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Neptune Beach board approves Fifth Third Bank development, mural and variance at former KFC site
Summary
The board approved a variance to reduce required street frontage, a special exception for a mural, and a development plan for a new ~1,978 sq. ft. Fifth Third Bank at 626 Atlantic Boulevard, concluding staff’s recommendations and applicant revisions.
The Neptune Beach Community Development Board approved a variance, a special exception for a mural and the development plan for a proposed Fifth Third Bank at 626 Atlantic Boulevard, a site shown in the packet as the former KFC adjacent to the Seminole Shops Plaza.
Staff presented the combined application (DP26‑04, SE26‑01 and the associated variance) and recommended approval. Staff said the site’s configuration, including an existing parking and access easement that limits reconfiguration, made the 70% primary frontage requirement difficult to meet; staff recommended allowing roughly a 30‑foot wide building frontage so the project could reuse the current driveway and parking layout. Staff told the board the proposed single‑story, roughly 1,978‑square‑foot bank would reduce daily trip generation compared with the former KFC use, slightly lower impervious surface coverage below 70% and add substantial landscaping.
An applicant representative described material changes intended to improve durability and appearance — cement‑board siding and enhanced landscaping — and said the artist proposing the mural is experienced in local coastal imagery. “We see the sea turtles as coastal theme there,” the applicant representative said when summarizing the mural concept.
Board members asked about access easements, parking calculations and the project’s traffic impacts. Staff noted a certificate of concurrency for traffic had been issued and that projected trips would not degrade level of service on surrounding streets. After brief discussion the board voted to approve the special exception for the mural (SE26‑01) and then the development plan and variance as submitted.
What happens next: With board approval, staff will forward the board’s recommendation to city council as required by process, and the applicant may proceed with final permitting and building approvals consistent with the approved plan.
