WallDockDeck
Palm Beach Gardens · Palm Beach County

What are the deck setback and railing rules in Palm Beach Gardens?

0 ftunroofed paved patios/decks up to 6 in high may reach the side or rear line

Palm Beach Gardens does not count a paved patio or deck toward yards or lot coverage if it is unroofed, unenclosed and no more than 6 inches above surrounding grade; such a patio may run to the side or rear property line and may carry an open guard railing up to 3 ft high.

Source: City of Palm Beach Gardens LDR Sec. 78-186 (Code Supp. 53); Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Ed. (2023) R312.1.1-R312.1.3 (ICC Digital Codes) · Verified 2026-10

The detail

Patios and decksA paved patio or paved deck is not considered in required yard size or lot coverage if it is not roofed, enclosed, or elevated more than 6 inches above the surrounding grade within 18 inches of it; it may have an open guard railing not more than 3 ft high and may extend to the side or rear property line. LDR Sec. 78-186(2).
In-ground poolsMay be located in a required side or rear yard; in a PUD/PCD with site-plan pool setbacks, measured from the water's edge. Sec. 78-186(9)a.
Raised poolsAn above-ground pool, or any part of an in-ground pool more than 3 ft above surrounding grade within 18 inches, must meet the district's building setbacks. Sec. 78-186(9)b.
Other yard rulesAwnings, hoods, roof overhangs and canopies may project up to 4 ft into a required setback; residential fences and walls max 6 ft, measured from the average elevation along the property line, with variances heard by the PZAB. Sec. 78-186(4), (7).
Corner lotsNo fence, wall, hedge or structure between 2.5 ft and 8 ft above the road crown inside the 25 ft corner visibility triangle. Sec. 78-186(8).
Barbed wireBarbed wire is prohibited in residential districts. Sec. 78-186(7)f.
Guards (state rule)Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), Sec. R312.1.1-R312.1.3: a guard is required on open sides of a walking surface located more than 30 inches above the floor or grade below at any point within 24 inches of the open edge; it must be at least 36 inches high; openings must not let a 4-inch sphere pass. No local guard amendment was found in this city's code.

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The county rule behind this

What applies across Palm Beach County, and where each city departs from it.

Palm Beach CountySeawall requirements county-wide

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