Have a large-scale or unique project and are unsure where to start? The City of Tallahassee has an optional offering to further assist applicants in the development review process for certain projects. The Introduction Meeting is scheduled with a select group of supervisory City staff with the goal of establishing early lines of communication and coordination to ensure a clear and expedient path forward. Below is a list of project types that may be eligible for an Introduction Meeting:

• Any project incorporating affordable housing
• Projects proposing 10,000 gross square feet or more of commercial space within the Multi-Modal Transportation District overlay
• Projects proposing 10 or more residential dwelling units within the Multi-Modal Transportation District overlay
• Projects contemplated on City of Tallahassee or Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) property for sale
• Projects seeking CRA funding

Staff can guarantee availability for an Introduction Meeting within one week from the initial request, with the ability to accommodate a later meeting date as needed.

To schedule your Introduction Meeting, or to determine if your project is eligible for an Introduction Meeting, please contact Dylan Haase at 850-891-7165.

A Zoning Verification letter provides a written confirmation that a particular land use is consistent with the zoning district for a specific property. A Zoning Verification review will provide you with a written document that outlines the zoning designation of a subject property, along with additional property information. Zoning Verification Letters are now applied for through the online application portal.

Submittal Requirements

If you have supporting documentation that you would like to include with this application, please contact us at 850-891-7100, option #4, or you can also reach a planner at zoning@talgov.com. A completed application that notes the following:

• Project address and/or Tax ID number
• Proposed or existing use

Review

The Zoning Verification review is performed by a Planner within the Land Use and Environmental Services Division and is completed within 7 working days. Once the review is complete, you will be able to download a copy of your letter from the Permit Portal.

A Land Use Compliance Certificate (LUCC) is the first official step in the development process in the City of Tallahassee. A land use compliance certificate is used to determine whether a proposed use or development is permitted by the TLDC, and which type of permit is required for project approval. The purpose of the LUCC is to document at the start of the process whether the use is allowed and what land use entitlements will be required. LUCC's are now applied for through the online application portal.

Submittal Requirements

A completed application notes the following:

• Owner name
• Applicant name
• Project address and/or Tax ID number
• Proposed use
• Development density and/or intensity

Apply for a Land Use Compliance Certificate

Review

The Land Use Administrator, or designee, shall review the request and notify the applicant of the decision within 7 business days.

Approval

An LUCC results in a written certificate that documents why a particular proposed use is allowed, allowed conditionally, or not allowed. LUCCs are prepared by staff and do not require a public hearing.

Appeals

If the factual basis of an LUCC is in error, please contact the Growth Management Department's Land Use Administrator at 850-891-7100, option #4. You can also reach a Planner at zoning@talgov.com. If the factual basis is correct, an LUCC simply serves as a finding of facts and may not be appealed.

The City's concurrency management program ensures that building permits for new development will not be issued unless traffic and stormwater facilities are available "concurrently", or at the same time, that the permit is issued.

Concurrency and Pre-Concurrency are now applied for using the online application portal. Concurrency and Pre-Concurrency applications are reviewed by the Concurrency Manager.

Submittal Requirements

• Concurrency Plan
• Completed Owner's Affidavit (not required with Pre-Concurrency)
• Stormwater Analysis (not required for Pre-Concurrency)
• Transportation Analysis completed by a qualified professional (applicant may submit an analysis for review or choose to have staff perform the analysis)
• Land Use Compliance Certificate (if applicable)

Apply for a Concurrency or Pre-Concurrency Application Review

Review

In order to satisfy the concurrency provisions of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code, all proposed new development and redevelopment projects must undergo a "concurrency review" prior to the issuance of a Final Development Order that will permit the start of any actual construction activity, unless the development project is exempt or has been determined to be vested. The density, intensity, magnitude and land use of the development project must be specified.

The time frame for a concurrency review is 14 work days.

The "concurrency review" will determine if there is adequate capacity in each of the concurrency facilities to accommodate the impact of the new development project at or above the adopted level of service (LOS). A "concurrency review" for traffic and stormwater must occur prior to the issuance of the first development order for a specific development project.

Based on the "concurrency review", one of the following will occur:

• If there is adequate available capacity in traffic and stormwater facilities a "Certificate of Concurrency" may be issued. No further concurrency review, and no mitigation of any concurrency impacts is required in this case.
• If there is not adequate available capacity in one (1) or more of the concurrency facilities, the developer has the following options:
  • Withdrawal of the application;
  • Revision of the project to reduce the traffic impact below the applicable significance threshold or to a level that can be accommodated by the existing capacity of the roadway network;
  • Implementation of an approved concurrency mitigation option to address the facility deficiency; or
  • Reapplication for concurrency approval at a future point in time to coincide with proposed roadway improvements.

Approval

If the factual basis of a Concurrency determination is in error, please contact the Growth Management Department's Concurrency Manager. If the factual basis is correct, a Concurrency determination simply serves as a finding of facts and may not be appealed.

