Boca Raton Planning and Zoning Board approves Advent Lutheran site plan and front-yard variance

On Sept. 19, 2024, the Boca Raton Planning and Zoning Board approved a site-plan amendment and a variance allowing Advent Lutheran Church at 300 East Yamato Road to replace three one-story buildings with a two-story, 16,833-square-foot addition and a 450-square-foot accessory storage building.

Peter Regevitch of the city’s Development Services staff told the board that the approximately 9.75-acre site is zoned R1D with a residential low future land-use designation and that staff had reviewed the applicant’s request for a reduced front-yard setback. "Staff has reviewed the variance request and has justification related to the reduction in the front yard setback and found that all six variance criteria have been met," Regevitch said, recommending approval. He also described site improvements including foundation plantings, bike racks and a new 5-foot sidewalk along Northeast 4th Avenue.

Regevitch explained the code-based setback formula applied here: the R1D district establishes a 25-foot base front-yard setback and requires an additional 10 feet for each acre over 2 acres, which staff said produces a 95-foot effective setback for this property; the applicant requested a reduction to 53 feet, 4 inches along the North Dixie Highway frontage. Staff noted the property abuts an industrial zoning district along that frontage and concluded the reduced setback would not negatively impact adjacent single-family homes.

Board member Larry Salon asked whether demolishing 40- to 50-year-old, nonconforming buildings and replacing them would make the site more conforming; Salon noted the proposed buildings were being set farther back. "The applicant is demolishing buildings that are 40 or 50 years old and are currently nonconforming," Salon said. "Their proposed expansion is actually going to make them more conforming by sending them back further." Regevitch confirmed the design and screening measures intended to soften visual impacts.

Petitioner counsel David Millidge, appearing for the property owner, offered to answer questions and noted prior work by another project consultant. No members of the public spoke during the public comment period.

After brief discussion, the board voted to approve the site-plan amendment (item 5A i) and then approved the variance request (item 5A ii). The roll call vote on both actions was unanimous: Chair Arnold Seville, Larry Salon, Timothy Dornblazer, Gregory Mitchell and Kristen Ritchie voted yes, producing final tallies of 5–0 on each item.

There were no director or member reports. The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:15 p.m.