[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6157611,"mediaKeyId","5464732-4901774cfd84268fcf4c1b70bc822a8c","parentId",5464732,"title","City plans mobility upgrades: Fern Street opening, new trolley service and county collaboration","audioSeconds",95,"startMs",1232000,"endMs",1327000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5464732-4901774cfd84268fcf4c1b70bc822a8c&start=1232&end=1327","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5464732-4901774cfd84268fcf4c1b70bc822a8c/thumbnail_1232000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6157611/Florida/City-plans-mobility-upgrades-Fern-Street-opening-new-trolley-service-and-county-collaboration","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157611-600adda69df33ff5b6e573eef2f71db3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147121&Signature=cwi4k9T~aWrU9xQuqz5GsOPr66Jy7LiIVuPqOz6TUgI9sSs6cTEONxeDEPn4B7pJxNyOeg3t192oI-ZJCDB8U4O8geKk6k93hRaGvn38VJXYGkMAEh-LxuHu1LteOZVE~1odK0b3yMBbWnOhMh24eLk0L0F6pVVMgTYH~1tOAa5J~h0UxIa-KOwBGumoNbifZWhJGPx-fRyo2xvLUHcwDFKZntY2HFv6sMu24tH60JHawhkJYJCuCTPs5FTeCc1x5rM3DUPkVA0cSImf8bXPS~RGTLafTks-qNX3DOQElaD3y4Wfg5YBaZvbUFU0zZnzDaDo12k0O7kJgby5UD1itg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of West Palm Beach, FL","date","2025-07-24T18:44:02.59Z","article","West Palm Beach officials said the city is updating its downtown mobility plan, pursuing a multi-year project to open Fern Street as an additional downtown entry, preparing to award a contract for new mobility services and participating in a countywide mobility plan to address traffic.

“There's only two ways to get into downtown, Okeechobee Boulevard and Banyan. We're looking at a third option which is Fern Street,” Armando Fauna, Assistant City Administrator for the City of West Palm Beach, said on the City Center podcast. He described preliminary permits for Fern Street and estimated the work as a roughly five‑year project.

Fauna said the city plans to award a contract to a mobility provider and pilot a new service similar to the former downtown trolley that would move people in and out of downtown and within downtown. He projected the new service could begin in the “very late part of this year, early part of 2026” and described it as the city’s largest-ever investment in downtown mobility.

Fauna also said the city is working with Palm Beach County and neighboring municipalities on a countywide mobility plan, noting that traffic patterns cross jurisdictional lines and require coordinated solutions. He framed traffic as the more frequent public concern compared with water.

No formal contract award or specific vendor was named on the podcast; Fauna described the procurement as forthcoming.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","From blueprints to buildings: A look at how developments happen in West Palm Beach","oneSentenceSummary","City officials described an updated downtown mobility plan that includes opening Fern Street as a third downtown entry, a new trolley-style mobility service expected in late 2025–early 2026 and participation in a countywide mobility plan.","taxTitle","Events, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",80519,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6157616,"City official says water capacity sufficient for growth; permit and deep-well options cited",81,1077000,1158000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5464732-4901774cfd84268fcf4c1b70bc822a8c&start=1077&end=1158","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5464732-4901774cfd84268fcf4c1b70bc822a8c/thumbnail_1077000.jpg","/articles/6157616/Florida/City-official-says-water-capacity-sufficient-for-growth-permit-and-deep-well-options-cited","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157616-3aa0f142b97e0e37dbf150add65027a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147121&Signature=gDVvh7uc01dTxzm2AMZ0TPXtQc8LHCAuuJGXLZ8zuYcyyUc2YIUbWgfSnLJ0BIbKi3mCGt6R28YvtAxWqN~pINnnPxo1z-qHdnn8iPydyw3QQHOeCU0nMrzTxTwIrG4Kv7DeUs~kMiZltnm-4I4olstYLdInMulKM7b7-MNi0mLJNOpLt70Aa-Zv9ZpTa7YMaHTtUw0r2AJn6UEPAJ8uVAvPQvVR2VLF2JWNm~yvK-SIIQe~JliBMmZN5jiSy~Z1UFOYfyzHORk69NNj6d0p8gFYLobubc~AkPDjWjU8Z5dHKs2zPUZtkx7gFY0MecTK1gA~OyGonQ3hc7~vjScKeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","West Palm Beach officials told a City Center podcast audience that the city’s water capacity has been evaluated and can support projected growth for decades, and that officials have secured a permit from the South Florida Water Management District to expand capacity and diversify water sources.

