City of Orlando R-3A District Off-Street Parking Standards

In the City of Orlando R-3A: Low Intensity Development District, off-street parking for multiplex and multi-family projects is strictly prohibited in the front yard and must be located to the side or rear of the principal building. Residential projects involving Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) larger than 500 square feet require one additional off-street parking space, while townhome developments with more than 20 units must provide guest parking at a ratio of one space per five dwellings. Commercial projects such as indoor shooting ranges require one space per shooting lane in addition to standard retail parking requirements.

Residential Parking Requirements in the R-3A District

The City of Orlando regulates parking for the R-3A district based on the specific type of residential construction. While the general standards for parking ratios are contained in Chapter 61, several specific mandates for the R-3A district are found within the specific use sections of the City Code.

Parking Placement and Location

For higher-density residential types allowed in the R-3A district, the City of Orlando mandates that the visual impact of vehicles be minimized by restricting parking to specific areas of the development site.

Residential Type	Parking Location Mandate
Multiplex (3–8 Units)	Parking is prohibited between the front building(s) and the street; it must be located on the side or the rear [Sec. 58.562].
Multi-Family (>8 Units)	Parking is prohibited between the building and the street; it must be located on the side or rear [Sec. 58.572].
Townhomes	Front-loaded townhomes are prohibited. Driveway and parking access must be from the rear of the unit [Sec. 58.511].

Specific Ratios and Unit Standards

The City of Orlando applies specialized ratios for certain residential configurations within the R-3A district to ensure adequate capacity for residents and guests.

Townhome Guest Parking: If a residential development in the City of Orlando includes more than 20 dwellings, guest parking must be provided at a ratio of 1 space per 5 dwellings [Sec. 58.511].
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs): The City of Orlando requires the principal structure to maintain its original compliant parking. Requirements for the ADU itself depend on its size:

ADU Conditioned Space	Parking Requirement
500 sq. ft. or smaller	No additional parking space is required [Sec. 58.501].
Greater than 500 sq. ft.	One additional parking space is required. It must be located behind the front yard setback and at least 20 feet from the street side lot line [Sec. 58.501].

Commercial and Special Use Parking in the R-3A District

The R-3A district is primarily a residential "Development District" intended for low-intensity growth [Sec. 58.241]. However, when specific non-residential uses are permitted, the City of Orlando applies the following standards:

Home Occupations: Vehicles used for a home-based business must be parked in legal parking spaces. Parking on unpaved surfaces or within the public right-of-way at the residence is prohibited. Commercial or utility trailers and heavy equipment may not be parked at the site for more than 36 continuous hours [Sec. 58.938].
Indoor Shooting Ranges: These facilities must provide one parking space per shooting lane. This requirement is in addition to the standard retail parking requirements applied to any portion of the operation dedicated to sales [Sec. 58.862].
Automotive Services: All customer and employee vehicles, including those awaiting repair, must be parked in designated parking spaces. Parking lots and driving aisles are subject to the landscaping standards of the City of Orlando Land Development Code [Sec. 58.754].

Parking Removal for Landscaping Compliance

The City of Orlando allows for the reduction of required parking spaces if necessary to bring a building site into compliance with landscaping or bufferyard requirements. In the R-3A district, the number of spaces that may be removed is limited based on the total number of spaces on the site.

Total Spaces on Building Site	Maximum Spaces Allowed to be Removed
1–6 spaces	None
7–15 spaces	1 space
16–35 spaces	2 spaces
36–70 spaces	3 spaces
71+ spaces	5% of required spaces

[Source: Sec. 58.1182]

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