Overview
Miami 21 uses SmartCode-derived transect taxonomy T3 (Sub-Urban) through T6 (Urban Core) with numeric suffix denoting maximum stories (T6-8, T6-12, T6-24, T6-36, T6-48, T6-60, T6-80) and one-letter open/restricted modifier (-O = open, -R = restricted, -L = limited). Civic Institution (CI, CI-HD), Civic Space (CS), and District (D1 Work Place, D2 Industrial, D3 Marine Industrial) supplement the transect series. Not Euclidean — regulates building form (building placement, frontage, height by stories, lot disposition) rather than use. Use permissions derive from Article 4 Table 3 and transect article.
- Miami 21 is a form-based code (FBC) with SmartCode-derived transect zones T1-T6 — it regulates BUILDING FORM (height in stories, build-to frontage, lot disposition) not primarily USE. Traditional Euclidean analogies (R-1, C-1) do not apply; sub-type suffix (-R Restricted, -L Limited, -O Open) encodes use permissiveness within each transect.
- FLR (Floor Lot Ratio) is Miami 21's version of FAR and applies only to T6 zones (T3-T5 have NO FLR; bulk is regulated by lot coverage × stories × density). FLR values range from 5.0 (T6-8) to 24.0 (T6-80), with Public Benefits Program bonuses up to 18.0 (T6-24) / 24.0 (T6-48/60) / no additional at T6-80.
- Public Benefits Program (Miami 21 Article 3.14) allows developers to exceed base FLR in T6 by contributing to affordable housing trust fund, providing on-site workforce housing, historic preservation, public open space, or green building. Bonus FLR can increase entitlement 30-50% above base.
+ 12 more in Quirks & notes
Districts
| Code | Name | Category | Min lot | Height | Coverage | FAR | Du/ac | Parking | Setbacks F/S/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Natural Zone | special | — | — | 0[1] | — | 0[2] | — | — / — / — |
| T3 | Sub-Urban | res_sf | 5,000 sf[6] | 25 ft[7] | 0.5[8] | — | 9[9] | 2[10] | 20[3] / 5[4] / 20[5] |
| T4 | General Urban | res_mf | 5,000 sf[14] | 38 ft[15] | 0.6[16] | — | 36[17] | 1.5[18] | 10[11] / 5[12] / 5[13] |
| T5 | Urban Center | mu | 5,000 sf[22] | 70 ft[23] | 0.8[24] | — | 65[25] | 1.5[26] | 0[19] / 0[20] / 10[21] |
| T6-8 | Urban Core 8 | mu | 5,000 sf[30] | 80 ft[31] | 0.8[32] | 5[33] | 150[34] | 1[35] | 0[27] / 0[28] / 0[29] |
| T6-12 | Urban Core 12 | mu | 5,000 sf[39] | 120 ft[40] | 0.8[41] | 8[42] | 150[43] | 1[44] | 0[36] / 0[37] / 0[38] |
| T6-24 | Urban Core 24 | cbd | 5,000 sf[48] | 240 ft[49] | 0.8[50] | 11[51] | 150[52] | 1[53] | 0[45] / 0[46] / 0[47] |
| T6-36 | Urban Core 36 | cbd | 5,000 sf[57] | 360 ft[58] | 0.8[59] | 12[60] | 150[61] | 1[62] | 0[54] / 0[55] / 0[56] |
| T6-48 | Urban Core 48 | cbd | 5,000 sf[66] | 480 ft[67] | 0.8[68] | 15[69] | 150[70] | 1[71] | 0[63] / 0[64] / 0[65] |
| T6-60 | Urban Core 60 | cbd | 5,000 sf[75] | 600 ft[76] | 0.8[77] | 18[78] | 150[79] | 1[80] | 0[72] / 0[73] / 0[74] |
| T6-80 | Urban Core 80 | cbd | 5,000 sf[84] | 800 ft[85] | 0.8[86] | 24[87] | 1,000[88] | 1[89] | 0[81] / 0[82] / 0[83] |
| CS | Civic Space | special | — | — | 0.25[90] | — | 0[91] | — | — / — / — |
| CI | Civic Institution | special | 5,000 sf[95] | —[96] | 0.8[97] | — | — | — | 10[92] / 10[93] / 10[94] |
| D1 | Work Place (District 1) | mu | 5,000 sf[101] | 80 ft[102] | 0.8[103] | — | 36[104] | 1.5[105] | 0[98] / 0[99] / 10[100] |
| D2 | Industrial (District 2) | ind | 5,000 sf[109] | —[110] | 0.8[111] | — | 0[112] | — | 0[106] / 0[107] / 10[108] |
| D3 | Marine Industrial (District 3) | ind | 5,000 sf[116] | —[117] | 0.8[118] | — | 0[119] | — | 0[113] / 0[114] / 10[115] |
Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found
Overlays
State preemptions
Adopted building codes
Statewide — FL Building Code 7th ed
Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.
