Riviera Beach planning board rejects fee-in-lieu for downtown civic open space

The Riviera Beach Planning and Zoning Board voted unanimously to recommend denial of a proposed ordinance that would have allowed developers in the Downtown Marina Zoning District to provide a monetary contribution in lieu of the code’s civic open space requirement.

The item, presented by Clarence Sermons, director of development services, would have added a fee-in-lieu option for “working waterfront” projects in the downtown marine zoning district; staff said the fee would be calculated by city staff to reflect land and construction costs. Sermons told the board the draft text amendment was the result of a councilmember request and that staff had briefed city council before bringing the matter to the board for a recommendation.

Sermons described civic open space as a code requirement that applies to new downtown development of one acre or more and to additions that increase gross floor area by 20% or more. Under current code excerpts staff…