JacksonvilleBusinessNews.com | Updated September 13, 2026
Quick Answer
Because Jacksonville and Duval County are a consolidated government, every commercial rezoning, PUD, land use amendment, variance and exception outside the Beaches cities and Baldwin runs through one Planning and Development Department at 214 N. Hogan Street. A conventional rezoning costs $2,000 plus $10 per acre and typically takes 3 to 5 months through the Planning Commission, Land Use and Zoning Committee and City Council; a PUD costs $2,269 plus $10 per acre and runs 4 to 6 months; a companion land use amendment adds $3,548 (small scale) or $5,696 (large scale) and can add several months. Variances and exceptions cost $1,173 for commercial property and are decided by the Planning Commission in roughly 60 to 90 days.
Who Decides Zoning and Land Use in Duval County?
Jacksonville’s zoning (Chapter 656) and Comprehensive Plan (2045 Plan) are administered by two divisions of one department, with the Planning Commission, the City Council’s Land Use and Zoning (LUZ) Committee and the full 19-member City Council as hearing bodies. Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Baldwin maintain separate zoning offices.
| Body | Role | Meeting Cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Current Planning Division | Zoning interpretation; rezonings, PUDs, exceptions, variances, waivers, administrative deviations; staff reports | Zoning counter, Ed Ball Building, 2nd floor |
| Community Planning Division | Comprehensive Plan, land use amendments, DRIs, historic preservation | Same building |
| Zoning Administrator | Decides administrative deviations at public hearing | Regular hearing dates |
| Planning Commission (9 members) | Decides exceptions, variances, waivers; recommends on rezonings, PUDs and land use amendments | Twice monthly (1st and 3rd Thursdays) |
| LUZ Committee of City Council | Hears rezonings, PUDs, land use amendments, road frontage and sign waivers; recommends to full Council | Twice monthly (1st and 3rd Tuesdays) |
| City Council | Final vote on all rezonings, PUDs and land use amendments by ordinance | Twice monthly (2nd and 4th Tuesdays) |
| Downtown Development Review Board (DIA) | Design review inside the Downtown Overlay; replaces Planning Commission for downtown exceptions and variances | Monthly |
How do I apply for a commercial zoning variance or land use amendment in Duval County?
Start with a pre-application meeting at the Current Planning Division ((904) 255-7800), obtain the paper application from the zoning counter ((904) 255-7865; forms are not downloadable), file four complete sets with the fee, then post the department-supplied signs and mail notices to every owner within 350 feet before the scheduled hearing.
Which application do you need?
| Situation | Application | Decided By | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use is not permitted in current district | Conventional rezoning | City Council | $2,000 + $10/acre |
| Custom development standards or mixed use | Rezoning to PUD | City Council | $2,269 + $10/acre |
| Change to an approved PUD’s uses, density or standards | PUD amendment (rezoning) | City Council | $2,269 + $10/acre |
| Small change to PUD text or site plan | PUD minor modification | Planning Commission | $1,338 |
| Future Land Use Map category does not allow use or intensity | Land use amendment (small scale, ≤50 acres) | City Council | $3,548 + $25/acre |
| Land use amendment over 50 acres or DRI-related | Land use amendment (large scale); state review required | City Council after state transmittal | $5,696 + $20/acre (max $15,000) |
| Use is listed “by exception” in the district | Zoning exception (conditional use) | Planning Commission | $1,173 |
| Relief from setback, height, parking or other standard | Variance | Planning Commission | $1,173 |
| Minor dimensional relief (typically up to 10–25%) | Administrative deviation | Zoning Administrator | $952 |
| Sign or road-frontage waiver | Waiver | LUZ Committee and City Council | $1,173 |
| Liquor license distance waiver | Waiver of minimum distance | Planning Commission | $1,173 |
| Zoning verification for lender or lease | Zoning confirmation letter | Zoning Administrator | $89 (7–10 business days) |
| New tenant or change of use in existing building | Certificate of Use | Zoning counter | $112 |
Notification fees ($7 to $8 per mailed notice) and sign fees ($4.50 per sign) are added to land use amendments and concurrency-related filings.
How long does a commercial rezoning take in Jacksonville?
