Board approves variance for Murphy USA fueling station at Forest Hill Boulevard

The Planning & Zoning Board approved variance BA2308 to permit a new Murphy USA fuel station at 6270 Forest Hill Boulevard after agreeing to reduce the code’s 1,500-foot separation requirement between fuel stations to 768 feet for this site.

Johnny Gallagher, senior planner, told the board the applicant requested the variance from code sections cited in the staff report to allow fuel sales where an existing convenience store is already present on the parcel. The property owner was identified in the staff presentation as ARLFHJ LLC. Staff and the Development Review Committee recommended approval, concluding the application met the variance criteria in the staff report because of the built-out commercial corridor and limited available sites that meet the city’s frontage requirements on Forest Hill Boulevard or Lake Worth Road.

The applicant’s presentation described a redevelopment of the existing strip mall: a convenience store of about 2,824 square feet and a 12-fueling-station canopy, with the existing driveway configuration retained and an additional right-in/right-out proposed. The applicant said utility connections will use an existing lift station and stormwater will be retained on-site per FDOT and city requirements. The applicant told the board the site will be demolished and redeveloped and that hours would be 24 hours; the application does not include electric-vehicle charging stations.

Board members asked about spacing to other fuel stations; staff noted the closest other fueling station beyond the immediate pair is about 1.3 miles away. The variance approval allows the applicant to return to the board at a later date with the site-and-development plan, special exception and master sign plan, which were described by staff as separate approvals to follow if the variance is granted. The board voted unanimously to approve the variance; a named mover and seconder were not specified in the transcript.