Riviera Beach planning board approves land-use change and site plan for new police headquarters at 1621 West Blue Heron Boulevard

The City of Riviera Beach Planning & Zoning Board on May 14 approved a future-land-use amendment and site plan that clear the way for a new police department headquarters at 1621 West Blue Heron Boulevard.

Senior planner Mr. Suarez told the board the project includes two applications — site plan SP25007 and land-use amendment LU25003 — asking to change the land use from recreation to community facility, and that staff found the proposals consistent with the land-development code and the comprehensive plan. "Staff recommends that the Planning and Zoning Board forward a recommendation of approval for site plan application SP 25-007 and future land use application LU 25-003 to the City Council," Mr. Suarez said.

Architect Joey Ballowe of PGAL Architects presented the building design, describing a two-building concept with a signature blue tower for the police headquarters, secure and visitor parking, and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) measures. "Police is going to have blue," Ballowe said while explaining the design language and site layout.

Board member Ms. Davis praised the architecture but said she was troubled by the chosen location. "I love the building. It's just the location that is a concern to me," Ms. Davis said, noting the city already owns other properties that had been studied for municipal facilities. Staff replied the board's role was to review land-development consistency, not site-selection decisions made in earlier capital-planning processes.

Several board members asked detailed questions about ingress and egress, traffic near nearby schools, lighting, and the layout of public versus secure entrances. Mr. Suarez and the applicant explained the primary public entrance will be on Avenue S with staff and emergency access on Blue Heron; staff said traffic studies showed the design would address school-drop-off congestion.

Security measures received particular attention. Major Steven Thomas of the Riviera Beach Police Department said police staff were "intimately involved with the architects" and confirmed plans for a 4-foot concrete perimeter wall, an 8-foot aluminum security fence for staff parking, bollards, and other barriers. He also urged adding additional surface barriers and recommended enhanced lighting and surveillance. "We were very intimately involved with the process," Major Thomas said.

Principal planner Kurt Thompson told the board some map lines shown on the property-appraiser website reflect abandoned platted streets and that, if approved, the city would replat the parcels into a single lot for site-plan purposes. The application materials include parcel control numbers the board reviewed on the record: 56-43-42-29-007-0010 and 56-43-42-29-008-0010.

The board moved and seconded both the land-use amendment and the site plan (the site plan was attached to Resolution 90-25 as read into the record). Both motions passed on roll call with Board member Burgess, Board member Stringer, Vice Chair Fernandez and Chair Wally voting yes and Board member Williams voting no. Mr. Sermons confirmed the site-plan conditions were noted on the record and that recommended security and lighting additions could be included as conditions.

Next steps: the board's recommendation and the record will move to city council for final action, and staff said they would include the added security and lighting items as part of the approval conditions for council review.