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Commission recommends approval of PDD Z-26-4 to allow oceanfront paid parking lot
Summary
The commission voted to recommend approval of a major PDD amendment (Z-26-4) to create an oceanfront paid parking lot at the Towers on the Grove site, forwarding the item to city council; staff said the approval would be temporary through Sept. 30, 2028, and the lot would expand to 37 stalls.
The commission voted to recommend approval of PDD Z-26-4, a major planned development district amendment that would create an oceanfront paid parking lot at the Towers on the Grove site, and will forward the recommendation to city council for its June 1 meeting.
Suzanne, a staff member, told the commission the item had been remanded back from city council after neighboring condo owners raised questions and because of changes to the site plan. She described the parcel as "South Tower 1 B Future" on the drawings and said the current proposal shifts the driveway location compared with the earlier version of the plan.
The proposal includes a 37-stall surface lot (up from 27 in a prior version), in-ground electric vaults that can be driven over, relocated portable toilets moved to a corner away from an adjoining Mid Strand condo, and a five-foot landscape buffer along the southern property line. "It discourages but doesn't prohibit users of the parking lot from using the existing 5 foot wide public beach access through a combination of fencing and landscaping," Suzanne said, describing measures intended to limit informal pedestrian shortcuts without closing the public access.
Staff also said the approval would be time-limited, set to expire on Sept. 30, 2028; after that date the applicant could seek reauthorization of the temporary use or pursue another major PDD amendment. Suzanne said the lot would be run by a private parking company and that payment would likely be handled at a pay station or kiosk located next to Lot 32.
Commissioners asked about safety and emergency egress. One commissioner asked whether grading would level the area around the in-ground vaults; Suzanne said a concrete apron would be installed to reduce gravel and dust. Another commissioner voiced concern that the placement of an electrical vault and the lot layout could leave vehicles trapped if there were no secondary exit; Suzanne said staff believed the in-ground equipment could be closed and people moved out in an emergency. The commission also clarified that the existing beach access is public and cannot be fully closed off by the applicant.
No members of the public addressed the commission on the item. A commissioner moved to send the recommendation of approval for PDD Z-26-4 "as submitted." The chair called for the vote; several members responded "Aye," and the chair declared, "Ayes have it." The commission then adjourned.
The recommendation will be considered by city council at its June 1 meeting; the planning action as discussed is temporary through Sept. 30, 2028, unless reauthorized.
