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Information for Single Family Homeowners
If you are planning a home improvement project, please check the zoning and permitting requirements with the Planning & Zoning Section before you begin. Please call (954) 535-2480.
Planning & Zoning staff can assist you in determining which improvements you can make to the exterior of your home, and the best location for them, based on the City’s Land Development Regulations. Building Code Safety staff can assist you with questions about structural, electrical, mechanical and plumbing aspects of the project as they relate to the Florida Building Code. For Building permit questions, please call (954) 535-2480.
Before you apply for a permit, you will need a current survey of the property that accurately depicts the property boundary, easements, rights-of-way, existing buildings and structures. You will need to hire a land surveyor to prepare a survey. If you have recently bought your home, you may be able to use the survey you received at closing.
The following information is provided for general guidance only. Unique circumstances may apply to your property. You should always verify how the City Code and Florida Building Code apply specifically to your property and proposed project by contacting Development Services Division staff.
- New and replacement fences require a city Building Permit. (Building Permit)
- On single family lots the maximum height of a fence is 6 feet. Fences and walls shall not be permitted within a required front yard.
- Only pressure treated pine, redwood, cypress, black locust and cedar wood shall be acceptable for wood fence construction. All wood fences shall have a nominal thickness of one inch. The finished side of all stockade fences shall face outward to the abutting property or right-of-way, except when the fence abuts an existing fence or wall impeding access.
- Chain link fences shall have a minimum gauge of 11.
- Pool fences must be at least 4 feet high.
- Chicken wire, electrified, barbed or razor wire and other similar materials are prohibited as fencing in residential districts.
- Fences and walls shall be finished and maintained in good condition and appearance.
- New and replacement utility sheds require a city Building Permit. (Building Permit)
- No more than one utility shed shall be permitted on each residential lot
- Utility sheds can be up to 100 square feet in footprint and up to 8 feet high.
- Rear and side setbacks for utility sheds shall be a minimum of 3 feet from lot lines.
- A utility shed may not be constructed in a required front or side yard area or within a utility, drainage or access easement.
- All pools (above ground and in-ground) and hot tubs require a city Building Permit. (Building Permit)
- Pools must be setback 2 feet, plus the required structure setback from side or sidestreet setbacks to the water’s edge. Rear yard setbacks shall be 7 feet from the water’s edge to the rear lot line.
- Pools shall be setback five feet from any building foundation unless both the design and construction as approved by the Building Official is safe and will not possibly result in a weakening of or damage to the building foundation. In no event shall said pool or spa be closer than 18 inches to any wall or any enclosure.
- Pools must be set back 5 feet from property line.
- A pool or hot tub may not be constructed over a utility, access or drainage easement.
- All pools are required to have a safety barrier. A safety barrier shall take the form of a screened-in patio or fence. The safety barrier shall be erected either around the swimming pool or around the premises on which the swimming pool is erected. The minimum height of the safety barrier shall be four (4) feet.
- New and replacement screen enclosures require a city Building Permit. (Building Permit)
- Screen enclosures with a screen roof must be at least 6 feet from the rear property line.
- Screen enclosures with a solid roof must be at least 15 feet from the rear property line and shall have the same side yard or sidestreet setback as the structural setback required in the zoning district.
- Roof runoff must be retained on site.
- Existing screen enclosures with screen roofs cannot be enclosed without a city Building Permit.
- A screen enclosure may not be constructed over a utility, access or drainage easement.
- All room additions require a city Building Permit. (Building Permit)
- Screen enclosures and patio spaces cannot be enclosed without a city Building Permit, even if they have a solid roof.
- Conversion of a single family garage into a separate habitable room is prohibited.
- Additions must comply with all building setbacks for the zoning district.
- Additions may not be constructed over a utility or drainage easement.
- New and replacement decks and dock require a city Building Permit.
- Docks may project up to 15 feet into the waterway (dependent on width of canal).
- Decks may not be constructed over a utility or drainage easement.
- Docks shall be kept in a constant state of repair by the owner.
- Any dock not properly constructed or maintained shall be removed at discretion of the Building Official and Department Director.
- New and replacement driveways require an Engineering permit
- Seal coating a single family driveway does not require a permit.
- New and replacement driveways require an Engineering permit
- Seal coating a single family driveway does not require a permit.
- New and replacement gazebos require a Building permit
- Gazebos shall not be permitted within a required front yard, utility, access or drainage easements.
- Gazebos must be set back at least 6 feet from side and rear lot lines.
- Gazebos shall not be permitted to have an area (footprint) larger than 100 square feet per 5,000 square feet of lot area and shall not have a height greater than 35 feet.
- New and replacement driveways require an Engineering permit
- Seal coating a single family driveway does not require a permit.
- No permanently installed play equipment, except basketball hoops, shall be permitted within front setback, ten feet of right-of-way, or within utility, access or drainage easements.
- Basketball hoops and backboards in front yard areas shall be permitted on the front of the building or on a pole in the driveway only. Basketball poles shall be located no closer then 10 feet to any property line.
- No play equipment shall use street right-of-way as part of playing area.
- Permanently installed play equipment shall be of a common playground type designed for children.
- Tree removal permits are needed to remove/replace trees at your home (including those in the back yard).
- Replacement trees must meet code requirements (size, species, location of planting).
- Certain exotic trees are prohibited in Lauderdale Lakes.
- Only licensed tree trimmers may perform work in Broward County.
- Please contact the Planning & Zoning Section for further information.