“Our water capacity has been evaluated and, based on current growth trends, we're good for at least another 50 years,” Armando Fauna, Assistant City Administrator for the City of West Palm Beach, said. He said current sources include surface water from Lake Okeechobee, the Grassy Waters Preserve and downtown lakes.

Fauna said the city is exploring use of the Floridan Well — a deep‑well system used elsewhere in Florida — to add another source and reduce reliance on any single supply. He also noted the city monitors the age and condition of the distribution and wastewater systems and that developers typically pay to upgrade infrastructure when a project requires larger pipe sizes or extensions.

Fauna said the city has applied for and “gotten approval for a permit through the South Florida Water Management District,” language used in the podcast, and described shared costs for infrastructure extensions between private developers and the city when projects create a need for new pipe or capacity.

No specific permit numbers or project approvals were provided on the podcast.","Assistant City Administrator Armando Fauna said West Palm Beach’s current water supply meets projected demand for decades and the city has an approved permit from the South Florida Water Management District and is exploring Floridan Well options to diversify sources.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6157621,"City seeks public input on downtown master plan and waterfront activation",456,566000,1022000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5464732-4901774cfd84268fcf4c1b70bc822a8c&start=566&end=1022","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5464732-4901774cfd84268fcf4c1b70bc822a8c/thumbnail_566000.jpg","/articles/6157621/Florida/City-seeks-public-input-on-downtown-master-plan-and-waterfront-activation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157621-c5fccff8e50482e8e5cd23ecc37afd79/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147121&Signature=DLQjgkkiwD-qpQo9qGndW3CjNKCA7Cm-OWDlWJWxe~RLW2VAQPPJ1k50X-ukr9DFsvcbWXkqSIUi3o7XyQMw86MtQt-FAA57B9x~7fVhdj5tnxYNktGyeR3eWRVZ3BFvxW7l4foZrc1slXBfWXxQA6g1avpWkCO~Gv7EFeunnXuPMcuFdS7X1fe1vLSn1EJEWx4L~SU-P8xycs~Tm3TisxgNeIMw5LJR3qJs3hTHOBvlSP6Z3yW8GgDKhDlxZDGzqJmueLolQPTIWryH-UhFhVqs6Eu0qtk2UAE2NonPSSawNGrcC37diLmLLvxPMH3F-MfE90MaZZKJpR9X9sehNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of West Palm Beach is revising its downtown master plan and conducting a separate waterfront engagement titled “Waterfront Your Way,” city officials said, and both efforts include public outreach and upcoming hearings where residents can provide input.

“Right now we’re going through the downtown master plan, revision. So we've had a consultant that has come out and has been working with citizens, with other stakeholders like developers,” Armando Fauna, Assistant City Administrator, said on the City Center podcast. He said the revision could affect uses, setbacks and building height downtown.

Fauna said public input has included in-person meetings and online surveys; he noted additional public hearings are scheduled, including a presentation at an August mayor‑commission workshop and a downtown action committee review. “One great way to have input is through your representative,” he said, pointing listeners to the city website for commission district information.

On the waterfront, Fauna said responses varied: some residents want more activation while others prefer more green space and shade. The project team will present recommendations and allow additional public comment before any code changes are finalized.

These are planning efforts rather than final approvals; Fauna said citizen involvement is most effective during code or zoning revision stages because developments that meet the code are allowed by right.","City officials said the downtown master plan revision and a 'Waterfront Your Way' effort are under way with public outreach and upcoming public hearings where residents can comment on uses, height, setbacks and waterfront activation.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6157626,"City outlines pre‑development, zoning and variance steps for West Palm Beach projects",194,299000,493000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5464732-4901774cfd84268fcf4c1b70bc822a8c&start=299&end=493","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5464732-4901774cfd84268fcf4c1b70bc822a8c/thumbnail_299000.jpg","/articles/6157626/Florida/City-outlines-predevelopment-zoning-and-variance-steps-for-West-Palm-Beach-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157626-75945d1d0cd703b6aeac05694af9384f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147121&Signature=D0u3RXNusx8TAr6Giq2UFP1d9vtVLXrnjy3C0zmr~iSEMfWbpXox59EgXi8bcQAcF4uS6c~M0tnuTFdPOYCSqZ4xZAAp6okXd1AxSneGQALAeKFsYSROxAY~MoXjWAtajDG0TvI6I3qBSAmaNOW2kdbRHd1KP7y3ezqdEQHGjS6EbbVfS5S1G5xs~Ctj29~ixGQWAYA5h8N2R3EvsPJ409jm4e2hwE9mwLOAGWGR61J3t-DrX86f3VBJfqoMM0wk36FA~JxNPUV7JqqmOAVXE3r4cAklQp-ZmZq8aMQfqIceyHDKHnYTMFyfDalm3~ZTF1lDh~1jy035SiW9gAtOhw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","West Palm Beach officials said developers seeking to build in the city should expect a multi‑stage review that begins with a pre‑development meeting and can proceed through site-plan reviews, citizen committees and, where needed, variances.

