Planning commission approves Milestone Motors special-exception despite business owners’ parking objections

Royal Palm Beach — The Village of Royal Palm Beach Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 27 voted 3–2 to recommend approval of a special-exception use for Milestone Motors LLC to operate automotive repair in Bay 4 at 180 Business Parkway, a decision that followed a lengthy public-comment period in which neighboring business owners said the change would sharply reduce shared parking and create safety issues.

The application (25-018 SE) asks to allow an automotive repair use within the Industrial General zoning district and includes staff-recommended conditions: repairs only inside bays; no outdoor storage of vehicles or materials; no wet-washing of bays; and a requirement that the applicant obtain a major site-plan modification and final village approvals before operating. Staff noted the site must meet minimum parking obligations and that failure to follow conditions could trigger permit revocation.

Several long-established businesses in the Business Parkway complex urged denial. George Arlecon, owner of J and H Automotive, said the proposal would reduce available parking from 50 to 29 spaces and “it’s gonna be very difficult for us — this is gonna kill my business.” Raquel Alarcon, who said she and her husband have operated D and H Automotive in the parkway since 2012, told the commission the current lease and a parking diagram delineate tenant spaces and that the applicant’s proposal would eliminate shared common areas the existing tenants rely on. Enrique Basas urged a traffic study, saying peak backups sometimes extend onto State Road 441 and that the new layout could create pedestrian hazards.

Applicant Jonathan Osorio said the site plan submitted reflects the original parking configuration and that his team completed a traffic study that was approved. “We did a traffic study. It was approved,” he told the commission, and he said the prior owner’s informal parking diagram was not a village-approved plan. Osorio also said the prior condition of parking and outside storage was noncompliant and that the proposed site plan restores the intended layout.

Commission discussion focused on tight circulation and parking in the Business Parkway area. Several commissioners said they were sympathetic to existing tenants’ concerns; one commissioner said the area’s frequent bus and peak-hour backups made adding another repair use problematic. Commissioners also clarified that approving the special exception does not approve a site plan and that Milestone could not operate the Bay 4 repair use until the site plan and any necessary council approvals are completed.

After an initial motion to deny failed, the commission approved the special exception by a 3–2 vote. The commission’s recommendation and associated resolution will be forwarded to the Village Council for final action; the site-plan modification must be submitted and approved by the village before the applicant may operate.

Votes and next steps: the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval (3–2). The application and resolution will proceed to Village Council for final action; operation of Bay 4 is contingent on final site-plan approval and any council conditions.