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Commission adopts Broadway Mixed Use District zoning and code updates to spur redevelopment and workforce housing
Summary
The City Commission unanimously approved two ordinances — a rezoning and a text amendment — to consolidate Broadway zoning into a single Broadway Mixed Use District (BMUD), add an expanded BMUD-E category, increase development capacity (up to seven stories with community benefits), set streetscape and setback standards, and create incentives for
The West Palm Beach City Commission on Feb. 18 voted unanimously to adopt a rezoning ordinance and a companion text amendment that create a consolidated Broadway Mixed Use District (BMUD) and establish new development standards intended to encourage pedestrian‑oriented redevelopment and workforce housing along the Broadway corridor.
The pair of city‑initiated ordinances (Ordinance 51-21-24 and Ordinance 51-22-24) rezones properties generally located on U.S. 1 between 20 Fifth Street and 50 Ninth Street to a single BMUD designation and replaces prior BMUD building type regulations with a unified code that addresses height, setbacks, buffers, permitted uses, parking standards and an expanded BMUD-E zone for properties adjacent to the corridor. Staff said the revised code retains a three‑story as‑of‑right maximum with opportunities for up to seven stories (approximately 76 feet) when projects provide specified community benefits, and it includes front‑setback standards that create a 17‑foot pedestrian zone (landscape, clear path and frontage zone) to enable on‑street dining and streetscape activation.
Maria Aponte, Assistant Development Services Director, presented the proposal and described the purpose as “to transform the corridor into a pedestrian‑friendly area with services for the surrounding community and to promote workforce housing.” The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) executive director and CRA staff also outlined a coordinated strategy of regulatory change plus targeted land acquisition the CRA said is meant to “prime the pump” for private redevelopment; the CRA owns several strategic parcels along the corridor that staff said can be leveraged to demonstrate the new code in practice.
Consultants from Dover Kohl and Partners described an extensive public engagement program dating to 2023 with more than 180 participants at an initial workshop and subsequent neighborhood focus meetings. Consultants said survey and workshop results showed residents prioritized safety, walkability and a change in the corridor’s character; public outreach materials cited wording used by attendees such as “crime” and “sketchy” to describe existing conditions and showed over 90% support in later workshops that the plan was “on the right track.” Consultants also presented graphics showing required front, side and rear setbacks, a 5‑foot vegetative buffer with a minimum 10‑foot rear building setback, and a 24‑foot additional setback for stories above the third to moderate the perceived scale from adjacent single‑family yards.
Commissioners asked about parking, noise and the potential for displacement. Staff said most redevelopment is expected to occur through new construction rather than retrofit, and parking requirements are lower than typical city standards (staff cited roughly 2 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. commercial and 1 space per residential unit in the draft) to balance feasibility and demand; staff also said code enforcement and project design would be the primary tools to address potential noise and nuisance uses and that displacement impacts would be studied and addressed before the second reading. The commission approved the first reading and adopted the rezoning and code changes on the public hearing motion; staff requested the second reading be delayed two weeks (to March 17) to allow staff to work with an adjacent property owner on a frontage solution for a separate private proposal discussed during the meeting.
The Chamber of Commerce submitted testimony in support; Michael Zeph, Chamber president and CEO, told commissioners the Chamber’s government affairs committee and board unanimously recommended support, citing economic growth and smart planning. The ordinances passed with unanimous votes; staff and consultants said the changes are intended to lower barriers to redevelopment while protecting adjacent single‑family neighborhoods through setbacks, buffers and an expanded BMUD-E that limits depth and height for properties behind the corridor.
Ending: Staff said they will return for a second reading with any minor adjustments needed to accommodate an adjacent single‑family redevelopment proposal and to provide additional detail on implementation and enforcement.