A pre-submittal is an optional step in the development review process. There is no application fee. Within a week, applicants receive detailed comments on their project proposals. The goal of a pre-submittal is two-fold. First, the City wants to establish early lines of communication between project applicants and City staff so that we can identify potential project challenges and help you resolve them early in the process. Second, a pre-submittal is intended to simplify the process for applicants. Instead of discussing potential projects with multiple departments, the pre-submittal creates a single venue that brings all the relevant departments to the table, thereby saving applicants time and money.

Submittal Requirements

All applications must be submitted by 10:00 AM each Thursday. The documents listed below will constitute a complete application. All documents should be submitted in electronic PDF form using the Standard Naming Conventions.

• Project Narrative describing the proposal - This is simply a written description of the project, which should include the project name, location, land use, density or intensity, and any other relevant project details. The project narrative is typically ½ page to 2 pages in length, depending on the complexity of the project.
• Preliminary Site Plan - This site plan does not need to be "construction ready". We recognize that applicants will likely be at a conceptual stage when they apply for a pre-submittal. However, the site plan must be to scale and show as many project details as possible. Staff's ability to provide meaningful feedback is directly related to the level of detail provided in the site plan.

Apply for Pre-Submittal Review

Review

The Site Plan Reviewers meet every Thursday morning (excluding holidays). The applicant and/or agent will meet with the Reviewers remotely via WebEx to review the applications. The deadline for filing an application is the preceding Thursday, so the review time frame is 5 business days. The reviewers are comprised of representatives from the following City departments:

• Growth Management
• Solid Waste
• Fire
• Planning
• Traffic Engineering
• Police
• Building
• Gas
• Electric Utilities
• Underground Utilities
• Leon County School Board

Following the meeting, the applicant is provided with written comments, as well as contact information for each reviewer.

A pre-submittal application is for informational purposes only during the preliminary stages of a project. No approval or denial of the project is provided.

Broadly speaking, a site plan will be required for any multi-family project bigger than a triplex and all non-residential development larger than 2,500 square feet. The Tallahassee Land Development Code establishes 4 types of site plans, referred to as a Type A, Type B, Type C, and Type D. A Type A site plan applies to projects which are fully consistent with the Tallahassee Land Development Code and require no deviations. Type A Site Plan applications are accepted through the online application portal and documents are submitted electronically.

Pre-Submittal

Although not a requirement, applicants are encouraged to apply for a no-cost pre-submittal review meeting prior to filing the Type A Site Plan application. The pre-submittal review meeting is designed to provide the applicant with information prior to the preparation of a site plan application. The applicant may schedule a pre-submittal review by submitting a pre-submittal application to the Growth Management Department, Land Use and Environmental Services Division by 10:00am each Thursday.

Apply for a pre-submittal review through the online application portal

Submittal Requirements

The deadline for filing a Type A Site Plan application is 10:00am each Thursday. All documents should also be submitted in electronic PDF form using the Standard Naming Conventions. The following information will constitute a complete application:

• Site Plan Set
• Project Narrative
• Land Use Compliance Certificate (LUCC)
• Completed Owner's Affidavit (with notary signature)
• Preliminary Concurrency Certificate (if required)
• Signed & Sealed Boundary Survey (with digital surveyor signature or original hardcopy stamped "verified original" by Growth Management staff)
• School Concurrency Impact Analysis (if residential)
• NFI or NFI Exemption Approval Letter
• EIA Application if required by the NFI
• Design Review Approval Letter (if applicable)

Apply for Site Plan Review

Helpful Documents

• Site Plan Checklist
• Site Data Table (Excel)

Review

The Site Plan Reviewers meet every Thursday morning (excluding holidays) remotely via WebEx to review applications. The deadline for filing an application is the preceding Thursday, so the review time frame is 5 business days. The reviewers are comprised of representatives from the following City departments:

• Growth Management
• Solid Waste
• Fire
• Planning
• Traffic Engineering
• Police
• Building
• Gas
• Electric Utilities
• Underground Utilities
• Aquifer Protection
• Leon County School Board

Following the meeting, the applicant is provided with written comments or conditions of approval from all reviewing departments, as well as contact information for each reviewer. Any conditions of approval must be addressed before the Type A Site Plan can be approved by the Growth Management Director.

Approval

Once an applicant has received a conditional approval, revised site plans addressing all conditions should be submitted within 90 calendar days for review. One 90-day extension for submission of the revised plans may be granted by the Land Use Administrator, upon a written request by the applicant. If the revised plans are not submitted within the time frames specified, the approval shall be deemed null and void. The revised site plan is reviewed to confirm it meets the previously approved conditions of approval. Once it is determined all conditions of approval have been satisfactorily addressed, and any outstanding fees have been paid, the site plan is approved by the Growth Management Director or their designee.

Appeals

The decision of the Growth Management Director becomes final 30 calendar days after it is rendered unless a person who qualifies as a party under Chapter 2 of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code files a petition for formal proceedings before the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Commission in accordance with Chapter 2 of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code.

Broadly speaking, a site plan will be required for any multi-family project bigger than a triplex and all non-residential development larger than 2,500 square feet. The Tallahassee Land Development Code establishes 4 types of site plans, referred to as a Type A, Type B, Type C, and Type D. A Type B site plan applies to projects which are not fully consistent with the Tallahassee Land Development Code and therefore do require a variance. Type B Site Plan applications are accepted through the online application portal and documents are submitted electronically.

