Commercial · For the uses the code allows — but only with approval.
Conditional Use Approvals
Some uses are permitted on a property only with a conditional-use approval — called a special exception in Sarasota County's Unified Development Code. We handle the application, the staff coordination, and the public hearing that gets it granted.
Get help with conditional use approvals
Tell us about your project — we’ll reply within one business day.
“Permit-ready in a week instead of a month. David caught two tabulation errors before submission that would have bounced us. Worth every dollar.”— Custom Home Builder, Anna Maria Island
Zoning codes allow certain uses by right and others only as a conditional use — permitted in the district, but subject to specific approval because of traffic, intensity, or neighborhood impact. Getting one isn't a formality; it's a discretionary decision made at a public hearing.
We determine whether your intended use needs a conditional-use approval — often surfaced during zoning due diligence before you even buy — then prepare the application, the supporting studies, and the conditions you're willing to accept, because approvals usually come with conditions attached.
Then we represent the request through staff review and the hearing itself, the same government-agency coordination that runs through every land-side project we take on. Approved conditions get carried into the site-plan and permitting phases so what the board approved is what gets built.
A conditional use denied — or approved with conditions you can't live with — can sink a deal's economics. The time to find out what the board will require is before you're committed, not after.
What’s included
- Determine whether a conditional use is required
- Application and supporting studies prepared
- Conditions negotiated and documented
- Representation through staff review and public hearing
- Approved conditions carried into site-plan and permitting
Frequently asked questions
- What's the difference between a variance and a conditional use?
- A variance is relief from a dimensional rule (like a setback) because of a property hardship. A conditional use is permission for a use the code allows in that district only with specific approval. Different tests, different applications — we handle both.
- Is a conditional use the same as a special exception?
- In Sarasota County's Unified Development Code, yes — "special exception" is the local term for what most codes call a conditional use. We handle the approval by whatever name your jurisdiction uses.
Ready to get permit-ready?
Tell us about your project. We reply within one business day — and we’ll tell you straight whether we’re the right fit.