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Planning board recommends approval for 12-room bed-and-breakfast in two historic downtown buildings
Summary
The Planning Board unanimously recommended that the City Commission approve a Class A special‑use permit and three waivers for 801 Fourth Street, allowing a 12‑room bed‑and‑breakfast in two historic structures, a reduction to seven parking spaces and CRA‑vendor management.
The West Palm Beach Planning Board on June 16 recommended the City Commission approve a Class A special‑use permit for a bed‑and‑breakfast at 801 Fourth Street that would rehabilitate two historic buildings and operate 12 guest rooms.
The board’s action was a recommendation only; the City Commission will make the final decision. Staff recommended approval and the Planning Board voted unanimously to forward the case.
Architect and applicant representative Richard J. Hausen bottle described three waivers the project requests: increasing permitted bedrooms under Section 94‑273 to 12 rooms (the code allows 10 rooms normally, up to 15 with Class A approval); reducing required parking from 13 to seven spaces by counting on‑street spaces and the Downtown Master Plan (DMP) parking standard; and waiving the owner‑residency requirement so the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), as owner, may have an approved vendor manage day‑to‑day operations because the public‑entity owner cannot live on the premises. The applicant said the design locates service quarters in the Meekins House and 12 guest rooms in the adjacent building and emphasized preservation of the buildings’ historic massing and character.
Principal planner Chris Kimberly told the board the site is in the Northwest Neighborhood DMP subdistrict and that staff had concluded the petition met the standards in sections 94‑36 and 94‑273 of the zoning code; staff recommended approval with the findings in the staff report. A CRA deputy director estimated the CRA’s current restoration budget for the pair of buildings at just under $2 million, though he cautioned construction costs could rise.
No members of the public asked to speak on this application. Board member Deborah Rain moved the recommendation, a second was given, and the board voted unanimously in favor. The motion recorded that the Planning Board found the application constituted competent substantial evidence under the cited code sections.
Next step: the case will be scheduled for City Commission consideration, where final action will be taken.