“There's a multiple number of steps you take, but the first one that we try to encourage is to have a pre development meeting,” Armando Fauna, Assistant City Administrator for the City of West Palm Beach, said. He described those meetings as a way to convene planning, zoning and utilities staff to identify issues early.

Fauna described the typical path from an initial concept to detailed civil engineering plans, back‑and‑forth comment cycles with staff and review by citizen boards or city commission depending on location and the project’s scope. “In some cases it goes, for example, downtown has a downtown action committee, which is a citizen committee that actually goes through the site plan,” he said.

Fauna also explained variances and their limited role. If a lot’s shape or constraints make strict application of the code impractical, developers can request a variance to adjust setbacks or other zoning requirements; Fauna said variances are intended to permit development of difficult sites, not to override the code broadly.

Fauna emphasized when public comment is most effective: during code or zoning change stages such as the downtown master plan revision, because projects that are “by right” within the code have limited further review.

No formal votes or approvals were described on the podcast; the discussion described administrative and public-review steps and avenues for citizen input.","City staff described the multi‑stage review for development proposals, from pre‑development meetings and site plans to citizen committees and possible variances.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6157631,"West Palm Beach sees developer interest as residents and businesses flock to city",1476,48000,1524000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5464732-4901774cfd84268fcf4c1b70bc822a8c&start=48&end=1524","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5464732-4901774cfd84268fcf4c1b70bc822a8c/thumbnail_48000.jpg","/articles/6157631/Florida/West-Palm-Beach-sees-developer-interest-as-residents-and-businesses-flock-to-city","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157631-6a6132e66f98e74b11be24e46b86cfef/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147121&Signature=nwb5GyHCAKYWi2Jc1GJqn-pGuQ4p10dJVM1zKV2MMBlThLKrLuaYjqDoUFogqwskKYmwxZMLikDEQXLt73XodrhvRMjoRVllBgChSBtR2W8woppF3FXfUGEKk03luXCl6RMcKyrEl5R8o6fqRziG823noFQRnTcHysClxGr~INSirJxkiH89w35NOqpqw5HfnvkcgmVMtvzQTIll6V8sRkdFaAvbbwhnEJvvecwsYA61HF8gSnuIyOaY7~autQK7VMkpXVFY8ZlPHBYIPeNGF4ts6vVgGwgw8UqkALtUrveuFB9fimJcRKdeooCVmFYcTGvL5uVLFYvYuaHZ5Oi2Vw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","West Palm Beach has become a magnet for developers and new businesses because of growing demand from residents and what the city calls a business-friendly permitting approach, Assistant City Administrator Armando Fauna said in a City Center podcast interview.

Fauna said the city’s mix of cultural amenities, central location and post-COVID migration have driven interest. “We have world class restaurants, we’ve got entertainment districts, we have the Kravitz Center...the Norton Museum of Art,” Fauna said, adding that people who relocated from the Northeast found the city livable year-round.

The administration also pointed to Florida’s tax environment and the city’s outreach to potential developers as reasons for growth. “One thing they always say is, We are friendly in terms of being able to sit down with staff in the city, or with the mayor, and talk through ideas,” Fauna said. He described an “open door” approach that encourages early pre-development meetings so developers and city staff can identify issues before formal submissions.

City officials and residents still face tradeoffs as demand rises. Fauna said West Palm Beach is experiencing a long-term upward trend in investment but acknowledged concerns about affordability as popularity increases. “Affordability is a challenge,” he said.

Armando Fauna framed the city’s approach as balancing growth with quality of life, noting that many projects moving forward came through multi‑stage review processes initiated years earlier.

Less critical details: the conversation occurred on the City Center podcast, a production of the City of West Palm Beach communications department.","City officials say population and business growth since the COVID-19 pandemic, local amenities and an open development process have made West Palm Beach an attractive market for developers and new businesses.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City plans mobility upgrades: Fern Street opening, new trolley service and county collaboration

City official says water capacity sufficient for growth; permit and deep-well options cited

City seeks public input on downtown master plan and waterfront activation

City outlines pre‑development, zoning and variance steps for West Palm Beach projects

West Palm Beach sees developer interest as residents and businesses flock to city