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Advent Lutheran expansion and reduced front setback approved by Boca Raton planning board
Summary
The Boca Raton Planning & Zoning Board approved a site‑plan amendment and a variance allowing Advent Lutheran to replace three one‑story buildings with a 2‑story 16,833 sq ft addition and reduce the North Dixie Highway front setback from 95 ft to 53 ft 4 in on an approximately 9.75‑acre site; a board member recused and no public speakers opposed.
Advent Lutheran’s proposed expansion at 300 East Yamato Road won planning approval Thursday evening when the Boca Raton Planning & Zoning Board voted to approve a site‑plan amendment and a companion variance reducing the front yard setback along North Dixie Highway.
The board approved a plan to demolish three existing one‑story buildings (totaling 8,967 square feet) and add a 16,833‑square‑foot, two‑story addition connected to an existing two‑story building, plus a new 450‑square‑foot accessory storage structure, on the roughly 9.75‑acre site. City staff also said the project includes a new 5‑foot sidewalk on Northeast 4th Avenue and bike racks to improve pedestrian and bicycle connections.
City planner Peter Regevitch of Development Services presented the proposal and outlined the requested relief. He said the R1D zoning code requires a 95‑foot front setback for properties larger than two acres, while the applicant asked to reduce that requirement to 53 feet, 4 inches along the North Dixie Highway frontage for the proposed addition. Regevitch told the board staff found the application met the city’s six variance criteria and concluded the reduced setback—adjacent to an industrial district on that frontage—would not negatively affect the single‑family residential area to the south and east. "Staff has reviewed the variance request and found that all six variance criteria have been met," he said.
A board member noted the project replaces nonconforming structures that have stood for 40 to 50 years and said the proposed work would make the site more conforming to current standards. Attorney David Millage, speaking for the property owner, offered to answer questions but provided no additional substantive changes to the proposal at the hearing.
The board received no public comment on the item. A motion to approve the site‑plan resolution (agenda item 5a I) and a separate motion to approve the variance (agenda item 5a II) were both seconded and passed on roll‑call votes recorded by the board secretary as affirmative. The transcript records the board members listed in roll call as voting yes; the vote was recorded as approval for both items.
During the proceeding, a board member disclosed an apparent conflict and recused themself, stating, "Advent Lutheran is a client of my appraisal firm." The transcript does not identify that member by a consistent spelling of name; the recusal was noted before the board considered the motions.
The approval permits the church to proceed with demolition and construction as shown on the approved site plan and authorizes the reduced front setback for the addition. The board's approval is a local land‑use decision; any subsequent permitting or building actions must comply with other applicable city permitting requirements.
Procedural notes: the board approved previous meeting minutes from Aug. 15, 2024, by voice vote earlier in the meeting; the minutes motion in the record did not include the mover’s or seconder’s names. The meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m.
