rear setbacks are generally a minimum of 5 feet [Table 5-2].

Specific Placement and Safety Rules

Utility Easements: In the City of Kissimmee, accessory structures are generally not permitted to be located within any utility easements [Section 14-6-1.F].
Alleys: If a property in the City of Kissimmee is in a Form-Based Code zone and features a rear alley, the rear setback for a garage or accessory building is a minimum of 5 feet [Table 5-2].
Sight Triangles: Fences or walls associated with accessory structures must not obstruct the "Sight Visibility Triangle" at intersections or driveways, maintaining unobstructed cross-visibility between 30 inches and eight feet in height [Section 14-7-2].

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