RA-3: Single Family Residential District Setback and Site Standards in Kissimmee

The RA-3: Single Family Residential District in the City of Kissimmee requires residential structures to maintain a minimum front setback of 20 feet and a rear setback of 25 feet. Interior side setbacks for residential uses in the RA-3: Single Family Residential District are set at 7 feet, while street side setbacks require a minimum of 18 feet. These regulations are designed to meet the single-family housing needs of the community and maintain consistent urban form across the Municipality of Kissimmee.

Primary Setback Requirements for the RA-3 District

The City of Kissimmee establishes specific dimensional standards for the RA-3: Single Family Residential District to ensure orderly development. These setbacks vary depending on whether the use is residential or non-residential, and whether the lot has multiple frontages [Table 4-3].

RA-3: Single Family Residential District Dimensional Standards

Setback Type	Residential Standard	Non-Residential Standard
Front Setback (Minimum)	20 feet	20 feet
Interior Side Setback (Minimum)	7 feet	10 feet
Street Side Setback (Minimum)	18 feet	18 feet
Rear Setback (Minimum)	25 feet	25 feet
Alley Setback (Minimum)	4 feet*	4 feet*

*If parking is expected to be provided in the driveway, the minimum alley setback increases to 18 feet [Table 4-3].

Special Conditions and Setback Adjustments

In the RA-3: Single Family Residential District, several administrative rules may modify the standard setback distances. These adjustments often depend on the street classification or the specific design of the building.

Garage Placement and Street Classifications

Garage Setbacks: In any district where the minimum front or street side setback is less than 20 feet, garages must be set back at least 20 feet to accommodate the length of a vehicle in the driveway [Table 4-3, Footnote 5]. While the RA-3: Single Family Residential District has a 20-foot front setback, this rule specifically impacts street side placements which may otherwise be closer.
Arterial and Collector Streets: The City of Kissimmee requires a minimum front and street side building setback of 35 feet for non-residential uses located on any street classified as an arterial or collector in the comprehensive plan [Table 4-3, Footnote 6].
Multiple Frontage Lots: For corner lots or through lots in the City of Kissimmee, the front yard is determined by the continuation of the front yard of adjacent lots. If there is no consistency, the Director determines the front yard based on the hierarchy of the abutting streets and zoning requirements [Section 14-4-6.A.1].

Permitted Setback Encroachments

Certain architectural features are permitted to extend into the required setbacks of the RA-3: Single Family Residential District, provided they meet specific criteria:

Roof Projections: May project up to three feet into a required setback [Section 14-4-6.A.3.a].
Balconies and Awnings: May extend up to three feet into any required setback area [Section 14-4-6.A.3.b].
Mechanical Units: Air conditioning units and pool pumps may project up to five feet into a required rear or side yard setback, provided at least two feet of the setback remains unobstructed [Section 14-4-6.A.3.c].
Stoops and Porches: Stoops, colonnades, and open-sided porches may encroach up to ten feet into the front setback, but they cannot be closer than five feet to the front property line [Section 14-4-6.A.3.d].

RA-3 District General Site Standards

In addition to setbacks, the RA-3: Single Family Residential District in Kissimmee must adhere to the following site-specific requirements:

Minimum Lot Area: 7,000 square feet.
Minimum Lot Width: 60 feet.
Minimum Lot Depth: 100 feet.
Maximum Impervious Surface Area: 50 percent.
Maximum Building Height: 2.5 stories (or 3 stories through conditional use review) [Table 4-3].

Sections Cited

Section 14-4-4, Standard zoning districts—Intent
Section 14-4-6, Regulations for zoning districts
Table 4-3, Site Standards - Residential Districts