Original Building & Zoning Regulations For Broward County, Florida Effective December 31, 1952

A resolution setting forth uniform zoning and building regulation provisions for the purpose of adopting such by reference in future zoning resolutions adopted by the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, in respect to any area of said county.

WHEREAS, the Broward County, Florida, Board of County Commissioners has prepared suggested uniform zoning and building regulation provisions for adoption, where applicable, by said Board, with such modifications as said Board may deem necessary, in respect to areas within said County which may be zoned from time to time; and

WHEREAS, in order that said suggested uniform zoning and building regulation provisions may be adopted by reference by said Board in respect to any areas within said County that may be hereafter zoned it is necessary that such provisions be placed upon the Deed Records of the Public Records of Broward County, Florida;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the following zoning and building regulation provisions are hereby set forth for said purposes.

Minimum Building Code Broward County, Florida

SECTION 1.0 Foundation walls and footings

All exterior bearing walls of any type of structure shall be supported by continuous foundation walls and footings or grade beams as approved in these regulations.

SECTION 1.1 Minimum Allowable Dimensions

​Foundation Walls and Footings
Type of Construction Top
Width Footing
Width Minimum
Thickness
Wood Frame 6" Reinforced Concrete 14" 10"
Wood Frame 8" Masonry Units laid up in cement mortar 16" 10"
CBS 8" Reinforced Concrete or Masonry Units 16" 10"

SECTION 1.2

All footings shall be reinforced with not less than two (2) five-eights inch (5/8") bars throughout its continuous length. In splicing any reinforcement bars, an overlap of 30 bar diameters will be provided for. Splicing laps and corner cross-ends will be tied wherever used in concrete construction.

SECTION 2.0 Piles

All piles used to support any building or part thereof shall be driven to sufficient bearing to support the entire dead load plus twice the designed live load carried by such piles, and in such manner as not to impair their strength. No pile or group of piles shall be loaded eccentrically.

SECTION 3.0 Grade Beams

Grade beams supported by piles and used as bearing foundation walls shall be adequately and securely anchored to the supporting piles. Such grade beams shall be of adequate size and reinforcement according to load requirements, but shall not be less than twelve by twelve inches (12" x 12") and reinforced with not less than four (4) and one-half inch (1/2") rods, two at the top and two at the bottom.

SECTION 4.0 Lateral Supports

Walls of hollow clay tile, of concrete block or tile, hollow walls of solid masonry units, and hollow monolithic plain concrete walls shall be supported at right angles to the face at intervals not exceeding sixteen (16) feet when measuring vertically, and not exceeding twenty (20) feet when measuring horizontally. Such lateral supports may be in the form of crosswalls, columns, grade beams or buttresses.

SECTION 4.1

Columns shall be required at all corners of commercial structures exceeding one story in height, and shall be securely anchored to the supporting foundation walls or grade beams.

SECTION 4.2

Reinforced concrete columns shall be not less than eight inches (8") thick by twelve inches (12") wide, and reinforced with not less than four (4) one-half inch (1/2") rods tied to not less than four (4) dowels (of the same diameter as the reinforcing) extending at least six inches (6") into the footing and hooked; and at least six inches (6") protruding from the top of the column to anchor in the tie-beam.

SECTION 4.3

All individual masonry columns should have steel running from footer to lintel, beam, or cap, as specified in Paragraph 4.2 for reinforced concrete.

SECTION 5.0 Tie-Beams

A tie-beam shall be placed in all walls below each tier of floor and ceiling joists, and over main interior horizontal frame.

SECTION 5.1

Reinforced concrete tie-beams shall not be less than eight inches (8") thick and twelve inches (12") high, and reinforced with not less than four (4) one-half inch (1/2") rods throughout its continuous length, two at the top and two at the bottom.

SECTION 5.2

Reinforced concrete tie-beams shall be bonded and anchored to supporting columns as specified in Paragraphs 4.2 and 4.3.

SECTION 5.3

One-half inch (1/2") bolts with washer shall be set in concrete tie-beams every four feet (4') to secure the wood plate.

SECTION 5.4

Approved metal strap anchors shall be set in concrete tie-beams to secure every second rafter.

SECTION 6.0 Wood Frame.

In wood frame construction, vertical and horizontal members shall be of sufficient size, and shall be sufficiently anchored so as to give maximum strength to the completed structure against winds from any angle.

SECTION 7.0 Roof and Ceiling Construction

Roof rafters, when supported on a ribbon, shall be securely nailed to the stud and ceiling joist; and when supported on a plate, shall be securely nailed to the ceiling joists and plate, and at least each second rafter shall be anchored to the tie-beam with an approved metal strap anchor.

SECTION 7.1

The following table gives the maximum allowable span for ceiling joists and roof rafters of Southern Yellow Pine or Douglas Fir, using materials of grade equal to No. 1 common, American Lumber Standard sizes.

Note: The allowable span of roof rafters shall be measured from plate to ridge, except that where rafters are braced to ceiling joists and a complete truss is formed, to the satisfaction of the Building Inspector, the span shall be considered as the distance between intersecting joints of trussing.

SECTION 7.2

Every third (3rd) set of rafters shall be laterally braced, one to the other, at a point beneath the ridge by a "collar beam." These same rafters shall be "jack-braced" to the ceiling joists where over partitions.

SECTION 7.3

Joist supporting wood plates shall be of no less dimensions than two inches by four inches (2" x 4") and said be secured as specified in Paragraph 5.3.

SECTION 8.0 Plans

All applications for permit shall be accompanied by plans drawn to scale and embodying sufficient elevations, cross-sections, and dimension figures to establish to the satisfaction of the Building Inspector that all the provisions of these regulations and codes will be complied with.

SECTION 8.1

Plans for buildings for public assembly, residences of $10,000 or more cost, and commercial structures of $5,000 or more cost, shall bear a registered Architect's or Engineer's Seal; cost shall be computed at not less than $1.00 per cubic foot of construction.

SECTION 8.2

It is the prerogative of the Building Inspector to refuse issuance of a permit because of insufficient, incomplete, or illegible plans.​