Orlando Zoning Guide: TC/UTC Town Center/Urban Transit Center District

The TC/UTC: Town Center/Urban Transit Center District in the City of Orlando is the primary destination within the Southeast Orlando Sector Plan area, designated for a high-density, fine-grain mix of residential, office, retail, and entertainment activities. It is officially established as the most intensive land use area within the Southeast Plan, prioritizing an urban fabric of streets and blocks that supports transit-oriented development [Section 58.471].

Allowed Use Categories

Under the City of Orlando Code of Ordinances, the TC/UTC District is designed to accommodate a "fine grain mix" of several core functional uses. While specific sub-use lists are contained within the Southeast Orlando Sector Plan Development Guidelines (Chapter 68), the primary allowed categories established in the zoning text include:

Living (Residential): High-density housing integrated into the urban core [Section 58.471].
Working (Employment): Office spaces and professional services [Section 58.471].
Shopping (Retail): Diverse retail formats that contribute to a regional destination [Section 58.471].
Entertainment: Commercial recreation and cultural venues [Section 58.471].

District Intent and Intensity Standards

The City of Orlando enforces specific intensity standards to ensure the TC/UTC District functions as a true urban core.

Standard	TC/UTC District Requirement
Primary Purpose	Living, working, shopping, and entertainment destination [Section 58.471]
Relative Intensity	The most intensive of all Southeast Sector Plan designations [Section 58.471]
Urban Form	Fine-grain fabric consisting of integrated streets and blocks [Section 58.471]
Architectural Style	Must reflect a highly urban character [Section 58.471]
Governing Guidelines	Chapter 68, Southeast Orlando Sector Plan Development Guidelines [Section 58.473]

Prohibited and Restricted Uses

While the provided sections of the Orlando Code of Ordinances do not list a specific "prohibited" matrix for the TC/UTC District (as these are largely housed in Chapter 68), the code establishes clear parameters by comparing it to neighboring districts in the Southeast Orlando Sector Plan.

Southeast Sector Plan Use Comparison

The following table illustrates how the TC/UTC District differs from other specialized districts in the City of Orlando's Southeast Sector.

District	Residential (Living) Permission	Core Prohibitions/Restrictions
TC/UTC	Allowed; intended as a core use [Section 58.471].	Must conform to Traditional Design standards [Section 58.473].
ASD-1 (Airport Support)	Restricted; only allowed as part of a Planned Development (PD) [Section 58.461].	Specifically prohibits heavy manufacturing [Section 58.461].
ASD-2 (Airport Support)	Strictly Prohibited [Section 58.461].	Prohibited due to aircraft noise and incompatibility [Section 58.461].
VC/UTC (Village Center)	Allowed; medium to high intensity [Section 58.481].	Must be pedestrian and transit-friendly rather than auto-oriented [Section 58.481].

Development and Design Requirements

All development within the TC/UTC District in the City of Orlando must adhere to Traditional Design standards. These standards are intended to ensure that the architectural character of individual buildings supports the most intensive urban fabric in the sector [Section 58.471].

The City of Orlando requires that any project in this district be consistent with Future Land Use Goal 4 and its associated policies [Section 58.473]. Because the TC/UTC District serves as an Urban Transit Center, development is subject to specialized review to ensure it supports transit ridership and multi-modal accessibility.

Sections Cited