While Florida’s Live Local Act (LLA) and its preemption clause is significantly impacting local governments like those throughout Broward County, it is also putting the onus on project developers to stay informed about the law so they can take full advantage of its benefits while remaining compliant with its provisions.

One such provision that’s impacting project feasibility is the reduced parking requirements under the Act. Because excessive parking requirements can hinder the development of workforce housing, the recently amended Act (also known as Senate Bill 328) aims to make these requirements more flexible, particularly in areas that are already well-served by public transportation.

As you plan a mixed-use development project in Broward County, understanding new parking rules under the LLA and how they impact both planning and costs is essential for developers.

Parking Requirements Under the LLA

Parking can quickly erode a development project’s budget and consume valuable real estate. To that end, the Live Local Act introduced changes to parking regulations for qualifying multifamily and mixed-use developments. These changes are designed to make it easier and more cost-effective for developers to build higher-density projects in urban areas while still accommodating community needs.

Here are some of the key changes affecting parking minimums under the LLA:

• Reduction in parking requirements – For qualifying multi-family developments located within a half-mile of major transportation hubs, local governments must reduce parking requirements by at least 20 percent.

• Elimination of parking requirements in transit-oriented developments (TODs) – For mixed-use projects within designated TODs, the Act eliminates parking requirements altogether. This encourages higher density and more efficient land use in areas designed to support transit. It also eliminates the burden on developers to add unnecessary parking spaces.

• Proximity-based adjustments – The LLA also includes a provision that allows parking requirements to be reduced if on-street or off-street parking facilities are available within 600 feet of the development.

By easing parking requirements in areas that are already transit-rich, the Live Local Act helps promote greater workforce housing and more accessible communities in Broward County and across Florida. If you’re considering a multi-use or multi-family development project in South Florida, get in touch with our team at Seacoast Consulting Group.  We are here to guide and represent you through the process to ensure a successful and timely build.