DRAFT Subject to Modifications TREASURE COAST REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL M E M O R A N D U M To: Council Members AGENDA ITEM 7C10 From: Date: Subject: Staff January 20, 2017 Council Meeting Local Government Comprehensive Plan Review Draft Amendment to the City of West Palm Beach Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 16-5ESR Introduction The Community Planning Act, Chapter 163, Florida Statutes, requires that the regional planning council review local government comprehensive plan amendments prior to their adoption. The regional planning council review and comments are limited to adverse effects on regional resources or facilities identified in the strategic regional policy plan (SRPP) and extrajurisdictional impacts that would be inconsistent with the comprehensive plan of any affected local government within the region. Council must provide any comments to the local government within 30 days of the receipt of the proposed amendments and must also send a copy of any comments to the state land planning agency. The amendment package from the City of West Palm Beach contains text changes to the Downtown Master Plan Element of the comprehensive plan. This report includes a summary of the proposed amendment and Council comments. Summary of Proposed Amendment The proposed amendments concern the Downtown Master Plan Element of the comprehensive plan, specifically a portion of the Industrial Chic District (ICD) and the Northwest Neighborhood District (NWD). The Downtown Master Plan area is comprised of a number of districts. The proposed changes would move two areas; one bounded by the FEC Railway, Rosemary Avenue, 3 rd Street, and 11 th Street and the other bounded by the FEC Railway, Henrietta Avenue, 11 th Street, and Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard; from the ICD to the NWD and create two new subdistricts of the NWD out of the area. Specific provisions are proposed for the two new subdistricts, including providing for a maximum height of 8 stories for the sub-district abutting 3 rd Street (an increase over the 5 stories currently allowed). In addition, a strip along the west side of Rosemary Avenue is proposed to be revised to allow for taller buildings.
DRAFT Subject to Modifications The City was spurred to make these changes due to a proposal to build two hotels along the east side of Rosemary Avenue north of 3 rd Street. The proposed hotels exceed allowable height and density. After a market and master plan study, including public meetings, the proposed changes were created. The City staff report indicates that these changes will help promote redevelopment of vacant parcels along Rosemary and better connect this area with the Northwest Neighborhood District. Also according to the staff report, regulations will be added to the City s zoning code to provide for a step-down in height and intensity across the subject area, from higher buildings along the FEC Railway to lower buildings abutting existing neighborhood homes. However, the proposed increase in building heights along the east side of the area from 5 to 8 stories will make it more difficult to step down across Rosemary to the existing 1 and 2 story neighborhood fabric to the west. The desirability of this should be given greater consideration by the City in order to avoid or minimize adverse impacts to the historic Northwest Neighborhood. Additional interconnectivity of the neighborhood to the rest of West Palm Beach will be provided by efforts currently included in the plan (providing a street crossing of 7 th Street across the FEC Railway and connecting Douglass and Division avenues to Banyan Boulevard at the south end of the neighborhood) as well as new efforts to connect 4 th, 5 th and 6 th streets between Rosemary and Railroad avenues that are to be included in the zoning code. These changes will improve the street grid in the neighborhood and enhance connectivity between the Northwest Neighborhood District and the City at large. Adoption of these amendments will be timed to take place after the EAR-based amendments proposed by the City (also on Council s agenda for January 20, 2017) have been adopted since a small portion of the text in the Downtown Master Plan Element being revised by the EAR-based amendments is also being revised by the subject amendment. The text attached in strikeout and underline format for Policy 1.1.1 assumes that the EAR-based amendments have been approved. Regional Impacts No adverse effects on regional resources or facilities have been identified. Extrajurisdictional Impacts The City circulated the amendments through the Intergovernmental Plan Amendment Review Committee process on July 8, 2016. No extrajurisdictional impacts have been identified. Conclusion No adverse effects on regional resources or facilities and no extrajurisdictional impacts have been identified. Recommendation Council should approve this report and authorize its transmittal to the City of West Palm Beach and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Attachments 2
List of Exhibits Exhibit 1 General Location Map 2 Text Changes in Underline and Strikethrough Format
Exhibit 1 General Location Map City of West Palm Beach 4
Exhibit 2 Text Changes in Underline and Strikethrough Format ORDINANCE NO. 4673-16 5
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