A conventional rezoning with no companion land use amendment typically moves from filing to Council adoption in 3 to 5 months; a PUD runs 4 to 6 months; adding a land use amendment extends the process to 6 to 12 months depending on scale and state review.
| Step | Conventional Rezoning | PUD | Small-Scale LUA + Rezoning | Large-Scale LUA + Rezoning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-application meeting | Week 0 | Week 0 | Week 0 | Week 0 |
| Filing and sufficiency | Week 1–3 | Week 1–4 | Week 1–4 | Week 1–4 |
| Ordinance introduced at Council | Week 4–6 | Week 5–8 | Week 5–8 | Week 5–8 |
| Staff report and Planning Commission hearing | Week 6–10 | Week 8–14 | Week 8–14 | Week 8–14 |
| LUZ Committee hearing | Week 8–12 | Week 10–16 | Week 10–16 | Transmittal hearing, then state review (30+ days) |
| City Council final vote | Week 10–16 | Week 12–24 | Week 12–24 | Adoption hearings Week 20–40 |
| Typical total | 3–5 months | 4–6 months | 4–7 months | 6–12 months |
Timelines assume no deferrals. Any hearing body can defer an item at the applicant’s request or over neighborhood opposition, and each deferral typically costs two to four weeks. Live Local Act projects with qualifying affordable housing bypass rezoning entirely under Florida law, which the city administers through a separate administrative track.
What is the typical approval timeline for commercial site development plans in Jacksonville?
Civil site plans are reviewed through the Development Services Division’s “10-Set” review, with an initial fee of $648 for non-subdivision commercial sites and $746 for subdivisions; each review cycle runs roughly two to three weeks, and most commercial projects clear in two to three cycles, or 6 to 12 weeks total, before building permit plan review begins.
| Stage | What Is Reviewed | Fee | Typical Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concurrency / mobility fee certificate | Traffic impact and mobility fee calculation | $688 (expedited +$266); CRC $17 per 1,000 SF non-residential | 2–4 weeks; runs concurrently |
| 10-Set site development review | Civil engineering, drainage, landscape, tree protection, access, utilities, fire | $648 non-subdivision / $746 subdivision | 2–3 weeks per cycle; 2–3 cycles typical |
| Fire plan review | Life safety, sprinklers, alarms, hydrants | $150–$625 by square footage | Concurrent |
| Building permit plan review | Florida Building Code compliance | $4.25 per 100 SF plans examining + BID permit fee $6.38 per 100 SF | 2–4 weeks per cycle |
| Right-of-way permit (if driveway or utility work) | Access and construction in ROW | $191 commercial | 1–2 weeks |
| Mobility fee payment | Transportation impact | Varies by use, location and trip generation | Due before permit issuance |
A 20,000-square-foot retail building would pay roughly $850 in plans examining, $1,276 in base building permit fees plus resource management, landscape and development services add-ons, and a mobility fee that commonly runs into five or six figures depending on the mobility zone. The mobility fee is the largest line item and should be quoted before land is put under contract.
What happens at each public hearing?
Rezonings and PUDs receive three hearings: the Planning Commission makes an advisory recommendation, the LUZ Committee holds the substantive hearing and amends conditions, and the full City Council votes on the ordinance. The applicant or agent must appear at each, and the Council district member’s position carries significant weight in practice.
- Planning Commission: Staff presents its report (recommend approval, approval with conditions, or denial). Public comment is taken. The Commission’s vote is advisory for rezonings but final for exceptions and variances (appealable to Council).
- LUZ Committee: Seven Council members hear the item, typically two weeks after the Planning Commission. Conditions and PUD written descriptions are usually finalized here. LUZ deferrals are common when neighbors object.
- City Council: The ordinance is voted on the Tuesday following LUZ approval. Council rarely reverses a unanimous LUZ recommendation.
- Signage and notice: Signs must be posted on the property and notices mailed to owners within 350 feet before each hearing.
How does the process differ in Clay, St. Johns and Nassau counties?
