R-1A One Family Residential District Setback Standards in Orlando

In the City of Orlando, the R-1A One Family Residential District requires a minimum front yard setback of 25 feet and a minimum rear yard setback of 25 feet for principal buildings. Side yards in the R-1A One Family Residential District must be at least 7.5 feet, while street side yards on corner lots require a 15-foot setback. Additional requirements apply for properties adjacent to water bodies or those located within the "Traditional City" overlay area.

Principal Building Setbacks for R-1A District

The following table outlines the standard setbacks for a principal building within the R-1A One Family Residential District as established by the City of Orlando [Section 58.100, Figure 1].

Setback Category	R-1A Minimum Requirement
Front Yard	25 ft.
Side Yard	7.5 ft.
Street Side Yard	15 ft.
Rear Yard	25 ft.
Water Body / Wetland Setback	50 ft.

Traditional City Front Yard Adjustments

For R-1A One Family Residential District properties located within the designated "Traditional City," the City of Orlando allows for a specialized front yard projection. Up to 30% of the frontage of the principal building may extend up to 20% into the required 25-foot front yard setback, provided the owner obtains approval from the Appearance Review Official [Section 58.100, Figure 1, Footnote 18].

Environmental and Right-of-Way Constraints

The City of Orlando mandates a minimum principal building setback of 50 feet from the normal high water elevation or boundary of any natural surface water body or retained wetland [Section 58.100, Figure 1, Footnote 10]. Additionally, the City of Orlando may require increased setbacks from a street centerline as specified in Chapter 61, Part 2B [Section 58.100, Figure 1, Footnote 15].

Accessory Structure Setbacks

In the R-1A One Family Residential District, accessory structures are subject to different setback rules based on their size and height. These structures are generally prohibited in the required front and street side yard setbacks [Section 58.901].

Accessory Structure Size	Height	Rear Lot Line Setback
100 sq. ft. or less	Less than 8 ft.	0 ft.
100 sq. ft. or less	8—12 ft.	5 ft.
100 sq. ft. or less	More than 12 ft.	15 ft.
More than 100 sq. ft.	12 ft. or less	5 ft.
More than 100 sq. ft.	More than 12 ft.	15 ft.

The maximum size of all accessory structures on an R-1A One Family Residential District building site may not occupy more than 35% of the area between the rear property line and the principal structure, though swimming pools and hot tubs are exempt from this specific coverage restriction [Section 58.901].

Special Residential Use Setbacks

The City of Orlando provides specific standards for non-traditional residential features in the R-1A One Family Residential District:

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs): If detached, ADUs must follow the same setbacks as accessory structures. If the ADU is 500 square feet or larger, it must comply with the City of Orlando's tandem development setbacks [Section 58.501].
Fences: Fences in the R-1A One Family Residential District are generally limited to a height of 6 feet in side and rear yards, and 4 feet in front yards (or 6 feet on street side yards that are not reverse corner lots) [Section 58.929].
Pools and Spas: These must be located at least 5 feet from the side, rear, and alley property lines, and 15 feet from the street side property line [Section 58.958].

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