Guide to the B-5: Office Commercial District in Kissimmee
The B-5: Office Commercial District in Kissimmee is designed for business and institutional uses that do not involve the direct sale or bulk storage of goods, often serving as a transitional buffer between residential and more intensive commercial areas. Development within the B-5: Office Commercial District requires a minimum lot area of 20,000 square feet for most uses, limits building heights to 35 feet, and permits a maximum impervious surface ratio of 80% [Section 14-4-4.L, Table 4-5].
Purpose and Intent
The B-5: Office Commercial District is primarily established in Kissimmee to accommodate businesses and institutional entities that do not require the display or sale of physical goods on-site. The Kissimmee Land Development Code emphasizes that this district is specifically intended to exclude the direct sale of goods or the storage and shipment of bulk materials [Section 14-4-4.L].
One of the primary planning functions of the B-5: Office Commercial District in Kissimmee is to act as a land-use buffer. It is often situated to provide a transition between high-intensity commercial corridors and quieter residential neighborhoods [Section 14-4-4.L]. To ensure proper accessibility, properties within this district should ideally have access to arterial or collector streets [Section 14-4-4.L].
Permitted and Conditional Uses
Land uses in the B-5: Office Commercial District are categorized into those permitted by right (P) and those requiring conditional use approval (C).
Principal Permitted Uses
The following uses are permitted by right in the B-5: Office Commercial District in Kissimmee:
- Commercial/Retail: Restaurants, retail sales establishments, and microbreweries [Table 4-2].
- Professional Services: Office establishments, financial institutions, and business or personal service establishments [Table 4-2].
- Institutional: Churches, civic/social clubs, libraries, museums, and public uses [Table 4-2].
- Medical/Health: Medical or dental laboratories, clinics, and medical heliports [Table 4-2].
- Other: Hotels and motels, self-storage facilities, veterinary clinics, and warehouses [Table 4-2].
Conditional Uses
Certain uses require a higher level of review to ensure compatibility with the surrounding area in Kissimmee:
- Infrastructure: Communication towers and facilities [Table 4-2].
- Auto-Oriented: Gasoline service stations and drive-through facilities associated with an allowed use [Table 4-2].
- Large Scale/Intensive: Hospitals, institutional care facilities, and schools (elementary, middle, and high) [Table 4-2].
- Recreation: Indoor (private) recreation facilities and community centers [Table 4-2].
Site Development Standards
All development within the B-5: Office Commercial District in Kissimmee must adhere to specific dimensional requirements regarding lot size, setbacks, and building scale.
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum Lot Area (All Other Uses) | 20,000 square feet |
| Minimum Lot Area (Single Family) | 6,000 square feet |
| Minimum Lot Width | 150 feet |
| Minimum Lot Depth | 100 feet |
| Maximum Impervious Surface Area | 80% |
| Maximum Structure Height | 35 feet |
| Minimum Front Setback | 25 feet |
| Minimum Side Setback | 10 feet |
| Minimum Street Side Setback | 20 feet |
| Minimum Rear Setback | 10 feet |
Note: For structures where the side or rear yard abuts a residential district, additional buffering or setbacks may be required under the Kissimmee Land Development Code [Table 4-5].
Parking and Loading Requirements
Kissimmee requires the B-5: Office Commercial District to provide sufficient off-street parking based on the specific function of the development.
| Use Type | Minimum Parking Ratio |
|---|---|
| Office Buildings | 1 space per 300 sq. ft. of Gross Floor Area (GFA) |
| Retail Stores | 1 space per 200 sq. ft. GFA, plus 1 per 1,000 sq. ft. of outdoor display |
| Restaurants (Indoor/Outdoor) | 1 space per 80 sq. ft. GFA (minimum 8 spaces per takeout window) |
| Financial Institutions | 1 space per 300 sq. ft. GFA |
| Hotels and Motels | 1 space per room, plus 50% of spaces required for accessory uses |
| Medical Offices/Clinics | 1 space per 200 sq. ft. GFA |
Parking lots must be located behind the street right-of-way lines, and a minimum seven-foot landscape strip (or the width required by landscaping sections) must be provided [Section 14-5-11.F, Section 14-7-23.B].
General Character and Design
The character of the B-5: Office Commercial District in Kissimmee is intended to be professional and well-landscaped, particularly when adjacent to residential zones. The Kissimmee Land Development Code requires foundation landscaping consisting of a four-foot-wide strip along all building walls facing public or private streets [Section 14-8-19.A]. Furthermore, any mechanical equipment located at-grade and visible from the street must be inset into the building façade or screened by a fence or street wall [Section 14-5-7.I].
Sections Cited
- Section 14-4-4. Standard zoning districts—Intent.
- Section 14-4-5. Schedule of uses for standard zoning districts.
- Section 14-4-6. Regulations for zoning districts.
- Section 14-5-7. Building standards.
- Section 14-5-11. Landscape, buffers and screening standards.
- Section 14-7-22. Automobile parking ratios.
- Section 14-7-23. Parking facility design standards.
- Section 14-8-19. Landscaping in other interior site areas.
- Table 4-2. Schedule of Uses for Non-Residential Standard Districts.
- Table 4-5. Site Standards - Non-Residential Districts.
- Table 7-2. Minimum Parking Ratios.