Kissimmee T5-M: Mixed-Use Center District Regulations

The T5-M: Mixed-Use Center district encompasses the core of downtown Kissimmee, mandating high-intensity development and a pedestrian-oriented environment where buildings must be positioned close to the sidewalk with a minimum 70% primary street frontage buildout. This Kissimmee zone allows for a vertical and horizontal mix of uses in structures that must reach a minimum height of 22 feet and can extend up to 5 stories.

Intent and General Character

The T5-M: Mixed-Use Center district is designed to optimize the built environment for increased walkability and to create a vibrant atmosphere that embraces the historic character of Kissimmee's main street [Section 14-5-4.F]. To achieve this, the T5-M: Mixed-Use Center district permits greater development intensity and a diverse mix of uses. Key character features in Kissimmee's T5-M zone include plentiful shade for pedestrians, buildings situated close to the sidewalk, and parking lots that are screened from public view [Section 14-5-4.F].

Permitted Land Uses

In the T5-M: Mixed-Use Center district, mixed-use developments are generally allowed provided that the individual uses are permitted within the zone. If a specific use within a project requires conditional use approval, the entire development must undergo the conditional use review process [Section 14-5-6.A].

Use Category	Permitted (P)	Conditional (C)
Commercial / Retail	Micro-brewery, Restaurants, Retail sales establishments	Pawn shop
Civic / Institutional	Churches (subject to note 1), Libraries and museums, Public uses	Colleges and universities, Community centers, Educational service establishments, Institutional care facilities, Schools (elementary and middle)
Lodging		Bed and breakfast, Hotels and motels
Residential	Accessory dwelling units, Community residential homes, Duplex dwellings, Single family dwellings (detached)	Multiple family residential, Townhome, Triplex
Service	Service establishment (business), Service establishment (personal), Office establishments	Child care facilities, Gasoline service stations (subject to 14-5-8.A), Motor vehicle repair (light), Occult science, Repair service (light), Research & development
Utility / Transport		Utility facilities (minor), Rail, bus and taxi stations (no onsite storage)

Note 1: Churches require a minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet in the T5-M district unless a larger area is needed [Section 14-4-5 Footnote 1].

Dimensional and Development Standards

The Kissimmee T5-M: Mixed-Use Center district maintains strict standards to ensure a cohesive urban form. New planned unit developments (PUDs) are explicitly prohibited within this form-based code area [Section 14-5-2.B].

Standard Type	Requirement
Minimum Building Height	22 feet
Maximum Building Height	5 stories (plus 3 story bonus possible)
Front and Street Side Setback	5 feet minimum to 15 feet maximum
Side Setback	0 feet minimum
Rear Setback (Lot or Alley)	5 feet minimum
Frontage Buildout (Primary Street)	70% minimum
Frontage Buildout (All other streets)	30% minimum
Max Block Perimeter	2,400 linear feet
Lot Width	18 feet minimum to 180 feet maximum
Lot Depth	No minimum to 180 feet maximum
Ground Floor Elevation (Non-Residential)	6 inches maximum above sidewalk
Ground Floor Elevation (Residential)	24 inches minimum above sidewalk
Ground Floor Ceiling Height	12 feet minimum

Building Design and Massing

Buildings in the T5-M: Mixed-Use Center district must be articulated to break down large volumes into smaller, grouped volumes [Section 14-5-7.A.1].

Massing Element	Standard
Articulation Spacing	Every 75 feet
Projection / Recess Depth	3 feet minimum
Primary Ground Story Fenestration	60% minimum (with shopfront)
Upper Story Fenestration	40% minimum (with shopfront)

Kissimmee requires that any building in the T5-M: Mixed-Use Center district over four stories in height must step back a minimum of ten feet after the fourth story [Section 14-5-7.B.2]. Additionally, the T5-M: Mixed-Use Center district requires an extra building setback of one foot for every foot of building height above two stories for buildings adjacent to single-family residentially-zoned properties [Section 14-5-7.B.3].

Access and Parking Requirements

Kissimmee's T5-M: Mixed-Use Center district prioritizes pedestrian safety by minimizing curb cuts. New access driveways are not allowed along primary streets; instead, sites must be accessed from rear alleys or secondary streets [Section 14-5-9.A.1].

Parking Location: Off-street parking must be located behind the primary building or to the side [Section 14-5-9.B.3].
Materials: All parking lots in the T5-M: Mixed-Use Center district within the downtown CRA must use decorative pavers or stamped/decorative concrete for the entire lot, including drive aisles [Section 14-5-9.B.10].
Lighting: Parking lot light poles in Kissimmee are limited to a maximum height of 15 feet and must use cutoffs that block 85% of light projecting upward [Section 14-5-9.D.1].
Fencing: Freestanding street walls or fences in the T5-M: Mixed-Use Center district front setback must be between 2.5 and 5 feet in height. Any portion above 2.5 feet must be transparent (e.g., wrought iron) [Section 14-5-11.F.1].

Sections Cited