The West Palm Beach Planning Board recommended that the City Commission consider rezoning 5400 North Flagler to allow a 31-story residential tower, but the hearing revealed continuing staff concerns about how the project addresses the Flagler Drive street edge and the scale of setback reductions.

The applicant, Great Gulf (represented by Ken Toomer of Urban Design Studio), presented a 31-story, 97-unit design by internationally known architect Moshe Safdie that places most of the tower mass well back from the street and includes a two-story parking podium, enhanced landscaping, a 12-foot pedestrian path on Flagler and a rooftop amenity deck. Toomer said the design grew from extensive neighborhood outreach and collaborative revisions.

Why it matters: The property sits in a corridor experiencing rapid redevelopment; staff said the proposed tower would be one of the taller individual buildings among recent projects and that its ground-floor treatment currently lacks "active uses" along the Flagler frontage that would better connect a high-rise building to adjacent single-family and historic neighborhoods.

Staff position: Louisa Centini, senior planner, told the board staff had no objection to three of the four requested waivers but recommended denial of the application overall because waiver number three (side and rear setback reductions that enable the proposed tower height and massing) and the lack of active frontage raise code-compatibility concerns. Centini noted an ongoing Flagler Drive overlay study and said staff was asking the applicant to improve activation of the street edge and reduce the height/massing impact. In her words, "Therefore, staff's recommendation is denial of the rezoning [and] the waivers..." unless the applicant addresses the concerns.

Applicant's case and neighborhood response: Ken Toomer and local design partners said the slender tower and deep setbacks help minimize impacts on neighbors; the applicant emphasized stormwater upgrades, an internalized service area, security cameras, and a multiuse 12-foot path along Flagler. Northwood Harbor Association president Angela Ogburn told the board her association supports the project and praised the developer's outreach; several residents of nearby Palm Beach House testified against aspects of the tower, saying taller massing would affect view corridors and increase construction impacts.

Board reaction and vote: Board members voiced admiration for the design while echoing staff's desire for greater street-level activation. Several members suggested that well-designed streetscape features'landscaping, lighting, public art or a more articulated pedestrian entrance'could meet the intent of "active use" without relocating building programmatic elements onto the ground floor. The board voted unanimously to recommend approval of the rezoning to the City Commission and separately approved the PD minimum-area waiver (required by code) so the application may proceed to the commission; members asked the applicant to continue working with staff on ground-floor activation and consider refinements to massing setbacks.

Next steps: The Planning Board's recommendation and the staff report (which included a recommendation of denial unless issues are addressed) will go to the City Commission for final action. The applicant and staff agreed to continue design coordination before the commission hearing.

Quoted speakers: Ken Toomer (applicant), Louisa Centini (staff), Angela Ogburn (Northwood Harbor Association president).