[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6121905,"mediaKeyId","2698459-48bc1c135a04e6f25e056da8978ee2cc","parentId",2698459,"title","Planning board backs 39-unit Flagler Drive redevelopment despite neighbor opposition; multiple waivers granted","audioSeconds",7935,"startMs",3733000,"endMs",11668000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2698459-48bc1c135a04e6f25e056da8978ee2cc&start=3733&end=11668","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2698459-48bc1c135a04e6f25e056da8978ee2cc/thumbnail_3733000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6121905/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Planning-board-backs-39-unit-Flagler-Drive-redevelopment-despite-neighbor-opposition-multiple-waivers-granted","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6121905-5178bc680a14ff5f1f795dccddd21616/orig.mp4?Expires=1770803562&Signature=Xpp91L-gvgzfkSx8C3wzX8jexn9wSBx3j2giAZpkeCFjA3exs5Q-7Fyv08UXrjYRmab10fvT6nGU3x9d~gzTO0K0jamtY4bahKHsbDPHzVm0GkJQsCls-R0c3FtSxGpZpyHW7MZNlrRMqbqLRcw-IFnGG~anqKBYcwBqlk-9NTOAECBTc9fslCZ1tCbA7XLttBZ-zUryzlovNiXGNbt~hL4q1I6iabFt79mVE04qkdKzXsyp0MDVUB~DLyPNQ3SE5db9jfMgT2DpPW5FANCbv9suAN0qfC-xf1wYs2olaoIP2Kj25SNHmUuIf6rG63rY1xfsHfgwMFt-vGPUiSADeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of West Palm Beach, FL","date","2025-03-19T13:00:32Z","article","The West Palm Beach Planning Board on March 18 recommended approval of a rezoning and site-plan package for a proposed luxury residential tower at 3705 South Flagler Drive, a parcel now occupied by a 1962 condominium that the applicant proposes to replace with a single new residential tower and a small commercial component.

Applicant presentation: Attorney Harvey Oyer, representing the applicant PK Flagler House LLC, said the proposal is a lateral rezoning from MF-32 to a Residential Planned Development (RPD) covering roughly 1.42 acres. Oyer described a development program that would keep the total apartment count at 39 units but reconfigure the site into a single tower with podium parking and large units (floor areas cited during the presentation ranged from roughly 2,700 sq ft for two- and three-bedroom units up to 5,700 sq ft for four-bedroom units and a roughly 10,000 sq ft penthouse). Oyer said the project places parking below grade and in a podium, concentrates vertical massing in a tower centered on the site to preserve lateral view corridors, and includes an amenitized podium deck and active uses facing Flagler Drive.

Waivers requested: The application included seven waivers to the code, the most substantive being side-setback reductions (a request that reduces the required side setbacks and thereby allows additional building height through the RPD mechanism). Oyer and the project team said the tower approach and increased front/rear setbacks result in better view preservation for neighboring buildings compared with a lower, wider building built strictly by right. Other waiver requests addressed the minimum RPD area (the code still references a 10-acre minimum for some RPD standards), additional access points on each street frontage, driveway separation and buffer interruptions associated with more than one access point, and small encroachments for pedestrian stairs and guardrail heights needed to meet FEMA freeboard and arrival-level grading.

Staff and technical review: Planning staff supported the rezoning recommendation and found the application met applicable rezoning, site-plan and waiver standards (staff provided a written recommendation and conditions). Staff also noted the project met or exceeded several landscape and open-space metrics, and the project team said they would design drainage and resilience measures to current FEMA requirements. Staff noted the parcel’s existing multifamily designation and that the project would not increase unit count beyond the 39 units currently on site.

Public comment: The hearing drew more than 40 speakers. Supporters — including residents from nearby single-family and multifamily properties, downtown business representatives and the Palm Beaches Chamber of Commerce — praised the architecture, landscaping and economic benefits, and asked the board to approve. Several owners of units in the existing Flagler House said they supported the developer’s acquisition and buyout proposal. Opponents — including several residents of neighboring condominiums such as Portofino South and Prospect Park area residents — objected to height, shadowing and scale, the introduction of a commercial tenant space in a residential area (a 996-square-foot pet-grooming space was proposed), driveway separation and safety concerns on Washington Road, and potential drainage impacts. Some neighborhood groups circulated surveys showing strong opposition to the tower’s proposed height and scale.

