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Tiny Homes Could Become Easier To Build In Escambia County
May 15, 2020
Tiny homes could become easier to build in Escambia County by early next year.
New regulations from the Florida Building Commission are set to go into effect on December 31 that will offer some relief from stringent requirements that apply to standard residential construction. The rules loosen requirements on things like stair and landing sizes, ceiling heights and the size of rooms.
The Florida Building Code is used as the framework for the Escambia County’s building code. The Escambia County Commission on Thursday directed the county planning board to make local changes based upon the new state regulations.
Escambia County Commission Chairman Steven Barry said, “I think we’re going to have a lot of counties that are going down the path that we’re going, and I think it is a reasonable thing if our board ended up asking our planning board to discuss some of the variables that would be built into it, not the building code part, but on the land use and those types of things.”
All the provisions and regulations of the current Land Development Code (LDC) would apply. In all zoning districts, a tiny home could be a single-family dwelling per lot. A tiny home could be an accessory dwelling unit where a single-family dwelling unit exists. Up to four units would be allowed, without a site plan review, in zoning districts where multi-family dwellingsor multi-developments are allowed.
Commissioners also expressed that tiny homes could equate to more affordable housing in Escambia County.
Tiny homes are defined in Florida building code as being less than 400 square feet. Recreational vehicles do not qualify as tiny homes.
Comments
8 Responses to “Tiny Homes Could Become Easier To Build In Escambia County”
Hopefully, they will continue to reduce restrictions on these dwellings to the point that the average adult can build their own home without needing to hiring contractors. I recall my Dad telling me about how he lived in a tent through a hurricane here, as child. They built their home room by room when they could afford it. Under today’s rules – they would still be living in a tent.
Restrictions should be loosened…especially now , with the economy getting pretty shakey…it may be necessary to build a home for a family member who needs a place to live…if you own 5 or 10 acres , you should be allowed to build another dwelling for a needy family member…
HOMELESS VETERANS NEED HOUSING AND POOR PEOPLE NEED IT… BUT THE SEWER AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ARE ALL EXPENSIVE
@william McCrary –Absolutely. However, currently, even if you own a piece of property, you can’t put a shed or portable building on it without first having a dwelling there. Against Escambia County Code. So this about face is questionable. Also, you can’t live in a travel trailer or 5th wheel more than 14 consecutive days. Yet I see them all over. I guess as long as nobody makes a complaint, they don’t push the issue. But yes, I feel the portable buildings now are safer than many homes, especially in Northescambia. I fervently believe if you purchase rural property, you should be able to do whatever you wish to.
My wind zone 3 mobile home is certified for 110 mph winds……my utility building is certified for 180 mph winds….during a hurricane, I will be more safe in my utility building than in my mobile home….GO FIGURE!#$%#$ Why dont utility buildings like this qualify as habitable?
retirement dream home
I see portable storage sheds being used as tiny homes in and around Cantonment. How can the meet wind load codes and other permitting requirements ? I do not have a issue with tiny homes however I do have a issue with the requirements. If you can put a portable storage building on your property that’s fine but if we have to jump through all of these hoops to build a brick and mortar home that’s just doesn’t seem right. The codes and requirements for an individual building there own home to live in should be streamlined and made less complex.
I know this has little to do with tiny homes and more to do with zoning regulations, but I’m confused about how you have to have 10 acres or more to build on in Florida, but these housing developments pop up everywhere and can have a home on a 1/4 acre or less, usually with over half of the yard eroding because some of the yards are built on such a slope. Wonder how that’s allowed to happen.
I believe the word is MONEY.