Pre-Submittal

Although not a requirement, applicants are encouraged to apply for a no-cost Pre-Submittal Review meeting prior to filing the Type B Site Plan application. The pre-submittal review meeting is designed to provide the applicant with information prior to the preparation of a site plan application. The applicant may schedule a pre-submittal review by submitting a pre-submittal application to the Growth Management Department, Land Use and Environmental Services Division by 10:00am each Thursday.

Submittal Requirements

The deadline for filing a Type B Site Plan application can be found online. The documents listed below will constitute a complete application. All documents should also be submitted in electronic PDF form using the Standard Naming Conventions.

• Site Plan Set
• Project Narrative
• Land Use Compliance Certificate (LUCC)
• Completed Owner's Affidavit (with notary signature)
• Preliminary Concurrency Certificate (if required)
• Signed & Sealed Boundary Survey (with digital surveyor signature or original hardcopy stamped "verified original" by Growth Management staff)
• School Concurrency Impact Analysis (if residential)
• NFI or NFI Exemption Approval Letter
• EIA Application (if required by the NFI)
• Design Review Approval Letter (if the project is in a design review district)
• Deviation from Development Standard Application (if applicable)

Once these items are received, a sign must be posted on the property to constitute a substantially complete application. Once an application is received, and intake staff has reviewed that all required documents have been submitted, a sign document file, sign specifications, and sign posting affidavit will be sent via email, to the applicant, with detailed instructions so that the Legal Notification requirement task can be completed. To complete the application submittal requirements, the applicant must upload a completed sign posting affidavit and two pictures of the posted sign. The deadline for completing all submittal requirements (including sign posting) is 10:00am on a DRC submittal day.

Apply for Site Plan Review

Helpful Documents

• Site Plan Checklist
• Site Data Table (Excel)

Review

Type B Site Plans are reviewed by the Development Review Committee (DRC). The DRC is comprised of the directors (or their designees) of the following City departments:

• Growth Management
• Traffic Engineering
• Planning
• Water Utility
• Leon County School Board

The deadline for filing an application with the DRC is generally 30 days prior to the meeting. Therefore, the review time frame is also 30 calendar days. To view the DRC meeting schedule with associated deadlines visit this link. The DRC typically meets twice a month at the Renaissance Center. Attendees may also participate virtually using the Webex application. The applicant and/or their representative should attend the meeting. Per the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code, meetings of the DRC are administrative in nature and not subject to the quasi-judicial provisions of Florida Statutes. While no testimony may be received from any applicant or member of the public during the course of a DRC meeting, a public participation opportunity is provided for each item on the DRC agenda. Each DRC member is responsible for providing written findings, which identify whether the application meets the applicable criteria and standards imposed by codes, regulations, and adopted standards of the City. The written findings are transmitted to other members of the DRC and the applicant, and are made available for public inspection at least one (1) working day prior to consideration by the DRC. The written findings are the basis for the DRC to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application.

Approval

The DRC will either approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application. If the project is approved with conditions, revised copies of the plans should be submitted within 90 days of approval, after the applicant addresses the conditions of approval and incorporates all changes. One 90-day extension for submission of the revised plans may be approved by the Land Use Administrator, when requested in writing by the applicant. If the revised plans are not submitted within the time frames specified, the approval will be considered null and void. Please be advised that the revised plans should only reflect changes that are necessary to satisfy the approval conditions, otherwise the revised plans should be identical to the original submission. The DRC members will review the revised plans, and if all of the above-referenced conditions have been satisfied, the DRC Chair will issue final approval.

Appeals

The decision of the DRC becomes final thirty (30) calendar days after it is rendered unless a person who qualifies as a party under Chapter 2 of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code files a petition for formal proceedings before the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Commission in accordance with Chapter 2 of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code.

Broadly speaking, a limited partition is a simplified subdivision process that is available only to proposed subdivisions that are 10 or fewer lots and that meet other criteria established in the TLDC Sec. 9-91. Limited Partitions are now applied for through the online application portal.

Submittal Requirements

The deadline for filing a Limited Partition application can be found online. The documents listed below will constitute a complete application. All documents should be submitted in electronic PDF form using theStandard Naming Conventions.

• Limited Partition Plan Set
• Project Narrative
• Land Use Compliance Certificate (LUCC)
• Completed Owner's Affidavit (with notary signature)
• Signed & Sealed Boundary Survey (with digital surveyor signature or original hardcopy stamped "verified original" by Growth Management staff)
• NFI or NFI Exemption Approval Letter
• EIA Application (if required by the NFI)
• Preliminary Concurrency Certificate (if required)
• School Concurrency Impact Analysis (if residential)
• Deviation from Development Standard Application (if applicable)
• Any proposed deed restrictions or covenants (if applicable)

Once these items are received, a sign must be posted on the property to constitute a substantially complete application. Once an application is received, and intake staff has reviewed that all required documents have been submitted, a sign document file, sign specifications, and sign posting affidavit will be sent via email, to the applicant, with detailed instructions so that the Legal Notification requirement task can be completed. To complete the application submittal requirements, the applicant must upload a completed sign posting affidavit and two pictures of the posted sign. The deadline for completing all submittal requirements (including sign posting) is 10:00 a.m. on a DRC submittal day.

