Delray Beach commissioners split on Atlantic Avenue protection; majority directs staff to explore conservation-district option

City staff on Feb. 11 presented a corridor-wide historic resource survey for East Atlantic Avenue and sought commission direction on whether to pursue an Atlantic Avenue historic district, a conservation (heritage) district, targeted Land Development Regulation changes, or no change.

The consultant-staff presentation covered the full corridor from I‑95 to the ocean, identified about 70 properties within the proposed study area and highlighted architectural contributors and parcels already protected by existing local districts such as Old School Square and the Marina Historic District. Staff said 14 of the 70 properties already sit in existing historic districts; the presentation identified 44 contributing properties and said about 34 contributing properties would gain protections they do not now have, depending on final boundaries.

“The avenue is our gem. It must be protected,” Mayor Carney said during opening remarks about the avenue’s character and the need to preserve its scale and charm.

Staff recommendations and options: Development Services Director Anthea Chiodas and planning staff reviewed four primary options: pursue an Atlantic Avenue historic district (local listing and National Register nomination), adopt a conservation (heritage) district tailored to Delray Beach, amend the LDRs and architectural-design guidelines to add demolition/aggregation controls, or take no further action. Staff noted the city already limits Atlantic Avenue to three stories, requires active street-level uses, and has adopted architectural design guidelines and form-based code components.

Staff described the conservation-district approach as a more flexible zoning tool that can be tailored to limit aggregation of parcels, add demolition review and facade controls, or incorporate enhanced design guidelines without the full features of a National Register-style historic district. Staff also said historic districts bring access to tax incentives and certain grants, especially federal programs that favor African American cemetery and abandoned-cemetery grants, and that designation does not “freeze” buildings in time but applies additional design review.

Public comment: The workshop drew extensive public comment from property owners, business leaders and preservation advocates. Speakers included Joyce Mooney, who said she supported designation: “I worry that I’m in favor of historic designation for Atlantic Avenue,” and Linda Oxford, who noted family ties to downtown and the Popcorn Building: “The popcorn house sits. My mother was born there.” Price Batten of the Delray Beach Preservation Trust urged the commission not to “stop and do nothing.”

Supporters of a full historic district included members of the Delray Beach Preservation Trust and residents who said designation would protect the avenue’s character and economic value. The Downtown Development Authority’s executive representative, Laura Simon, told the commission her board had recommended against a historic-district overlay and urged that any new rules not unduly burden commercial property owners or delay permitting.

Commission debate and outcome: Commissioners said they share the goal of protecting the avenue but disagreed on method. Some commissioners urged a full historic district to provide long-term protections and access to incentives; others warned a historic overlay could slow commercial permitting, enable lawsuits, or unduly restrict property owners.

At the workshop’s close, commissioners gave staff direction. Three commissioners asked staff to prepare draft language and options for a conservation (heritage) district tailored to Atlantic Avenue that could include demolition review, limits on parcel aggregation, facade controls and expedited review timelines. Commissioners also asked staff to return with specific recommendations for incentives, administrative timing limits for reviews, and draft LDR amendments if a conservation district is pursued.

Veterans Park: The historic survey identified Veterans Park as a contributing resource, and members of the public asked the commission to move quickly to protect the park. Several speakers recommended deed restrictions as a parallel or alternative protection. Commissioners directed staff to accept and review the Preservation Trust’s Veterans Park nomination report and to advise on deed‑restriction language that would preserve public recreational use while the city considers any historic designation.

Next steps: Staff will draft conservation-district options and LDR amendments, estimate timelines, and return to the commission with ordinance language and comparative analyses of district types and incentives. Because the meeting was a workshop, no ordinance vote occurred; commissioners asked that the matter be returned for formal public hearings when draft language is ready.

Ending: The commission left the workshop with a split but actionable mandate: prepare conservation-district options and provide detailed drafts and analyses for future public hearings, and evaluate Veterans Park protections including deed restrictions and historic-listing options.