Quirks & notes
- Miami 21 is a form-based code (FBC) with SmartCode-derived transect zones T1-T6 — it regulates BUILDING FORM (height in stories, build-to frontage, lot disposition) not primarily USE. Traditional Euclidean analogies (R-1, C-1) do not apply; sub-type suffix (-R Restricted, -L Limited, -O Open) encodes use permissiveness within each transect.
- FLR (Floor Lot Ratio) is Miami 21's version of FAR and applies only to T6 zones (T3-T5 have NO FLR; bulk is regulated by lot coverage × stories × density). FLR values range from 5.0 (T6-8) to 24.0 (T6-80), with Public Benefits Program bonuses up to 18.0 (T6-24) / 24.0 (T6-48/60) / no additional at T6-80.
- Public Benefits Program (Miami 21 Article 3.14) allows developers to exceed base FLR in T6 by contributing to affordable housing trust fund, providing on-site workforce housing, historic preservation, public open space, or green building. Bonus FLR can increase entitlement 30-50% above base.
- Height regulated in STORIES not feet — conversion to feet varies: residential ~10 ft/story; ground-floor mixed-use 14-25 ft; upper mixed-use 10-12 ft. Non-habitable parapet/fire walls may extend up to 5 ft above stated maximum in T4/T5, creating 'effective height' vs 'maximum height' distinction.
- Above 8th story in T6 zones: residential floor plate ≤ 15,000 sf; commercial floor plate ≤ 30,000 sf (Article 5.6) — drives slender tower design in Brickell/Edgewater/Downtown. Below 8th story: podium floor plates unconstrained up to lot coverage max.
- T6 abutting lower transects (T3/T4/T5) triggers stepback of 30 ft above the 5th story from the abutting transect boundary (Article 5.6) — creates complex envelope analysis at transect boundaries in Edgewater/Brickell/Wynwood.
- Special Area Plans (SAPs, Article 3.9) require minimum 2 contiguous acres and City Commission approval; allow FLR transfer and design-guideline negotiation across parcels. Miami Design District SAP (Ord. 13273, 2012), Miami Worldcenter SAP, Magic City Innovation District SAP, Brickell City Centre SAP all active. SAPs can override base transect bulk substantially.
- NRD-1 (Wynwood, Appendix J) and NRD-2 (Wynwood Norte, Appendix L Ord. 13975, 2021) add Design Review Committee discretionary review (30-60 days) on top of base zoning; NRD-1 waives parking minimums for projects under 20,000 sf; NRD-2 allows 50% parking reduction (exceeds citywide 30% TOD).
- NCD-4 MiMo Biscayne Boulevard Historic District caps height at 35 ft on Biscayne Blvd frontage despite underlying T6-8 (80 ft base) — creates Bert Harris exposure risk and is the most restrictive NCD cap in the city.
- Waterfront setback 50 ft + 25 ft side yard is enshrined in City CHARTER §3(mm) — cannot be modified by ordinance or Miami 21 amendment. Public baywalk/riverwalk easement required on all waterfront parcels (Article 3.11.d).
- Parking reductions stack non-linearly: base 30% within ½ mi TOD / ¼ mi TOC (Article 3.6.1); 0 parking in T6-80-O within 1,000 ft of Metromover/Metrorail; NRD-1 zero-minimum for <20,000 sf projects; NRD-2 50% reduction; Live Local Act ≥20% mandatory reduction (statute). Combined, some T6-80-O Brickell sites are effectively zero-parking-permitted.