Each neighboring county runs its own planning department, planning commission and Board of County Commissioners, so a business expanding across the region faces three or four separate codes and hearing calendars. Jacksonville is the only jurisdiction in the region where county and city zoning are one system.
| Jurisdiction | Zoning Authority | Rezoning Path | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville / Duval (consolidated) | Planning and Development Dept. | Planning Commission → LUZ → City Council | Single code, Chapter 656 |
| Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Baldwin | Municipal planning offices | Local Planning Board → City Council/Commission | Separate codes |
| Clay County | Economic & Development Services | Planning Commission → Board of County Commissioners | Green Cove Springs, Orange Park, Keystone Heights have own codes |
| St. Johns County | Growth Management | Planning & Zoning Agency → Board of County Commissioners | PUD-heavy; St. Augustine separate |
| Nassau County | Planning & Economic Opportunity | Planning & Zoning Board → Board of County Commissioners | Fernandina Beach separate |
Brian’s Take
Jacksonville’s consolidated structure is its underrated competitive advantage. A developer working in Tampa Bay juggles Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa and three other municipalities, each with its own board; here, one department, one code and one Council cover 840 square miles. The fee schedule is also cheap by Florida standards: a $2,000 rezoning in Jacksonville would cost $6,000 in Collier County and considerably more in South Florida.
The trade-off is politics. Council district members effectively hold a veto through the LUZ Committee, and a project without the district member’s support can be deferred indefinitely without ever being formally denied. The practical playbook has not changed in twenty years: meet the district Council member and the relevant Citizens Planning Advisory Committee before filing, not after the notices go out. And budget for the mobility fee early; it is the number that quietly kills more Jacksonville commercial pro formas than any zoning hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download Jacksonville zoning applications online?
No. Applications must be obtained from the Planning and Development Department by calling (904) 255-7865 and are filed in person at the zoning counter with four complete sets.
What is the difference between an exception and a variance in Jacksonville?
An exception is a conditional use permit for a use the Zoning Code lists as permissible “by exception” in that district; a variance is relief from a dimensional standard such as setback or parking. Both are $1,173 for commercial property and decided by the Planning Commission.
Does a land use amendment over 10 acres go to the state?
Small-scale amendments up to 50 acres are adopted locally in one hearing cycle. Larger amendments require transmittal to the Florida Department of Commerce and other state agencies for review before adoption, adding several months.
Who reviews projects in Downtown Jacksonville?
Projects inside the Downtown Overlay Zone go to the Downtown Investment Authority’s Development Review Board for design review ($750 single-phase, $1,500 multi-phase), and downtown exceptions and variances are heard there rather than at the Planning Commission.
How do I check a property’s current zoning?
Use the city’s JaxGIS map at maps.coj.net/jaxgis and search by address or 10-digit real estate number, or request a zoning confirmation letter for $89.
Sources and Further Reading
- City of Jacksonville, City Fees (Planning Department, Zoning Counter, Building Inspection Division) — https://www.jacksonville.gov/Departments/Finance/City-Fees
- City of Jacksonville, Current Planning Division Zoning FAQs — https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/planning-department/current-planning-division/zoning-faqs-(frequently-asked-questions)
- City of Jacksonville, Current Planning Division — https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/planning-department/current-planning-division
- City of Jacksonville, Planning Commission — https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/planning-department/current-planning-division/planning-commission
- City of Jacksonville, Administrative Deviations — https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/planning-department/current-planning-division/administrative-deviations
- City of Jacksonville, Rezoning to PUD Information Handout — http://apps2.coj.net/City_Council_Public_Notices_Repository/Planning-%20PUD%20Rezoning%20Info%20Handout.pdf
- City of Jacksonville, Variance Application and Instructions — https://www.jacksonville.gov/getattachment/Departments/Planning-and-Development/Current-Planning-Division/Variance-Application-2021-06.pdf.aspx
- Jacksonville Ordinance Code, Chapter 656 (Zoning Code) via Municode — https://library.municode.com/fl/jacksonville/codes/code_of_ordinances
- City of Jacksonville, Legislative Bill Search (rezoning and land use ordinances) — http://cityclts.coj.net/coj/cojBillSearchNew.asp?type=PL
- Florida Statutes § 163.3187 (small-scale comprehensive plan amendments) — http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/
- JacksonvilleBusinessNews.com, JAXPORT Shipping Rates, Fees and Turnaround Times: 2026 (companion article)
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