Board action: After extended public comment and board discussion, the board voted unanimously to recommend the rezoning (MF-32 to RPD), to grant the requested waivers and to approve site-plan review subject to the staff conditions dated March 18, 2025. The motion recorded the board’s findings against the rezoning and site-plan standards and included staff-recommended conditions.

Why it matters: The project replaces an aging 1960s condominium with a modern, higher-end building. Applicant representatives argued the change is driven in part by new condominium inspection and repair requirements statewide following the Surfside collapse and by market demand for higher-end for-sale product; opponents focused on neighborhood scale, view blockage and precedent issues. The item will proceed to the City Commission for final action on rezoning and related entitlements; the applicant will need to meet conditions in the staff report and finalize engineering, drainage and FAA/height determinations as the project advances.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Board Meeting | March 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The West Palm Beach Planning Board recommended March 18 that the City Commission rezone 3705 South Flagler Drive to a Residential Planned Development and approved the site plan and related waivers for a proposed 39-unit luxury tower replacing an existing 39-unit condominium.","taxTitle","West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",4250,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6121908,"Planning board recommends county office at 40 Fifth Street; rezoning to CSPD approved",1783,1635000,3418000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2698459-48bc1c135a04e6f25e056da8978ee2cc&start=1635&end=3418","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2698459-48bc1c135a04e6f25e056da8978ee2cc/thumbnail_1635000.jpg","/articles/6121908/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Planning-board-recommends-county-office-at-40-Fifth-Street-rezoning-to-CSPD-approved","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6121908-18ac5943fb562def759569db8a8f8227/orig.mp4?Expires=1770803562&Signature=H19Jp5sP76RB3G3rBAj1aEYMuiliIyQgrHu0603bpI-agGWK5msthBt-8E9gIv-nNkAAL-fthUGulRsMRIxnrpU5Cvotf5XRI61NKQjeJ~ymK9C1xEJ7NH00pqu5raVVZKluEmk~97eE9wjnMkUEAXEC-iQEnLZbb4GHpFzFgN30SlvmgykgedGdTQenfSAGW7uZk~xATfxyL5vCpngo4C~sYTHNQDdE~7mAVae~7lpTUFh12kLsfN3mrAEEnO28LMtxjL9TJ5p-eIW21DZTFytbUU4TYor9SBkpQ9jRUKXsRg0HADVGr1w1b~NLbRguVtkSCeOeASJd8AAkBVRdiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Palm Beach Planning Board on March 18 recommended that the City Commission approve a rezoning and approved a Phase 1 site-plan review for a Palm Beach County office building and a larger master plan for the 40 Fifth Street complex.

County representatives presented the project as a multi-phase master plan for a 41-acre county-owned site that has historically hosted county uses. The immediate request before the board covered a rezoning from Community Service to Community Service Plan Development (CSPD) and the site plan for Phase 1: a two-story, approximately 60,000-square-foot office building intended to house county Community Services operations (the presentation identified the building as the “Mod Ford Lee Building”). The applicant said the building would consolidate staff now spread among city properties and is funded through the county’s 1-cent sales surtax program (the surtax was referenced as the source for prior planning and funding on the site).

Architect Alfonso Hernandez described the proposed building footprint, landscape and access plan and said Phase 1 would include the replacement of an existing Datura Street county facility; the team also showed a master plan entitling a future 350,000-square-foot buildout in later phases. Hernandez said Phase 1 would provide about 192 parking spaces (169 were listed as required by code) and that the design included enhanced landscaping and additional measures to meet city standards.

Staff presentation: Planner Alex Singler explained that staff recommended rezoning to CSPD because of the master-planning approach and phased work, and clarified that Phase 1 was the matter for full review; Phase 2 would return later. Singler said staff would refine mobility language for Phase 2 before the item goes to the City Commission and noted city review of traffic and school concurrency documentation.

Public comment and concerns: Several nearby residents addressed the board during public comment. Questions focused on which existing buildings would remain on the site, traffic and access patterns, and the treatment of an on-site historic cemetery. The applicant clarified the main project entrance would be on 40 Second Street and said the entrance would be signalized; the applicant also described a construction schedule with a projected start in late summer 2025 and completion in 2027.

Board action and conditions: The planning board voted unanimously to recommend approval of the rezoning and to approve the Phase 1 site plan review, subject to the conditions listed in the staff report dated March 3, 2025. The board’s motion found the request consistent with the applicable rezoning and site-plan standards in the City of West Palm Beach code.