- Florida Live Local Act (FS §166.04151(7), NOT §380.06 which is DRI) permits by-right multifamily on any commercial/industrial/MU zone for qualifying (40% @ 120% AMI) projects. Miami is in the highest-impact city category: city's highest density (T6-80-O ≈ 1000 du/ac) and highest zoning height (80 stories / 800 ft) within 1 mile of Brickell sets a jurisdiction-wide density/height floor for Live Local projects even in T4/T5/D1 commercial/MU areas.
- Miami Forever Bond (2017, $400M) + Stormwater Master Plan drive sea-level-rise resiliency amendments to Ch. 54 floodplain ordinance and waterfront standards. Current practice pushes BFE + 2 ft (1 ft code + 1 ft freeboard policy) in VE zones, though full codification is incremental.
- Miami 21 Appendix-based overlay architecture (Appendices A, B, C, D, E, J, L) rather than inline code — overlay substance retrieved from PDFs, not interlinear code text. This mirrors traditional form-based-code practice and creates extraction complexity for scripted retrieval.
- CHHA (Coastal High Hazard Area) covers most of Miami east of I-95. Comp-plan amendments increasing density in CHHA require evacuation-clearance mitigation per FS §163.3178 — a soft ceiling on intensification layered above base zoning.
Formulas
Definitions
- height
- Max stories per transect zone per Article 5; Miami 21 regulates height in STORIES not feet. Story conversion: residential ~10 ft/story; ground-floor mixed-use 14-25 ft; upper mixed-use 10-12 ft/story. Non-habitable parapet/fire walls may extend up to 5 ft above the maximum.
- lot_coverage
- Building lot coverage per Miami 21 Article 5 by transect zone; expressed as % of lot.
- far
- Not used — Miami 21 uses FLR (Floor Lot Ratio) in T6 transect zones per Article 4 Table 3. FLR values: T6-8 = 5 (with benefits 8); T6-12 = 8 (with benefits 12); T6-24 = 11 (with benefits 18); T6-36 = 12 (with benefits 22); T6-48 = 15 (with benefits 24); T6-60 = 18 (with benefits 24); T6-80 = 24 (no benefits upper cap). T3-T5 do not use FLR — regulated by lot coverage + density + height.
- du_ac
- Dwelling units per acre per Article 4 Table 3 by transect zone.
- impervious_cover
- setback_front
- Miami 21 uses BUILD-TO zones (principal frontage) rather than traditional setbacks. Building MUST occupy the build-to line for a minimum frontage percentage (80% T5-T6). Min and max front setback per Article 5.
- setback_side
- Varies by transect zone; 0 ft permitted in T5 / T6 (zero-lot-line allowed); T3 / T4 require side setbacks.
- setback_rear
- Varies by transect zone; alley access assumed in T5 / T6.
- parking
- Spaces per dwelling unit per Article 4 Table 4. Transit-proximity reductions: 30% reduction within ½ mile of TOD (Metromover/Metrorail station) or within ¼ mile of a TOC (Transit Oriented Corridor) per Article 3.6.1; 0 parking required in T6-80-O within 1,000 ft of Metromover/Metrorail.
Capacity calculations
- max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage- max_gfa_sf
lot_area_sf * flr (T6 only); T3-T5: lot_area_sf * lot_coverage * max_stories- max_units_from_density
lot_area_sf * du_ac / 43560- parking_required
units * parking- flr_with_public_benefits
T6 FLR may be increased by up to 40-50% via Public Benefits Program (affordable/workforce housing contribution, historic preservation, open space) per Article 3.14- upper_floor_plate_limits_T6
Above the 8th story in T6 zones: residential floor plate ≤ 15,000 sf; commercial floor plate ≤ 30,000 sf (Article 5.6)- setback_transition_T6_abut_lower
Above the 5th story (T6 abutting T3/T4/T5), additional stepback of 30 ft from abutting transect boundary; Article 5.6
Massing explorer
Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.
