Planning board recommends ordinance to align Boca Raton code with changes to Florida's Live Local Act

The Boca Raton Planning & Zoning Board on Nov. 6 voted unanimously to recommend a proposed ordinance updating the city's Live Local implementing regulations to conform with recent changes in the Florida Legislature's Live Local Act.

Development Services Director Brandon Shadd presented the proposed text amendment, describing several state-driven changes the city must adopt. "So we're talking tonight about updates to our local ordinance that implements the Live Local Act, based on some changes that have been made by the legislature in the last couple of years," Shadd said. He summarized key points: the Live Local Act allows eligible residential development in certain commercial or mixed-use areas if at least 40% of units are affordable (with affordability defined for at least 30 years) and requires that at least 65% of floor area be residential for mixed-use projects. The state now clarifies that maximum FAR may be set at 150% of the highest FAR allowed in the jurisdiction (Shadd said that means a potential up-to-1.5 FAR in Boca Raton), and the legislature has limited the city's ability to require more than 10% of building square footage as nonresidential (which affects the city's prior 5,000-square-foot/10% mixed-use rule). Shadd also described mandated parking reductions (a 15% reduction in certain proximity scenarios and elimination of minimum parking where a project is inside a transit-oriented development) and clarified that affordable units must be rental units.

Vice Chair Salon asked for clarification about market-rate owner-occupied units. Shadd replied that the statute requires the 40% affordable units to be rentals but that the remaining market-rate units could, in unusual situations, be owner-occupied; he said the ordinance language was revised accordingly. "So those 40% that are affordable... must be rentals," Shadd told the board.

A public commenter, Lehi Grama, told the board that state legislative changes require municipalities to update their ordinances and voiced support for the city aligning its code with state law.

After the public hearing, the board moved and seconded a recommendation to the city council to amend the ordinance; the clerk recorded a 5-0 roll-call vote in favor.

Notes and clarifications: the item as read into the record cites amendments to Boca Raton Code (chapter 28, article 15, division 14) and references state law sections as read aloud by staff. The transcript documents board recommendation to city council; subsequent council action is not recorded in this meeting's transcript.