Apply for Limited Partition Review

Helpful Documents

• Limited Partition Checklist

Review

Limited Partitions are reviewed by the Development Review Committee (DRC). The DRC is comprised of the directors (or their designees) of the following City departments:

• Growth Management
• Traffic Engineering
• Planning
• Water Utility
• Leon County School Board

The deadline for filing an application with the DRC is generally 30 days prior to the meeting. Therefore, the review time frame is also 30 calendar days. Generally, the DRC typically meets twice a month. Per the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code, meetings of the DRC are administrative in nature and not subject to the quasi-judicial provisions of Florida Statutes. While no testimony may be received from any applicant or member of the public during the course of a DRC meeting, a public participation opportunity is provided for each item on the DRC agenda. Each DRC member is responsible for providing written findings, which identify whether the application meets the applicable criteria and standards imposed by codes, regulations, and adopted standards of the City. The written findings are transmitted to other members of the DRC and the applicant and are made available for public inspection at least one (1) working day prior to consideration by the DRC. The written findings are the basis for the DRC to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application.

Approval

The DRC will either approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application. If the project is approved with conditions, revised copies of the plans should be submitted within 90 days of approval, after the applicant addresses the conditions of approval and incorporates all changes. One 90-day extension for submission of the revised plans may be approved by the Land Use Administrator, when requested in writing by the applicant. If the revised plans are not submitted within the time frames specified, the approval will be considered null and void. Please be advised that the revised plans should only reflect changes that are necessary to satisfy the approval conditions, otherwise the revised plans should be identical to the original submission. The DRC members will review the revised plans, and if all of the above-referenced conditions have been satisfied, the DRC Chair will issue final approval.

Appeals

The decision of the DRC becomes final thirty (30) calendar days after it is rendered unless a person who qualifies as a party under Chapter 2 of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code files a petition for formal proceedings before the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Commission in accordance with Chapter 2 of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code.

A preliminary plat is the process used to create a new residential or commercial subdivision that does not qualify as a limited partition. Preliminary Plats are now applied for through the online application portal and documents are submitted electronically.

Pre-Submittal

Although not a requirement, applicants are encouraged to apply for a no-cost pre-submittal review meeting prior to filing the Preliminary Plat application. The pre-submittal review meeting is designed to provide the applicant with information prior to the preparation of a site plan application. The applicant may schedule a pre-submittal review by submitting a pre-submittal application to the Growth Management Department, Land Use and Environmental Services Division by 10:00am each Thursday.

Apply for a Presubmittal Review through the online application portal.

Submittal Requirements

The deadline for filing a Preliminary Plat application can be found online. The documents listed below will constitute a complete application. All documents should be submitted in electronic PDF form using the Standard Naming Conventions

• Preliminary Plat Plan Set
• Project Narrative
• Land Use Compliance Certificate (LUCC)
• Completed Owner's Affidavit (with notary signature)
• Signed & Sealed Boundary Survey (with digital surveyor signature or original hardcopy stamped "verified original" by Growth Management staff)
• NFI or NFI Exemption Approval Letter
• EIA Application (if required by the NFI)
• School Concurrency Impact Analysis (if residential)
• Deviation from Development Standard Application (if applicable)
• Any proposed deed restrictions or covenants (if applicable)
• Street name approval (if applicable). For information about street name approval, please contact Lisa Scott with Leon County Development Support and Environmental Management at 850-606-1300.

Once these items are received, a sign must be posted on the property to constitute a substantially complete application. Once an application is received, and intake staff has reviewed that all required documents have been submitted, a sign document file, sign specifications, and sign posting affidavit will be sent via email, to the applicant, with detailed instructions so that the Legal Notification requirement task can be completed. To complete the application submittal requirements, the applicant must upload a completed sign posting affidavit and two pictures of the posted sign. The deadline for completing all submittal requirements (including sign posting) is 10:00am on a DRC submittal day.

Apply for Preliminary Plat Review

Helpful Documents

• Site Plan Checklist
• Site Data Table (Excel)

Review

Preliminary Plats are reviewed by the Development Review Committee (DRC). The DRC is comprised of the directors (or their designees) of the following City departments:

• Growth Management
• Traffic Engineering
• Planning
• Water Utility
• Leon County School Board

The deadline for filing an application with the DRC is generally 30 days prior to the meeting. Therefore, the review time frame is also 30 calendar days. View the DRC meeting schedule with associated deadlines. The DRC typically meets twice a month in the Tallahassee Room at City Hall.  Attendees may also participate virtually using the Webex application. The applicant and/or their representative should attend the meeting. Per the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code, meetings of the DRC are administrative in nature and not subject to the quasi-judicial provisions of Florida Statutes. While no testimony may be received from any applicant or member of the public during the course of a DRC meeting, a public participation opportunity is provided for each item on the DRC agenda. Each DRC member is responsible for providing written findings, which identify whether the application meets the applicable criteria and standards imposed by codes, regulations, and adopted standards of the City. The written findings are transmitted to other members of the DRC and the applicant, and are made available for public inspection at least one (1) working day prior to consideration by the DRC. The written findings are the basis for the DRC to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application.

