The Planning & Zoning Board on Oct. 29 approved a modification to a previously authorized development at 1116 Palm Avenue that changes the approved project from an eight-story, 48-unit building to a five-story, 52-unit multifamily building and authorizes a package of variances and mitigations. Staff recommended approval with conditions; the applicant's representatives accepted the conditions on the record.

Staff described the modified proposal as a five-story building with 52 residential units, ground-floor amenities including a lobby, fitness center and club room, and residential floors consisting of one-bedroom units with balconies. Because the project seeks variances for reduced unit sizes, reduced pervious area (12% where 30% is required), landscape mitigation and a parking mitigation, staff recommended conditions to secure promised mitigation measures and ensure the project's public benefits.

Staff's recommended conditions include entering into a declaration of restriction to develop the site according to signed plans, a one-time parking mitigation payment of $30,000 to cover six missing parking spaces at the time of site-plan and concurrency review, a one-time landscape mitigation payment (amount to be calculated at site-plan), obtaining approvals for proposed crosswalks at Palm Avenue and Eleventh Street and for a mid-block crossing, requiring 100% of units to be designated workforce housing at 140% of area median income (AMI), and showing proposed public artwork on site plans and renderings to qualify for MBD incentive points.

Jose Cueto, representing the owner, told the board the change resulted from corrections to previously submitted plans and asserted the project would provide workforce housing near transit. He said the applicant is coordinating with city street and county departments on the proposed crosswalks and committed to the staff conditions.

An authorized representative for the owner, Anya Herrera, appeared, was sworn and accepted the staff conditions on the record. After public comment and technical discussion, the board moved and approved the amendment and variances with the recommended conditions.

(Approved action: modification of prior ordinance to permit a five-story, 52-unit workforce-housing project with conditions including a $30,000 parking mitigation payment, a determined landscape mitigation payment, crosswalk approvals and a recorded declaration of restriction.)