Zoning explained · Palm Beach County

C-TS Town-Serving Commercial District Palm Beach, Florida

C-TS preserves small-scale retail, personal and professional/business services meeting the frequently recurring needs of townspeople; retail drive-in facilities are not permitted and gross leasable area is capped at 3,000 sq ft per permitted use to keep the district town-serving. Restaurants, banks and larger establishments need special exception.

29 buildings zoned C-TS31 permitted business types

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Insights › Zoning & land use › Palm Beach — C-TS

Permitted uses

What you can operate in C-TS, Palm Beach

The businesses the C-TS district in Palm Beach allows. The ones on the left are permitted by right; the ones on the right need a special approval first. (Zoning codes are set by each municipality, so C-TS here means specifically Palm Beach's C-TS district.)

Allowed by right

Retail and service establishments, such as hardware stores, food stores, clothing stores, drugstores, barbershops, beauty salons and jewelry stores (maximum 3,000 sq ft gross leasable area)Offices, executive office suites, professional services, business services, excluding veterinarian offices, and securities and financial brokerage and trust companies above the first floor (maximum 3,000 sq ft GLA)Offices, professional services, business services and securities and financial brokerage and trust companies in the 200 block of Peruvian Avenue and Bradley Place (maximum 3,000 sq ft GLA)Nonprofit cultural centersProfessional and studio type schoolsStorage facility related to a permitted or special exception use in the district (must meet Sec. 134-1760 conditions)Essential servicesPublic parksResidence(s) above the first floorSupplemental off-site shared parking per Secs. 134-2177 and 134-2182

With special approval

Public or private parking lots or storage garagesAuto rental lotsPrivate social, swimming, golf, tennis and yacht clubsService stationsPublic structures/usesEssential services related to town-owned municipal buildings and structuresSupplemental parking per Secs. 134-2177 and 134-2182Public or private academic schools located south of 2500 South Ocean BoulevardDrive-in business service facilitiesChurches, synagogues or other houses of worshipPermitted uses, or uses not enumerated but with similar traffic, patronage and intensity of use, which are greater than 3,000 sq ft gross leasable areaBanks and financial institutions, excluding securities or financial brokerage and trust companiesRoof-deck automobile parkingOutdoor cafe seating (only for restaurants, retail specialty food incl. takeout-only prepared food, and private clubs; Secs. 134-2104 to 134-2108)Veterinarian offices above the first floorMuseums occupying a building of unique value as a designated historical landmarkNightclubsOffices (excluding executive office suites), professional services, business services and securities or financial brokerage and trust companies on the first floor (only if at least 50 percent of existing uses on all floors of the building are offices and more than 50 percent of first-floor uses within 300 ft are offices), except as in 134-1107(3)Private parksOutdoor promotional events (Sec. 134-2115)Restaurants, excluding formula restaurants and bars/lounges

Build envelope

Development standards

Headline dimensional limits for this district. Confirm exact figures against the current code for your specific parcel.

StandardPermitted uses limited to 3,000 sq ft gross leasable area (GLA); existing uses over 3,000 sq ft are nonconforming

StandardMinimum lot area 4,000 sq ft; width 30 ft; depth 90 ft

Densitysingle or multiple dwelling units not to exceed 6 units per gross acre

StandardMaximum height 15 ft for one story (25 ft for two-story by special exception); maximum lot coverage 70 percent; maximum building length 150 ft; maximum gross floor area 15,000 sq ft

StandardFront yard 5 ft (plus 10-ft pedestrian walkway); rear 10 ft; side none for one story (10 ft next to R districts)

StandardMinimum landscaped open space 15 percent (one story), 25 percent (two story)

Accessory usesOff-street parking and loading; Signs; Accessory uses customarily incident to the permitted or approved special exception uses

StandardRead from Sec. 134-1106 to 134-1116 (Sec. 134-1107 permitted, 134-1108 accessory, 134-1109 special exception, 134-1113 lot/yard/area); permitted = by right, conditional = needs conditional-use / special-exception approval

The fine print

In plain English

BY RIGHT No hearing needed

If your business is on the by-right list, you can occupy a space in this district and open — no zoning hearing. Building permits and licensing still apply, but the use itself is already allowed.

SPECIAL Approval first

Special-approval uses can work here too, but they go through a public review before opening. Plan for extra time and possible conditions — we'll tell you which path a space needs.

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