Approval

The DRC will either approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application. If the project is approved with conditions, revised copies of the plans should be submitted within 90 days of approval, after the applicant addresses the conditions of approval and incorporates all changes. One 90-day extension for submission of the revised plans may be approved by the Land Use Administrator, when requested in writing by the applicant. If the revised plans are not submitted within the time frames specified, the approval will be considered null and void. Please be advised that the revised plans should only reflect changes that are necessary to satisfy the approval conditions, otherwise the revised plans should be identical to the original submission. The DRC members will review the revised plans, and if all of the above-referenced conditions have been satisfied, the DRC Chair will issue final approval.

Appeals

The decision of the DRC becomes final thirty (30) calendar days after it is rendered unless a person who qualifies as a party under Chapter 2 of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code files a petition for formal proceedings before the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Commission in accordance with Chapter 2 of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code.

The Tallahassee Land Development Code allows certain types of changes to a previously approved site plan to be processed as either a minor or major site plan modification.

To determine whether the changes you are proposing will be considered a "minor" or a "major" modification, please contact us at 850-891-7001, choosing option 4 or via email. Staff will provide a letter authorizing your submission as a "minor" or a "major" modification, based on the scope of work as outlined in Chapter 9 of the Land Development Code. The letter from staff must be uploaded with your modification application through the online application portal.

Submittal Requirements

Minor Modification:

All documents should also be submitted in electronic PDF form using the Standard Naming Conventions

• Modification Determination Letter
• Modification Narrative
• Signed & Sealed Boundary Survey (with digital surveyor signature or original hardcopy stamped "verified original" by Growth Management staff)
• Site Plan with Changes
• Completed Owner's Affidavit (with notary signature)
• Land Use Compliance Certification

If no changes have occurred since original project submission to any of the above required documents, and documents are still valid, documentation from original submittal can be used to meet this application's requirements.

The review time frame for a minor modification is 7 business days.

Apply for Modification Review

Major Modification Application Procedures:

All documents should also be submitted in electronic PDF form using the Standard Naming Conventions

• Modification Determination Letter
• Modification Narrative
• Signed & Sealed Boundary Survey (with digital surveyor signature or original hardcopy stamped "verified original" by Growth Management staff)
• Site Plan with Changes
• Completed Owner's Affidavit (with notary signature)
• Land Use Compliance Certification
• Deviation from Development Standard Application (if applicable)

Once these items are received, a sign must be posted on the property to constitute a substantially complete application. Once an application is received, and intake staff has reviewed that all required documents have been submitted, a sign document file, sign specifications, and sign posting affidavit will be sent via email, to the applicant, with detailed instructions so that the Legal Notification requirement task can be completed. To complete the application submittal requirements, the applicant must upload a completed sign posting affidavit and two pictures of the posted sign. The deadline for completing all submittal requirements (including sign posting) is 10:00am on a DRC submittal day.

If no changes have occurred since original project submission to any of the above required documents, and documents are still valid, documentation from original submittal can be used to meet this application's requirements.

The review time frame for a major modification to a site plan or subdivision is the same as the time frame for the original approval.

Apply for Modification Review

In some cases, right-of-way is on a project site that is either no longer used or was never developed. An abandonment application is a process which can potentially result in the return of the unused right-of-way to private use, provided certain standards are met.

Pre-Submittal

Per Tallahassee Land Development Code Sec. 8-42, prior to submitting the Abandonment application, applicants are required to apply for a no-cost Pre-submittal Review meeting. The Pre-submittal Review meeting is designed to provide the applicant with information prior to the preparation of a site plan application. The applicant may schedule a pre-submittal Review by submitting a pre-submittal application to the Growth Management Department, Land Use and Environmental Services Division by 10:00 a.m. each Thursday.

Apply for a pre-submittal review through the online application portal.

Submittal Requirements

The deadline for filing an abandonment application can be found online. The documents listed below will constitute a complete application. All documents should be submitted in electronic PDF form using the Standard Naming Conventions.

• Letter of support from each abutting property owner, or a statement setting forth the reason such letter of support is not available
• Completed Owner's Affidavit (with notary signature) of property adjacent to a street to be abandoned or closed
• Project Narrative
• Signed & Sealed Boundary Survey (with digital surveyor signature or original hardcopy stamped "verified original" by Growth Management staff)
• Any proposed deed restrictions or covenants (if applicable)

Once these items are received, a sign must be posted on the property to constitute a substantially complete application. Once an application is received, and intake staff has reviewed that all required documents have been submitted, a sign document file, sign specifications, and sign posting affidavit will be sent via email, to the applicant, with detailed instructions so that the Legal Notification requirement task can be completed. To complete the application submittal requirements, the applicant must upload a completed sign posting affidavit and two pictures of the posted sign. The deadline for completing all submittal requirements (including sign posting) is 10:00 a.m. on a DRC submittal day.

