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Commission increases B-MUD height incentive for workforce housing, clarifies bonus-unit rules
Summary
The commission unanimously adopted a zoning text amendment clarifying and increasing B‑MUD incentives to support affordable and workforce housing, making the incentive four additional floors atop a three‑story base for a seven‑story maximum.
The City Commission unanimously approved a text amendment to the zoning code on Feb. 3, 2025 that increases and clarifies incentives in the Broadway Mixed-Use District (B‑MUD) to support affordable and workforce housing. The ordinance (No. 5123-25) modifies Article 17 of the zoning code to clarify bonus-unit calculations in cases of upzoning, to confirm the maximum floor area ratio allowed, and to authorize limited variance/waiver review for “Live Local” workforce housing developments.
Anna Maria Aponte, assistant development services director, presented corrections to the ordinance language adopted at first reading: the B‑MUD base is three stories and the incentive is four additional stories (for a seven‑story total), so the staff corrected an earlier misstatement that had described the incentive as three additional floors. Aponte told commissioners the revised text aligns the ordinance with the policy intent and provides administrative clarity.
A member of the public, Nick Bixler with Connect West Palm Beach, spoke in favor of the upzoning as a tool to add workforce and affordable units in a city with limited vacant land.
The commission moved, seconded and voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance on second reading. The amendment was found consistent with the comprehensive plan and the planning board had recommended approval.
Why it matters The zoning text change increases the development incentive in B‑MUD as an explicit tool to encourage workforce and affordable housing by allowing additional floors for qualifying projects and by clarifying how bonus units are calculated for properties seeking an upzoning.
Implementation The ordinance authorizes limited variance and waiver review by the commission for Live Local workforce housing developments and updates plan sheets and development regulations to reflect build-out and plan changes. The staff said the change will ease administrative review and help developers align on the bonus-unit calculation rules.
Votes at a glance - Action: Adopt Ordinance No. 5123-25 on second reading (zoning text amendment for affordable and workforce housing overlay) - Outcome: Approved (unanimous)
Next steps Staff will implement the revised text when processing future B‑MUD applications and will apply the clarified bonus calculations to any pending upzoning requests, subject to site-level review and any authorized variance or waiver process.
