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Planning board recommends alley vacation in Flagler Village with three‑dimensional easement
Summary
The Fort Lauderdale Planning & Zoning Board recommended approval of an alley vacation request for a Flagler Village parcel owned by 501 Northeast Holdings, with the developer dedicating a three‑dimensional easement to preserve public access and utilities.
The Fort Lauderdale Planning and Zoning Board on July 15 recommended approval of a request to vacate a portion of an alley in Flagler Village, with conditions requiring a three‑dimensional easement to preserve public access and utilities.
Robert Locker, representing the applicant, described the request for the parcel owned by 501 Northeast Holdings and said the developer will dedicate an easement that preserves the alley for public passage and utilities while allowing building construction above it. "We are providing a ... an easement for the width of the alley plus a height of 16 feet in this case," Locker said, noting the easement is a condition of the alley vacation.
The nut of the board's discussion centered on whether the alley would continue to provide public access. A member said they were "having a hard time understanding" the configuration; Locker replied that the alley will remain accessible through the easement and compared the plan to prior local projects where alleys run through or under buildings.
Planning staff told the board the application has been under review for about two years and that early Development Review Committee comments were addressed after the applicant agreed to provide access and utility easements. Jim Hetzel, planning staff, said staff now finds the proposed easement arrangement acceptable and consistent with the city's ordinance.
Board members pressed practical questions about access, lighting and the length of the enclosed portion; the applicant cited nearby examples — including the New River Yacht Club, Avenue Lofts and a Flagler Village Publix — where alleys were vacated and easements provided. After discussion a board member moved to recommend approval of UDP‑v23008, another member seconded, and the board recorded a unanimous recommendation in favor of the vacation with the staff conditions.
The recommendation will go to the City Commission for final action. The application materials and staff conditions remain part of the public record for the commission's review.
