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City begins Downtown Master Plan update; public roundtables set for March 20
Summary
City staff and consultant Ziskovich Architects described the kickoff and early steering committee meetings for the Downtown Master Plan (DMP) update and announced a series of public roundtables beginning March 20 on economics, connectivity and mobility, and public realm/place-making.
City planning staff told the Downtown Action Committee on March 12 that the Downtown Master Plan (DMP) update is underway and that Ziskovich Architects has been retained to revise downtown urban regulations.
Chris Kimberly, senior urban designer for the City of West Palm Beach, said the city held a project kickoff with staff and the consultant on Jan. 17 and followed with a debrief and walking tour Feb. 12. The first steering committee meeting took place Feb. 19, Kimberly said; the mayor appointed seven local development professionals to serve as an advisory steering committee.
Public participation opportunities were announced. Kimberly said Ziskovich will lead a set of public roundtables that will be advertised on the city website and other outlets; the first roundtable is scheduled for March 20 and will include sessions on development and business, an out-of-town expert lunch presentation, and a housing and community development session. He said the roundtable topics are grouped into three areas: economics; connectivity, mobility and smart cities; and character, public realm and place-making.
All steering committee meetings will be held at City Hall in the Planning Conference Hall from 11 a.m. to noon and will be advertised online; those meetings will be between staff, the steering members and the consultant and will not take public comment, Kimberly said. The consultant’s roundtables will be moderated and include panelists and interactive polling and public Q&A.
Kimberly outlined a timeline aiming for a draft of language changes by September and formal processing of the DMP amendments through DAC, the Planning Board and City Commission by the end of the year.
Committee members asked whether recent state-level policy trends such as accessory dwelling unit (ADU) legislation would be considered. Kimberly said the consultant will perform a comprehensive review of subdistricts and that any implications for densities or allowances will be assessed as part of the update. A board member also suggested coordination with a separate overlay study on the waterfront’s north end so the DMP work can be complementary.
The announcement sets a public schedule for community input early in the DMP process and frames the remainder of 2025 for drafting and formal review.
