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Panama City commission approves variance for 1212 Beck Avenue, allowing finished floor 1 foot below city standard
Summary
The Panama City City Commission approved a variance allowing a finished floor elevation of 1 foot above base flood elevation (BFE) for 1212 Beck Avenue after testimony from the applicant's engineer and staff recommendation. The measure passed 5-0.
The Panama City City Commission on March 18 approved a variance that allows a finished floor elevation of 1 foot above the base flood elevation for a planned development at 1212 Beck Avenue.
City staff said the request is a variance from section 9-84 of the city’s Drainage and Floodplain Damage Prevention Code of Ordinances, which normally requires the finished floor to be at least 2 feet above the BFE. Staff told the commission it found the application met the ordinance criteria and recommended approval, saying failure to grant the variance would create exceptional hardship for the lot and that the proposed elevation would meet FEMA requirements.
Robert Carroll, of McNeil Carroll Engineering, represented the applicant and described site conditions during the quasi-judicial hearing. “The existing property sits at about elevation 5 and 6, so we’re already going to have to come up 2 to 3 feet above that,” Carroll said, adding the proposed finished floor would be roughly elevation 9 (1 foot below the city’s 10-foot requirement) and that the design will include stormwater treatment on site. He told the commission the project complies with FEMA requirements and that the applicant will sign a hold harmless agreement if the variance is approved.
Mayor Rowan and commissioners questioned whether lowering the city standard by 1 foot was the minimum necessary. Carroll said the increased cost and ADA ramping constraints make the extra foot burdensome and that nearby buildings — including Los Antojitos and another restaurant — sit at a similar elevation.
After brief discussion the commission voted by roll call: Commissioner Street — yes; Commissioner Halligas — yes; Commissioner Lucas — yes; Commissioner Granger — yes; Mayor Rowan — yes. The motion passed 5-0.
The commission’s approval allows the developer to construct at 1 foot above BFE while requiring the applicant to execute a hold-harmless agreement. City staff said they had reviewed the materials provided and found no evidence the variance would increase flood heights or present a danger to neighboring properties.
The decision was made at the end of a public hearing in which the commission treated the matter as quasi‑judicial and received sworn testimony from the engineer. No appeals or follow-up dates were set at the meeting.
