Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Pud Amendment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning board backs Barnett Center PUD amendment to allow non‑industrial R&D for Exuma Biotech
Summary
The Planning Board unanimously recommended a major amendment to the Barnett Center planned development to add a non‑industrial research‑and‑development use for Exuma Biotech. Staff supported the interior‑only change and the board asked clarifying questions about testing and permanency before forwarding the recommendation to the City Commission.
The West Palm Beach Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend that the City Commission approve a major amendment to the Barnett Center planned development to allow non‑industrial research‑and‑development use for Exuma Biotech.
John Schmidt, agent for Exuma Biotech, said the amendment would add a non‑industrial R&D use to the planned unit development (PUD) without changes to the approved site plan, square footage or intensity. "It's going to be an interior build," he said, and described Exuma as a clinical‑stage biotechnology company developing novel immune therapies and collaborating with the Moffitt Cancer Center.
Claudio Abena, sitting as the city urban designer, summarized staff findings and recommended approval. He explained the PUD was originally approved in 1982 and that the proposed use is consistent with the downtown master plan's mixed use objectives; staff also confirmed the applicant met neighborhood notice requirements to property owners within 500 feet.
Board members asked whether the amendment would be a one‑time use allowance or a permanent update to permitted uses; staff said the change would be part of the plan development and therefore persistent. A board member asked explicitly about animal or human testing; the applicant answered there would be no animal testing and no human testing on site: "There's no animal testing. There's no human testing there as well," the applicant stated.
Will Carrente moved that the board recommend approval of Planning Board Case 648D, finding that the petitioner and staff met applicable criteria in section 94‑32 of the City of West Palm Beach zoning and land development regulations. The board voted unanimously and the recommendation will be forwarded to the City Commission for final action.
