Zoning explained · Palm Beach County

R-B low density residential district Palm Beach, Florida

The R-B district provides for low-density, moderately spacious single-family residential use, along with publicly operated recreational facilities and compatible accessory uses. Only single-family dwellings and essential services are permitted; fourteen special exception uses (PUD, houses of worship, private clubs, municipal facilities, cultural centers, etc.) require site plan review.

9 buildings zoned R-B16 permitted business types

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Insights › Zoning & land use › Palm Beach — R-B

Permitted uses

What you can operate in R-B, Palm Beach

The businesses the R-B 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 R-B here means specifically Palm Beach's R-B district.)

Allowed by right

Single-family dwellingsEssential services

With special approval

Planned unit development, PUD(1) (Art. V standards)Public structures, including essential services west of Lake TrailEssential services related to town-owned municipal buildings and structuresBeach houses intended for the use of family and guestsPrivate social, swimming, golf, tennis and yacht clubs, and houses of worship in existence prior to January 1, 1996Churches and synagogues and other houses of worshipRequired off-street parking per Sec. 134-2177(3) and supplemental parking consistent with the district's zoningNonprofit cultural centersMunicipally owned or operated parking areasMuseums occupying buildings of unique value as historical landmarks (landmarks commission and council determination; no permitted use economically viable)Group home with up to six occupantsFoster care facility with up to six occupantsPedestrian access tunnel to the beach as an accessory use (unity of title; governmental approvals)Municipally owned and operated parks and recreation centers

Build envelope

Development standards

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

StandardMinimum lot area 10,000 sf; minimum lot width 100 ft; minimum lot depth 100 ft; maximum density 4 dwelling units per acre

StandardFront yard 25 ft first story / 30 ft second story (reducible by up to 5 ft if rear yard increased); side yard 12.5 ft first story / 15 ft second story; rear yard 10 ft first story / 15 ft second story; rear height plane setback 25 ft

StandardMaximum building height 14 ft (one story) / 22 ft (two stories); overall height adds 3 ft flat roof or 8 ft other roof

StandardMaximum lot coverage 40% (one story) / 30% (two stories); minimum landscaped open space 45%

StandardBase building angle of vision 100 degrees; cubic content ratio limits apply (Sec. 134-893)

StandardSec. 134-889 prohibits any profession, occupation, commercial or quasi-commercial use (including corporate meetings, banquets, film-making), museum/public display accessory use, and executive/group vacation retreats

StandardLarger lots (20,000 sf+, 60,000 sf+) pick up R-A / R-AA yard and coverage provisions in certain cases

Accessory usesPrivate nurseries and greenhouses; Private garages; Private swimming pools and/or cabanas; Charitable events specifically approved by the town manager; Off-street parking at private social, swimming, golf, tennis and yacht clubs and for construction-related employee vehicles (75 ft from a single-family home, landscape island from street); Other accessory uses customarily incident to permitted or approved special exception uses, not involving the conduct of business (except uses associated with the town's municipal dock, golf course and tennis court facilities)

StandardRead from Div. 4, Secs. 134-886 to 134-898; 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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