| District | Category | Height | FAR | Coverage | Setbacks | Parking | Density | Min lot | Overlays |
|---|
Sources & references
- [1] Miami 21 Article 5.2
- [2] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [3] Miami 21 Article 5.3
- [4] Miami 21 Article 5.3
- [5] Miami 21 Article 5.3
- [6] Miami 21 Article 5.3 Table
- [7] Miami 21 Article 5.3
- [8] Miami 21 Article 5.3
- [9] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [10] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 4
- [11] Miami 21 Article 5.4
- [12] Miami 21 Article 5.4
- [13] Miami 21 Article 5.4
- [14] Miami 21 Article 5.4
- [15] Miami 21 Article 5.4
- [16] Miami 21 Article 5.4
- [17] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [18] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 4
- [19] Miami 21 Article 5.5
- [20] Miami 21 Article 5.5
- [21] Miami 21 Article 5.5
- [22] Miami 21 Article 5.5
- [23] Miami 21 Article 5.5
- [24] Miami 21 Article 5.5
- [25] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [26] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 4
- [27] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [28] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [29] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [30] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [31] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [32] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [33] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [34] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [35] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 4
- [36] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [37] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [38] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [39] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [40] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [41] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [42] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [43] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [44] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 4
- [45] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [46] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [47] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [48] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [49] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [50] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [51] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [52] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [53] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 4
- [54] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [55] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [56] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [57] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [58] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [59] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [60] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [61] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [62] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 4
- [63] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [64] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [65] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [66] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [67] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [68] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [69] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [70] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [71] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 4
- [72] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [73] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [74] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [75] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [76] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [77] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [78] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [79] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [80] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 4
- [81] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [82] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [83] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [84] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [85] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [86] Miami 21 Article 5.6
- [87] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [88] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [89] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 4
- [90] Miami 21 Article 5.7
- [91] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [92] Miami 21 Article 5.8
- [93] Miami 21 Article 5.8
- [94] Miami 21 Article 5.8
- [95] Miami 21 Article 5.8
- [96] Miami 21 Article 5.8
- [97] Miami 21 Article 5.8
- [98] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [99] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [100] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [101] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [102] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [103] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [104] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [105] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 4
- [106] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [107] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [108] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [109] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [110] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [111] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [112] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
- [113] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [114] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [115] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [116] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [117] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [118] Miami 21 Article 5.9
- [119] Miami 21 Article 4 Table 3
Research status
Publication gates
| primary url present | passed | |
|---|---|---|
| no aggregator cited | passed | |
| confidence tags full form | passed | |
| overlays have parameters trigger confidence | passed | |
| preempt section city specific | passed |
Data quality
- Miami 21 Appendix J (NRD-1) and Appendix L (NRD-2) full parameter tables — retrieved at section-summary level; per-lot bonus calibration requires live PDF fetch
- Public Benefits Program §3.14 exact contribution rates by transect and benefit category — partial
- Transect sub-type (-R/-L/-O) du/ac matrix — confirmed at main transect level; sub-type variants partial at T5 and T6 variants
- Exact Table 3 FLR-with-Benefits values for T6-36/60 verified at reference level; cross-check against July 2024 adopted PDF recommended
- Individual active SAPs (Worldcenter, Magic City, Brickell City Centre) beyond Design District SAP not individually parameterized in this pass — each is a substantial standalone document
- 2025 SB 1730 (Live Local Act amendments) operational implementation at City of Miami — under_review pending City Planning Dept guidance issuance
- Vacation rental 2025 SB 280 operational-effective date and Miami Ord. 13599 cross-application — search_performed at statute-summary level
Known issues
Verification
| last_verified_at | 2026-04-18T00:00:00Z |
|---|---|
| verifier_specialist | verification-pass |
| verifier_version | 1.0 |
| verification_result | passed |
| atomic_claims_checked | 84 |
| atomic_claims_passed | 84 |
| atomic_claims_failed | 0 |
| failed_claims | |
| narrative_ref | narratives/miami-fl/abe91c51-5b32-4736-8554-7cca45823e0d.json |
Other cities in this state
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