TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Anthea Gianniotes, Development Services Director
THROUGH: Terrence R. Moore, ICMA-CM
DATE: August 9, 2022
Title
RESOLUTION NO. 122-22: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING A MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND GRANTING FOUR RELATED WAIVER REQUESTS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS FOR DELRAY CENTRAL LOCATED AT 1615 AND 1625 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREIN; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES (QUASI JUDICIAL).
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Review and consider Resolution No. 122-22, approving a Master Development Plan (MDP) with Waivers for Delray Central, located at 1615 & 1625 South Congress Avenue, associated with the addition of an eight-story building containing 1,095 square feet of non-restaurant, commercial use and 271 residential units, including amenities and an attached seven-level parking structure.
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Background:
The subject properties consisting of a total of +/- 12.134 acres are generally located at the southeast corner of West Linton Boulevard and South Congress Avenue at the southern terminus of Old Germantown Road. The two parcels are zoned Mixed-Use Residential Office and Commercial (MROC), with a land use of Congress Avenue Mixed Use (CMU). The northernmost property, which consists of 7.19 acres, is located at 1615 South Congress Avenue, and contains an 80,580 GSF 2-story office building and associated parking (449 parking spaces). The southernmost property, which consists of 4.94 acres, is located at 1625 South Congress Avenue, and contains a 101,006 GSF 4-story office building and associated parking (350 parking spaces). Both buildings were constructed in the early 1980s, are leased, and contain active uses. Both office buildings will remain as part of the MDP.
The proposed MDP incorporates a new mixed-use building centrally located between two existing office buildings. The proposed density on the site changes from 0 to 22.33 du/ac, and includes the following site modifications and improvements:
• Removal of 248 surface parking spaces (155 parking spaces from the 1615 South Congress parcel and 93 parking spaces from the 1625 South Congress parcel);
• Construction of a new building that includes:
o 8-stories with 1,095 square feet of non-restaurant, commercial space and 271 residential rental units with a mix of unit types:
- 136 one-bedroom units
- 121 two-bedroom units
- 14 three-bedroom units
o a 7-level parking garage with 513 spaces;
• 55 workforce housing units (20% of 271 units = 54.2) at the moderate average median income level (80% to 120% AMI) for Palm Beach County proportionately distributed, as required by the LDR, throughout the unit types as “floater” units;
• Residential amenities including a gym and yoga space, central courtyard area with swimming pool, bike storage room, a co-working/conference room, and on-site leasing office.
• Multiple ‘pocket parks’ along South Congress Avenue that include enhanced landscaping and seating areas in addition to a 1,450 feet long linear section of shared-use path along the rear of the property.
It is important to note the threshold for full compliance with the LDR is 25%; the proposed development exceeds this threshold. The gross floor area of the existing buildings is 181,566 SF. The proposed development including the parking garage is 488,444 SF of floor area - adding more than 2.5 times the existing development on the site today. Therefore, all non-compliant aspects of the site plan, including those associated with existing legal non-conformities, must either be brought into compliance with current standards or require waivers. The MDP includes waiver requests for relief to four provisions, related to existing nonconformities on the site.
The following waivers are requested with the MDP:
o Front Setback, LDR Section 4.4.29(G)(2)(g)(1): Allow a maximum front setback of 90 feet, 10 inches from the west property line along South Congress Avenue, in lieu of the required 20-foot maximum front setback.
o Landscape Buffer, LDR Section 4.4.29(G)(2)(d): Allow a reduction from the required 15-foot-wide landscape buffer along the south property line to 7 feet and a reduction to the required 25-foot-wide landscape buffer along the east property line, adjacent to the CSX/FEC railway to 15.14 feet. Note: the proposed MDP reduces existing non-conformities.
o Parking Location, LDR Section 4.4.29(H)(11): Allow parking to be located adjacent to South Congress Avenue, whereas parking between South Congress Avenue and the front of building(s) is not allowed. Note: the proposed MDP reduces the existing non-conformity by eliminating existing parking spaces adjacent to South Congress Avenue.
o Landscape Islands, LDR Section 4.6.16(H)(3)(i): Allow certain existing landscape islands to maintain a width less than nine feet and at intervals greater than every 13 parking spaces in some areas where restriping of the parking area will occur. Note: the proposed MDP reduces an existing non-conformity by widening some landscape islands in the parking lots; however, 8 landscape islands remain nonconforming.
The Resolution under consideration is a de novo hearing on the proposed MDP with waivers. The attached Staff Report provides a full analysis of the application, including the waiver findings.
City Attorney Review:
Approved to form and legal sufficiency.
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
N/A
Timing of Request:
N/A