Apply for Abandonment Application Review

Review

Abandonment applications are reviewed by the Development Review Committee (DRC). The DRC is comprised of the directors (or their designees) of the following City departments:

• Growth Management
• Traffic Engineering
• Planning
• Water Utility
• Leon County School Board

The deadline for filing an application with the DRC is generally 30 days prior to the meeting. Therefore, the review time frame is also 30 calendar days. To view the DRC meeting schedule with associated deadlines, visit this link. Generally, the DRC typically meets twice a month. Per the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code, meetings of the DRC are administrative in nature and not subject to the quasi-judicial provisions of Florida Statutes. While no testimony may be received from any applicant or member of the public during the course of a DRC meeting, a public participation opportunity is provided for each item on the DRC agenda. Each DRC member is responsible for providing written findings, which identify whether the application meets the applicable criteria and standards imposed by codes, regulations, and adopted standards of the City. The written findings are transmitted to other members of the DRC and the applicant and are made available for public inspection at least one (1) working day prior to consideration by the DRC. The written findings are the basis for the DRC to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application.

Approval

The DRC will either approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application. If the project is approved with conditions, revised copies of the plans should be submitted within 90 days of approval, after the applicant addresses the conditions of approval and incorporates all changes. One 90-day extension for submission of the revised plans may be approved by the Land Use Administrator, when requested in writing by the applicant. If the revised plans are not submitted within the time frames specified, the approval will be considered null and void. Please be advised that the revised plans should only reflect changes that are necessary to satisfy the approval conditions, otherwise the revised plans should be identical to the original submission. The DRC members will review the revised plans, and if all of the above-referenced conditions have been satisfied, the DRC Chair will issue final approval.

Appeals

The decision of the DRC becomes final thirty (30) calendar days after it is rendered unless a person who qualifies as a party under Chapter 2 of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code files a petition for formal proceedings before the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Commission in accordance with Chapter 2 of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code.

A Board of Adjustment and Appeals (BOAA) variance request is for single-family and duplex dwelling units and variances to chapter 7, sign code, or as further set forth in the TLDC. A variance is defined as a relaxation of the strict terms of this Code or regulation in cases involving practical difficulties or hardships and where such variance meets the criteria outlined in Sec. 2-158, TLDC. Interested persons are either encouraged to review the noted criteria or to call the Growth Management Department’s zoning staff to determine if their site may be eligible for a BOAA Variance. The Growth Management Department can be reached at (850) 891-7001, option 4.

Submittal Requirements

The deadline for filing a BOAA Variance application can be found here. The documents listed below will constitute a complete application. All documents should be submitted in electronic PDF form using the Standard Naming Conventions

• Completed Owner's Affidavit (with notary signature)
• Project Narrative
• Signed & Sealed Boundary Survey (with digital surveyor signature or original hardcopy stamped “verified original” by Growth Management staff)
• A site plan showing project causing the variance request. Site plan shall be drawn to an appropriate engineer's scale
• For sign variances: Dimensioned drawings/renderings of the sign and Building elevations, if applicable
• Variance Acknowledgement Form
• Pictures of the site and the area of the variance request
• Additional relevant information which is deemed to be appropriate by the City to ensure consideration of all relevant issues

Once these items are received, a sign must be posted on the property to constitute a substantially complete application. Once an application is received, and intake staff has reviewed that all required documents have been submitted, a sign document file, sign specifications, and sign posting affidavit will be sent via email, to the applicant, with detailed instructions so that the Legal Notification requirement task can be completed. To complete the application submittal requirements, the applicant must upload a completed sign posting affidavit and two pictures of the posted sign. The deadline for completing all submittal requirements (including sign posting) is 10:00 a.m. on a BOAA submittal day.

Apply for BOAA Variance Application Review

Review

BOAA Variance applications are submitted to the Growth Management Department. Upon being determined complete, they are forwarded to the Board of Adjustment and Appeals for a public hearing. The public hearing must meet the noticing requirements in Sec. 2-164. TLDC. The types of projects which are eligible for a BOAA Variance are identified by Sec. 2-158, TLDC. See the Variance Acknowledgement Form for the eligibility criteria for a Variance.

Approval

The BOAA holds monthly public hearings to consider variance applications. The meeting schedule can be found online. Consistent with Sec. 2-161, TLDC, "Every decision of the board of adjustment and appeals shall be final; subject, however, to such remedies as any aggrieved party might have at law or in equity. The decision shall be in writing and shall indicate the vote taken on the matter." The deadline for filing an application with the BOAA is generally 30 days prior to the meeting. Therefore, the review time frame is also 30 calendar days.

Appeals

Per Sec. 2-164(b), TLDC, the preliminary decision of the Board of Adjustment and Appeals shall become final 30 calendar days after it is rendered unless a person who qualifies as a party, as defined in section 1-2 pays the required fee and files a petition for quasi-judicial proceedings in accordance with this section and the board of adjustment and appeals bylaws. For additional information regarding the appeals process of a decision by the Board of Adjustment and Appeals, please contact the Growth Management Department at (850) 891-7001, option 4.

