Planning Board approves Nora District text change to allow height-by-feet (not story cap) to unlock more workforce units

The West Palm Beach Planning Board unanimously recommended approval April 15 of a narrow text amendment to the Nora district (code revision case 2503) that removes a fixed story limit in favor of a feet-based height cap to allow developers in certain subareas to reach the maximum permitted floor-area ratio (FAR) and thereby produce more workforce housing.

Developer representative Joseph First said the change stems from a technical mismatch between an eight-story numerical cap and the 125-foot height ceiling currently allowed in the district. “By limiting our height to 8 stories, we are not getting to maximize our FAR, we’re not getting to maximize our incentive zoning, and therefore, we’re not delivering as much affordable units as we otherwise would have,” First told the board. He presented a comparison showing the first multifamily project would generate 48 workforce units under the 125-foot approach versus 30 units under an eight-story limit.

City staff supported the narrow amendment. Chris Kimberly, senior urban designer, said the revision simply removes the floor-count constraint (for the affected subdistrict) and clarifies how setbacks and maximum building footprint rules apply to additional stories that could be built within the same feet limit. The text also sets a 9-foot minimum floor-to-floor height to avoid overly compressed floor plates and requires that at least 65% of the building be residential to use the revised height allowance.

The Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend approval. Staff and the applicant said the change should allow the developer to achieve the previously approved FAR while also increasing the number of workforce units delivered through the city’s incentive-zoning program. The item will go to the City Commission for final action.