CRA finds Related UrbanElement 7 consistent with master plan amid parking and height concerns from residents
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Summary
The board voted 4-0 to find Element 7 consistent with the CRA master plan; developers reported 51% local hiring to date and $5.7 million in local contracts, while multiple public commenters raised worries about building height, parking adequacy and long lease terms for marina-owned land.
The Riviera Beach CRA voted unanimously on March 25 to find the Element 7 site plan consistent with the Marina Village CRA master plan, after Related Urban and Tesoro Partners presented progress on the project and community benefits commitments.
Albert Milo, president of Related Urban, and partner Ezra Safold reviewed the Element 7 design and construction schedule and said the adjacent Element 8 is well advanced. Milo said the team is topping off the first phase and beginning garage foundation work; he reported the project is on time and on budget and roughly 35% complete for the currently active phase. The presenters described commitments on community participation and local hiring: they reported 51% local hiring and approximately 18% local contracting so far, and noted $5.7 million awarded to nine Riviera Beach firms.
Project elements presented included about 418 residential units, 652 garage parking spaces, 60 additional bicycle parking spaces, roughly 6,300 square feet of commercial space lining Broadway, and pedestrian and traffic improvements including a right‑turn lane on 13th Street. The developer noted multiple outreach events and local workforce readiness workshops to expand local contractor participation.
During the public comment period residents raised multiple concerns: Rochelle Hughes asked for height limits and questioned whether a 99‑year lease of city‑owned marina land had been communicated to residents; Annette Dragon pressed for guarantees of affordable units and asked whether the developer would pay for road, sidewalk and traffic improvements tied to higher densities. Both questioned parking sufficiency for the proposed number of units. Developer representatives and staff responded that the item tonight was a consistency finding under the CRA plan and that some improvements require coordination with county and state agencies; staff and the developer said they will continue community engagement and that detailed mitigation and funding obligations will be clarified in subsequent approvals or agreements.
The board voted 4-0 to find the site plan consistent with the CRA plan and to continue permitting and negotiation steps for future project approvals.