Proposed parking spaces not to the established standard or within the range of required spaces must be approved by the Growth Management Director. The director may also approve modification to loading and interconnection requirements where necessary. Therefore, the Tallahassee Land Development Code (TLDC) permits applicants to present data via a Parking Standards Review which justifies the deviation from TLDC standards.

Submittal Requirements

The documents listed below will constitute a complete application. All documents should be submitted in electronic PDF form using the Standard Naming Conventions.

• Completed Owner's Affidavit (with notary signature)
• Parking Standards Justification Statement
• Site plan set - which should include fully-dimensioned traffic circulation/parking plan at a scale sufficient to show all of the necessary information to conduct a review

Apply for Parking Standards Review

Review

The application is submitted to the Growth Management Department. Upon confirming that it is complete, Growth Management forwards copies of the application to a designee from the Planning Department, a designee from the City's Traffic Engineering Department, and the Land Use Administrator, who will make a recommendation to the Director of the Growth Management Department. The Director has the authority under the TLDC to approve or deny the application.

Approval

As noted above, the Growth Management Director has the authority to approve, approve with conditions, or deny a Parking Standards Review application. From the day it is determined to be complete, it typically requires 5 working days to respond to the application.

Appeals

Sec. 10-332, TLDC, establishes the process for the evaluation of parking standard review applications. The decision of the Growth Management Director cannot be appealed.

Broadly speaking, the purpose of a Previously Established Land Use Conformity (PELUC) Certificate is to recognize the validity of an existing non-conforming use that does not meet current zoning, provided it otherwise meets very strict standards established at the above noted citation. With the passage of time, PELUC applications have grown rarer. Given that Sec. 10-101 through 10-109, Tallahassee Land Development Code (TLDC), establish very detailed PELUC standards, interested persons are either encouraged to review the noted citation or to call the Growth Management Department's planning staff to determine if their site may be eligible for a PELUC. The Growth Management Department can be reached at (850) 891-7001, option 4.

Submittal Requirements

The deadline for filing a PELUC application can be found online. The documents listed below will constitute a complete application. All documents should be submitted in electronic PDF form using the Standard Naming Conventions.

Site Plan Set

Completed Owner's Affidavit (with notary signature)

Project Narrative

Signed & Sealed Boundary Survey (with digital surveyor signature or original hardcopy stamped "verified original" by Growth Management staff)

PELUC Acknowledgement Form

Pictures of the site

Any proposed deed restrictions or covenants (if applicable)

Once these items are received, a sign must be posted on the property to constitute a substantially complete application. Once an application is received, and intake staff has reviewed that all required documents have been submitted, a sign document file, sign specifications, and sign posting affidavit will be sent via email, to the applicant, with detailed instructions so that the Legal Notification requirement task can be completed. To complete the application submittal requirements, the applicant must upload a completed sign posting affidavit and two pictures of the posted sign. The deadline for completing all submittal requirements (including sign posting) is 10:00 a.m. on a BOAA submittal day.

Apply for PELUC Review

Review

PELUC applications are submitted to the Growth Management Department. Upon being determined complete, they are forwarded to the Board of Adjustment and Appeals for a public hearing. The public hearing must meet the noticing requirements in Sec. 2-164. TLDC. The types of projects which are eligible for a PELUC are identified by Sec. 10-104, TLDC, "Eligibility for Waiver". See the PELUC Acknowledgment Form for the eligibility criteria for a PELUC.

The establishment of eligibility of the nonconforming use for purposes of application submittal shall in no way be construed to form the basis for granting the waiver, or waiver with mitigation, of nonconforming use status. The applicant shall bear the burden of demonstrating the following, as outlined in Sec. 10-105, TLDC:

• The impact of the nonconformity is minimal upon surrounding land use and is not detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare and, as a result, the nonconforming status may be waived.
• The impact of the nonconformity may be substantially mitigated such that the development may attain conforming status by implementing the outlined mitigation steps.
• Site plan or plan of development may be required to demonstrate mitigative measures that will maintain compatibility through specified design measures. Inter-site compatibility criteria shall be determined by the Board of Adjustment and Appeals based on the following:
• Aesthetically and functionally compatible land uses.
• Adequate buffering, screening, landscaping, and architectural treatment if located in a residential area.
• Sufficient parking, designed to provide safe internal traffic circulation, and off-site access.
• The objectionable impacts of service and delivery areas, refuse and recycling collection areas, as well as the outdoor storage and work areas generally associated with commercial residential buildings shall be designed to minimize off-site impacts.

Approval

If the Board of Adjustment and Appeals determines that the nonconforming use meets the required criteria as specified by land use policy 1.5.1 and the TLDC, the Board of Adjustment and Appeals shall issue a PELUC certificate, in a recordable format, which shall be valid only for the specific use and area of the site for which the waiver was granted. The certificate may contain conditions under which the waiver has been granted and may contain an expiration date for the waiver. The certificate shall provide that any expansion proposed on the property covered by the certificate must comply with the development standards for the primary use in the district in which the property is located. If an expiration date is provided, the use shall revert to nonconforming status on the expiration date. Upon application to the Board of Adjustment and Appeals prior to the expiration date, the expiration date may be extended after review by the Board of Adjustment and Appeals. The granting of a PELUC certificate for a particular use on a single parcel of property shall in no way be construed to waive any other development requirements or to establish vesting or precedence for other nonconforming uses on that parcel or on any other parcel.

