Par Board recommends denial of drive‑through variance for proposed downtown bank at 202 S. Daytona Ave.

The Flagler Beach Par Board voted to recommend denial of application PVAR26‑001, a request to allow a one‑lane drive‑through at a proposed three‑story commercial building on the southwest corner of South Daytona Avenue and 2nd Street.

City planner, presenting the staff report, said the parcel is in the Downtown Mixed Use Overlay and that the applicant sought a variance from the Land Development Code, Article 2, Section 20‑402 design guidelines to permit a drive‑through. The planner said the overlay’s goals prioritize a pedestrian‑scaled environment and that drive‑throughs are a prohibited use in the downtown overlay unless allowed by special exception in other commercial districts. The planner told the board that staff had reviewed the six legal criteria for a variance and concluded none were met, and therefore recommended denial.

Joseph Bazzulli, the project architect from Flagler Beach, said the community no longer has a bank with a drive‑through and asked the board whether the city commission could be asked to consider changing the code. “I know the land development code says no drive through allowed,” Bazzulli said, and he requested guidance on whether the commission could direct a code amendment or whether a different procedural avenue exists.

Board members questioned practical impacts of the proposal on downtown parking and circulation. One member said the proposed building would intensify existing parking constraints, noting employees and customers would increase demand on limited downtown parking. Board members expressed concern that allowing one exception could set a precedent for additional drive‑throughs on the town’s standard 50‑foot commercial lots. "Not to mention if we bend the rule on this, you gotta kind of do it for the next guy down the road," one board member said.

Silas Grinstead, identifying himself as with Barwick Bank, asked about ingress and egress for parking on the north side of the lot and whether angled parking or sidewalk relocation would be required. Bazzulli and staff discussed alternatives: the applicant said the project would still include a walk‑up ATM and walk‑up teller service if a drive‑through were not permitted, and estimated the project would request about 15–17 parking pool spaces from the city if the drive‑through were removed.

Staff also noted the applicant subsequently submitted a site plan to the technical review committee (TRC) that eliminated the drive‑through component; staff said that plan demonstrated the property could be reasonably used without the variance. For those reasons, staff concluded the variance would confer special privileges denied to other properties in the overlay and that the applicant had not demonstrated the undue hardship or unique circumstances required to satisfy the variance criteria.

After discussion, a board member moved to recommend denial of PVAR26‑001, stating that “none of the six criteria have been met.” The motion was seconded and carried by roll call; the board recorded affirmative votes from Ruth Smith and Joanne Jones and the motion passed.

Votes at a glance: • Approval of minutes (Oct. 7): approved by voice vote. • PVAR26‑001 (variance to allow one‑lane drive‑through at 202 S. Daytona Ave.): Par Board recommended denial; motion carried on roll call (affirmative votes recorded for Ruth Smith and Joanne Jones; other affirmative votes recorded but not named in the transcript).

What happens next: A recommendation from the Par Board is advisory; a code change would require an ordinance adopted by the Flagler Beach City Commission and, if referred, would return to the Par Board for review as part of the normal code‑amendment process. The applicant may pursue the TRC plan that omits the drive‑through or pursue a legislative change through the commission if it chooses to seek a permanent amendment to the Land Development Code.