Kissimmee Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Requirements

In the City of Kissimmee, one Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) may be developed per residential lot, provided the principal residence remains owner-occupied with a valid homestead exemption. These units must be between 500 and 800 square feet in living area, and a detached ADU requires a lot size at least 1.5 times the minimum required for the specific zoning district.

Overview and Definition

The City of Kissimmee defines an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) as a separate and complete housekeeping unit that includes its own kitchen, sleeping area, full bathroom facilities, and a separate entrance. An ADU can be constructed as either an attached or detached extension to a single-family structure [Chapter 14-2].

Permitted Zoning Districts

The City of Kissimmee permits the construction of ADUs in several residential and agricultural districts, though specific conditions may apply depending on the classification.

Residential Districts: ADUs are permitted in the Residential Estate (RE), Single Family Residential (RA-1, RA-2, RA-3, RA-4), and Medium Density Residential (RB-1, RB-2) districts [Table 4-1].
Agriculture and Conservation District (AC): New ADUs in the City of Kissimmee AC zoning district are only permitted if they are incidental to a single-family dwelling and have a Single Family Low Density Residential (SF-LDR) future land use designation. These specific units must undergo a conditional use approval process [Section 14-6-2.E].

Development and Size Standards

The City of Kissimmee Land Development Code (LDC) imposes strict limitations on the size and placement of ADUs to ensure they remain subordinate to the primary residence.

Standard	Requirement
Minimum Living Area	500 square feet [Section 14-6-2.D.1]
Maximum Living Area	800 square feet or 40% of the principal dwelling GFA (whichever is less) [Section 14-6-2.D.1]
Height	Must be smaller in height than the principal building [Section 14-6-1.A]
Minimum Lot Size (Detached ADU)	1.5 times the minimum lot size of the zoning district [Section 14-6-2.A.1]
Separation from Main Building	Minimum of 5 feet [Section 14-6-1.E]
Rear Setback	Minimum of 6 feet [Section 14-6-1.B]
Total Unit Count	Only one ADU is permitted per lot [Section 14-6-2.A.1]

Design and Access Requirements

To maintain the aesthetic character of City of Kissimmee neighborhoods, ADUs must comply with specific architectural and access standards:

Entryways: An ADU is prohibited from having its own main entrance on the front façade of the principal structure unless it utilizes a shared entryway. Only one main door may be visible on the front façade of the primary structure [Section 14-6-2.D.3].
Stairways: If an ADU is located on a second story, an exterior stairway cannot be constructed on the front or street side of the principal dwelling unit [Section 14-6-2.D.3].
Foundation: All ADUs must be permanently founded in accordance with applicable City of Kissimmee building codes [Section 14-6-2.D.2].
Subordination: The unit must be subordinate in size and height to the principal building and cannot exceed 50% of the principal structure's square footage [Section 14-6-1.A].

Parking and Occupancy

Property owners in the City of Kissimmee must meet additional parking and residency requirements when adding an ADU.

Category	Requirement
Required ADU Parking	1 off-street space per unit [Table 7-2]
Total Parking	ADU parking is in addition to the parking required for the primary residence [Section 14-6-2.B]
Owner Occupancy	The principal structure must be owner-occupied [Section 14-6-2.C]
Homestead Requirement	The owner must maintain a valid homestead exemption for the property [Section 14-6-2.C]

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