Planning board approves St. Anne’s expansion, variances for 701 NW 1st Avenue

The Hallandale Beach Planning and Zoning Board unanimously recommended approval June 9 of a conditional use permit and several variances to allow St. Anne’s Episcopal Church to expand an accessory multipurpose building at 701 Northwest 1st Avenue.

Josiah Israel, associate planner with the city’s planning and zoning division, told the board the site totals 0.96 acres — short of the 1.0‑acre minimum for a house of worship — and that the proposed addition increases an existing nonconformity by reducing the residential buffer in places to as little as 23 feet. Israel said the project would reconfigure four existing front back‑out parking spaces into two accessible stalls, add a new 27‑space lot and rely on an existing 29‑space lot across the street for a total of 58 spaces (56 required). He said the applicant proposes 48 tree credits where 27 are required and that the city arborist identified four trees in poor condition that must be removed and replaced with permitted species.

Everett Neely, senior warden of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, told the board the church supports staff’s recommended conditions, has no objection to removing the arborist‑flagged trees and will reconfigure the parking as required. In public comment Alice Cooper, who identified herself as a long‑time resident and church member, described the church as “a beacon of light in Hallandale Beach” and urged approval, citing the congregation’s youth mentoring efforts.

Board members pressed staff and the applicant on notification to neighbors, the change to the residential buffer and canopy impacts from tree removals. Staff confirmed adjacent property owners were notified and said no objections were received. The arborist recommendation to remove four failing trees was described as mitigated by the applicant’s plan to plant substantially more trees than required.

After questioning, the board voted on the conditional use application CU‑26‑02361 and on variances including reducing required site area from 1.0 to 0.96 acres, reducing the required residential setback to 35 and 23 feet at specified locations, increasing the maximum permitted accessory gross floor area from 50% to 65%, and reducing the landscape buffer width from 5 feet to 3 feet. Each motion carried unanimously. Staff noted the board’s action is a recommendation and the item is tentatively scheduled for City Commission consideration on Aug. 5.

The board’s approvals were conditioned on updated landscape plans to address the city arborist’s comments, required permits for tree removal, and reconfiguration of the existing front parking into accessible spaces as shown on the proposed plans. The board closed the public hearing and moved to the next agenda item.