Monroe County Development Controls in Florida Keys

Monroe County uses two permit systems to limit building in the Florida Keys: the Rate of Growth Ordinance (ROGO) for residential projects and the Non-Residential Rate of Growth Ordinance (NROGO) for commercial ones.

The state designated the Florida Keys an Area of Critical State Concern, triggering growth caps based on hurricane evacuation capacity. The systems award permits to applicants who score highest on a competitive point scale, prioritizing development near existing infrastructure and away from environmentally sensitive areas.

The scoring system rewards projects that benefit the county or environment. Developers earn points for lot aggregation, land dedication, affordable housing, wastewater access, and conservation measures. They lose points for building in endangered species habitat, velocity zones, or coastal barrier areas.

Developers can review Chapter 138 of the Monroe County Land Development Code for scoring details and application requirements.