Kissimmee HF: Hospital Facilities District Zoning Guide
The HF: Hospital Facilities District in the City of Kissimmee is designed to accommodate large-scale medical campuses with a maximum building height of 60 feet and a 20,000 square foot minimum lot size. While intended for medical uses, the primary "Hospital" use is classified as a Conditional Use, requiring specific city review, while medical heliports and child care facilities are permitted by right. Development in this district is required to maintain a maximum impervious surface ratio of 80% and adhere to significant buffering standards when adjacent to residential zones.
Purpose and General Character
The City of Kissimmee established the HF: Hospital Facilities District to provide designated areas for hospitals and compatible support facilities. This district corresponds to the "Institutional (INST)" future land use designation within the Kissimmee Comprehensive Plan [Section 14-4-4.R].
The general character of the HF: Hospital Facilities District is one of high-intensity institutional use. Because these facilities often require large footprints and have significant operational impacts, the City of Kissimmee requires development in this district to have sufficient acreage and open space. A primary objective of the district is to implement access controls and buffering to minimize potential adverse impacts on adjacent land uses, particularly residential neighborhoods [Section 14-4-4.R].
Permitted and Conditional Land Uses
The City of Kissimmee regulates specific activities within the HF: Hospital Facilities District through its non-residential use schedule. Uses not expressly listed as permitted or conditional are prohibited [Section 14-4-5].
Principal Uses
- Heliports, medical and law enforcement: Permitted (P) [Table 4-2].
- Child care facilities: Permitted (P) [Table 4-2].
- Communication service establishments: Permitted (P) [Table 4-2].
- Utility facilities, minor: Permitted (P) [Table 4-2].
Conditional Uses (City Review Required)
- Hospitals: Conditional (C) [Table 4-2].
- Institutional care facilities: Conditional (C) [Table 4-2].
- Schools (Elementary, Middle, and High): Conditional (C) [Table 4-2].
- Heliports (Standard): Conditional (C) [Table 4-2].
- Drive-through facilities (when associated with an allowed use): Conditional (C) [Table 4-2].
- Communication towers and facilities: Conditional (C) [Table 4-2].
Dimensional and Site Development Standards
All new construction within the HF: Hospital Facilities District must comply with the following site standards to ensure the medical campus remains compatible with the surrounding urban fabric of the City of Kissimmee.
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum Lot Area | 20,000 square feet [Table 4-5] |
| Minimum Lot Width | 100 feet [Table 4-5] |
| Minimum Front Setback | 25 feet [Table 4-5] |
| Minimum Side Setback | 10 feet [Table 4-5] |
| Minimum Street Side Setback | 25 feet [Table 4-5] |
| Minimum Rear Setback | 10 feet [Table 4-5] |
| Maximum Structure Height | 60 feet [Table 4-5] |
| Maximum Impervious Surface | 80% [Table 4-5] |
Note on Height: Building height is further restricted by aviation regulations found in Chapter 8 of the City Code [Footnote 8, Table 4-5].
Parking and Loading Requirements
The City of Kissimmee requires the HF: Hospital Facilities District to provide adequate off-street parking to prevent congestion on public streets.
| Use Type | Minimum Parking Ratio |
|---|---|
| Hospital | 1 space per 0.5 beds [Table 7-2] |
| Institutional Care Facility | 1 space per 2 beds [Table 7-2] |
| Medical Office or Clinic | 1 space per 200 sq. ft. GFA [Table 7-2] |
Loading zones are also required. For buildings in the City of Kissimmee exceeding 20,000 square feet, at least one loading space of 12' x 55' with a 14' vertical clearance must be provided [Section 14-7-12, 14-7-13].
Landscaping and Buffering Standards
To protect adjacent properties, the City of Kissimmee mandates specific landscaping for the HF: Hospital Facilities District.
- Setbacks from Residential: Non-residential developments in the HF District that abut a single-family residential zoning district must provide a setback of one foot for every foot of building height [Section 14-4-6.C].
- Perimeter Buffers: When an HF District property is adjacent to a residential use or district, a 25-foot wide landscape area is required. This buffer must include one evergreen understory tree for every 25 linear feet and a six-foot masonry wall [Section 14-8-16].
- Rights-of-Way: A landscaped strip of at least seven feet must be provided within the site along public streets (excluding driveways). One canopy tree must be planted for every 50 linear feet of this strip [Section 14-8-17].
- Mechanical Equipment: All at-grade or rooftop mechanical equipment (HVAC, pumps, etc.) must be screened from view from adjacent streets or residential properties [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 (Table 4-2)
- Section 14-4-6: Regulations for zoning districts
- Section 14-4-6, Table 4-5: Site Standards - Non-Residential Districts
- Section 14-7-12: Number of loading spaces
- Section 14-7-13: Loading space size
- Section 14-7-22, Table 7-2: Minimum Parking Ratios
- Section 14-8-16: Perimeter landscaping and buffers between uses
- Section 14-8-17: Landscaping and buffers along rights-of-way
- Section 14-5-7.I: Service areas & mechanical equipment