Welcome > Tools & Resources > Downtown Overlay Zone & Design Standards

Downtown Overlay Zone and Downtown District Use and Form Regulations

The zoning code for the Downtown Overlay Zone promotes and encourages revitalization and growth of Downtown by:

  • Allowing most uses in a single Commercial Central Business District (CCBD) zoning district applicable to almost all parcels within Downtown, which significantly shortens the timeline for the approval process
  • Eliminating minimum parking requirements throughout Downtown
  • Ensuring compatibility and urban character by form-based design criteria that also provide flexibility in the physical design of projects
  • Promoting shade and walkability by public realm design criteria and ensuring transparent and activated street front private realm development
  • Promoting access to and focus on the St. Johns River and its tributaries
  • Establishing exceptions for existing and historic buildings

CODE OF ORDINANCES |  CHAPTER 656 ZONING CODE | PART 3. SCHEDULE OF DISTRICT REGULATIONS 
SUBPART H: DOWNTOWN OVERLAY ZONE AND DOWNTOWN DISTRICT USE AND FORM REGULATIONS


Downtown Design Guidebook

The Downtown Design Guidebook serves as an appendix to the Community Redevelopment Area Plan, adopted as part of the Business Investment and Development (BID) Plan via Ordinance 2022-0372-E. The Downtown Design Guidebook has been developed to provide design guidance for developments within the Downtown Overlay District area, while supporting the overall standards in the City’s Zoning Code, Subpart H – Downtown Overlay Zone and Downtown District Use and Form Regulations, as codified.

The Downtown Design Guidebook includes District Specific Standards. These standards recognize each Downtown District as having unique characteristics that should be reflected in the architecture, mass and scale, pedestrian design and relationship between public and private spaces. Projects are reviewed to meet the design intent and character of that specific district with respect to the following areas:

  • Form and scale of the buildings
  • Design
  • Open spaces/art
  • Overall branding of the district
  • River connections
  • Color palettes
  • Landscape palettes
  • Typical streetscape layout
  • Streetscape furnishings

For questions about the Downtown Design Guidebook, or other zoning and land use matters, please contact Susan Kelly, Redevelopment Coordinator, at (904) 255-5307 or KSusan@coj.net

Note: The Downtown Zoning Overlay regulations may be in addition to other land use and zoning regulations. Please contact the Downtown Investment Authority on zoning and land use matters.