Appeals

Appeals to the decisions rendered by the Board of Adjustment and Appeals regarding PELUCs are addressed in Sec. 10-109, TLDC.

There are two types of deviation applications. First, deviation applications may accompany a site plan or a subdivision and are reviewed as part of the overall project applications. Second, a deviation application is occasionally filed which is unrelated to a site plan or subdivision. That type of application is called a stand alone deviation. All deviations are requesting that an alternate development standard be applied to a project based on criteria identified below.

Submittal Requirements

The deadline for filing a Stand Alone Deviation application can be found online. The documents listed below will constitute a complete application. All documents should be submitted in electronic PDF form using the Standard Naming Conventions.

• Site Plan Set
• Project Narrative
• Signed & Sealed Boundary Survey (with digital surveyor signature or original hardcopy stamped "verified original" by Growth Management staff)
• Completed Owner's Affidavit (with notary signature)
• Deviation from Development Standard Application (if applicable)

Once these items are received, a sign must be posted on the property to constitute a substantially complete application. Once an application is received, and intake staff has reviewed that all required documents have been submitted, a sign document file, sign specifications, and sign posting affidavit will be sent via email, to the applicant, with detailed instructions so that the Legal Notification requirement task can be completed. To complete the application submittal requirements, the applicant must upload a completed sign posting affidavit and two pictures of the posted sign. The deadline for completing all submittal requirements (including sign posting) is 10:00am on a DRC submittal day.

Apply for a Stand Alone Deviation

Review

Stand Alone Deviations are reviewed by the Development Review Committee (DRC). The DRC is comprised of the directors (or their designees) of the following City departments:

• Growth Management
• Traffic Engineering
• Planning
• Water Utility
• Leon County School Board

The deadline for filing an application with the DRC is generally 30 days prior to the meeting. Therefore, the review time frame is also 30 calendar days. View the DRC meeting schedule with associated deadlines. The DRC typically meets twice a month. Per the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code, meetings of the DRC are administrative in nature and not subject to the quasi-judicial provisions of Florida Statutes. While no testimony may be received from any applicant or member of the public during the course of a DRC meeting, a public participation opportunity is provided for each item on the DRC agenda. Each DRC member is responsible for providing written findings, which identify whether the application meets the applicable criteria and standards imposed by codes, regulations, and adopted standards of the City. The written findings are transmitted to other members of the DRC and the applicant, and are made available for public inspection at least one (1) working day prior to consideration by the DRC. The written findings are the basis for the DRC to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application.

Approval

The DRC will either approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application. If the project is approved with conditions, revised copies of the plans should be submitted within 90 days of approval, after the applicant addresses the conditions of approval and incorporates all changes. One 90-day extension for submission of the revised plans may be approved by the Land Use Administrator, when requested in writing by the applicant. If the revised plans are not submitted within the time frames specified, the approval will be considered null and void. Please be advised that the revised plans should only reflect changes that are necessary to satisfy the approval conditions, otherwise the revised plans should be identical to the original submission. The DRC members will review the revised plans, and if all of the above-referenced conditions have been satisfied, the DRC Chair will issue final approval.

Appeals

The decision of the DRC becomes final thirty (30) calendar days after it is rendered unless a person who qualifies as a party under Chapter 2 of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code files a petition for formal proceedings before the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Commission in accordance with Chapter 2 of the City of Tallahassee Land Development Code.

Broadly speaking, a technical amendment is used to make very minor changes to a lot of record (not a recorded plat), that meet other criteria established in the TLDC Sec. 9-97. Technical Amendments are now applied for through the online application portal.

Submittal Requirements

The documents listed below will constitute a complete application. All documents should be submitted in electronic PDF form using the Standard Naming Conventions.

• Project Narrative: a letter (original) requesting and describing the technical amendment signed by all of the legal owner(s) of the subject properties
• Completed Owner's Affidavit (with notary signature)
• Boundary Survey with legal description showing existing conditions including utility service locations that will be impacted by lot line adjustments
• Boundary Survey with legal description showing proposed conditions

Apply for Technical Amendment Review

Review

Sec. 9-97 provides the review criteria for technical amendments, which include the following: A technical amendment shall affect only a portion of the lot of record; Technical amendments are not applicable to recorded plats; No additional lots nor streets are created; The lots resulting from the technical amendment are not reduced below the minimum sizes required by these regulations and the zoning code of the city; There is no change in the orientation of any lot adjacent to streets; No streets are vacated; and There will be no impact resulting from the proposed change which, in the opinion of the land use administrator, would require a public hearing before the planning commission.

Approval

The applicant shall submit the technical amendment application to the land use administrator. The Land Use Administrator shall review the request and if necessary, receive input from appropriate agencies. The Land Use Administrator shall notify the applicant of the decision within 30 days.

Appeals

An applicant may appeal the decision of the Land Use Administrator to the Planning Commission.