Why it matters: The project consolidates county functions and is the first phase of a master plan that could allow significant additional county development on the 41-acre parcel, including a future 350,000-square-foot mixed-use program. The item advances county plans for the parcel and will next move to the City Commission for final action on rezoning and site-plan-related entitlements.","The board recommended approval to rezone a 41-acre county parcel at 40 Fifth Street to Community Service Plan Development and approved Phase 1 site plan review for a new 60,000-square-foot County office building (Mod Ford Lee Building), part of a larger master plan that entitles up to 350,000 square feet of future development.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6121910,"Planning board approves developer variances for 80-unit Northwood condominium",860,594000,1454000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2698459-48bc1c135a04e6f25e056da8978ee2cc&start=594&end=1454","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2698459-48bc1c135a04e6f25e056da8978ee2cc/thumbnail_594000.jpg","/articles/6121910/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Planning-board-approves-developer-variances-for-80-unit-Northwood-condominium","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6121910-82b22f659b7e9a460e31f55db041cd00/orig.mp4?Expires=1770803563&Signature=U3pymLb5UwZD2lSfbSAEkZ7SXPKcOhfqoJirVa5Oy2xIwTZIdWkplO6OSvTQjWdNYnnHZ9586alWaAdaSRMA~a4ZbQyORfFDpdzJAOl7ChXnJ~7LnCaMQDph7CWOdfJNnJ~oCs0frumeZsKqHS1YDwqYgqxDl9FPoh2IbEf~f-pHrODCgEpwvXLEen0O01xDq0Zqd0BVvgzQchGCV34qZ4GKCXoKA9XVkULKQeFObUskTE4W46wi6RW7uojFGiBnwU3P1XB7ZSTIL4ASYA8OvXZjIqjxuKpodSjRD7LYeO9cEfkVV0GFPrZGkvv6ZSi3n3APdGikAW2WA3hh9STEIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Palm Beach Planning Board voted unanimously March 18 to grant variance relief and formal site-plan approval for a proposed 80-unit condominium at a Broward Avenue site in the Northwood neighborhood.

The project team described the proposal as an 18-story, for-sale condominium building with 80 units, 202-foot maximum height and 102 parking spaces. The developer requested a variance from the “active use liner” requirement for floors 2 through 5 so the site can accommodate an efficient multi-level parking garage, the project’s agent and design team said.

The variance matter was the central issue at the hearing. Applicant representatives said the property’s shallow lot and the need to fit parking and residential floorplates made the active-use requirement impractical; they presented design treatments — including opaque “milk glass” cladding — intended to reduce the visual impact of the non-active frontage. “If we had to meet the active use and remove that first 20 feet… it would be losing about 32 units,” project agent John Schmidt told the board, explaining the tradeoff between active frontage and unit count. Architect Javier Font said the design team evaluated alternative façades and landed on a simpler, cleaner mid-block expression to fit the narrow lot.

City planning staff recommended approval. Planner Alexis Singler told the board staff agreed the lot constraints made the variance reasonable and that the applicant worked with staff on architectural treatment and other mitigation; staff’s report recommended approval of the variance and the site plan with conditions.

Board discussion was limited. After hearing no members of the public who wished to speak, board member Sam Fish moved to grant the variances and associated level-3 special review; the board adopted the motion and an amended motion with stated conditions. The board’s motions cited the staff report and the evidence submitted as the basis for the finding that the application met the applicable standards.

Outcome and next steps: The motions approved the variance request for the active-use liner and granted level-3 formal site-plan review subject to the conditions in the staff report dated March 3, 2025. The board recorded the approvals as unanimous.

Why it matters: The vote clears the way for an 80-unit, for-sale building in Northwood that the applicant described as linking to recent development in that neighborhood and using incentives in the Curry Mixed Use District to reach the requested height. The variance — and its design mitigation — is the feature most likely to shape how the building interfaces with the street and the pedestrian environment.

The project team and the planning board noted standard follow-up steps: the applicant must satisfy the conditions contained in the staff report and proceed through permitting.","The West Palm Beach Planning Board unanimously approved variance and site-plan items for an 80-unit, for-sale condominium in the Northwood neighborhood, including a request to relax the active-use liner requirement in order to fit an efficient parking garage.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning board backs 39-unit Flagler Drive redevelopment despite neighbor opposition; multiple waivers granted

Planning board recommends county office at 40 Fifth Street; rezoning to CSPD approved

Planning board approves developer variances for 80-unit Northwood condominium