TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Anthea Gianniotes, Development Services Director
THROUGH: Terrence R. Moore, ICMA-CM
DATE: November 18, 2025
Title
RESOLUTION NO. 211-25: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING A LEVEL 4 SITE PLAN, ARCHITECTURAL ELEVATIONS, LANDSCAPE PLAN; APPROVING A WAIVER TO SECTION 4.6.9(C)(1)(c)5. OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF REQUIRED BICYCLE SHOWERS FROM EIGHT TO ONE; APPROVING A WAIVER TO SECTION 4.6.5(F) OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS TO ELIMINATE THE REQUIRED TWO-FOOT SETBACK FOR A REAR WALL FOR THE PROJECT KNOWN AS THE KIA DELRAY, LOCATED AT 2255 SOUTH FEDERAL HIGHWAY, 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. 211-25, approval of a Level 4 Site Plan, Architectural Elevations, and Landscape Plan with two waiver requests, a loading determination of adequacy, and a height exception for the stair towers. The application proposes to demolish two existing structures and construct a two-story, 143,672 square-foot Kia dealership with a three-story parking garage to the rear located at 2255 South Federal Highway.
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Background:
The 3.07 acres site, is located on the east side of South Federal Highway within the South Federal Highway Redevelopment Plan area. The corridor is under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and serves as a major arterial road supporting high visibility and accessibility.
The proposed development will consolidate the site into a full-service automotive dealership accommodating sales, service, and operational activities, with upper-level structured parking for inventory and employee and customer parking. The proposal includes a reduction in loading bays (from three to one) and a height exception for three stair towers exceeding the 48-foot district maximum by up to eight feet.
The applicant has requested two waivers:
Relief from LDR Section 4.6.9(C)(1)(c)5., to reduce the number of required showers from eight to one.
Relief from LDR Section 4.6.5(F), to allow the rear wall adjacent to the residential zoning district to remain at the property line rather than providing the required two-foot setback.
Analysis Summary
Comprehensive Plan and Redevelopment Plan Consistency
The site’s General Commercial (GC) land use and Automotive Commercial (AC) zoning are consistent and appropriate for automotive dealership operations. Policy NDC 2.5.1 and Policy ECP 6.3.6 support the clustering of dealerships south of Linton Boulevard between South Federal and Dixie Highways.
The project is within the South Federal Highway Redevelopment Plan (2012) area, which promotes compatible redevelopment and transitional design toward adjacent residential areas. The Plan requires enhanced buffering, setback modulation, and façade articulation for structures adjacent to residential zoning. While the project meets the technical standards of the LDR, the rear elevation and parking structure lack substantial relief or architectural variation envisioned by the Plan.
Site Design and Compatibility
Pursuant to LDR Section 3.2.3, the application meets basic requirements for access, traffic circulation, and open space. However, the three-level parking garage presents a large, uniform façade with minimal modulation. The 25-foot buffer and existing public right-of-way provide adequate separation, but the visual mass of the garage remains prominent from the residential district to the east.
Key standards and findings include:
• Sec. 3.2.3(A): Building design and lighting meet minimum LDR standards; however, façade articulation is limited.
• Sec. 3.2.3(B): The project includes compliant pedestrian and vehicular connections, but the shower waiver may reduce long-term support for multimodal objectives and it does not accommodate separate men's and women's facilities.
• Sec. 3.2.3(F): The intensity is appropriate for the corridor, yet compatibility with adjacent residential uses could be strengthened through additional buffering and architectural mitigation.
• Sec. 3.2.3(H): The project meets technical standards but only partially fulfills the Redevelopment Plan’s vision for transitional design at neighborhood interfaces.
Automotive Commercial District Regulations
Pursuant to LDR Section 4.4.10(G)(4), service bay doors may not face adjacent residentially-zoned property or public streets unless compliance is infeasible. The proposed bays oriented east and south toward residential areas are designated only for drop-off operations, not active repair.
Service Bay Door Orientation Considerations: The proposal is a large development and on a large, consolidated site. The Commission should consider whether compliance is "infeasible" and if adequate screening is provided.
Under LDR Section 4.4.10(G)(5) and LDR Section 4.6.10, three loading bays are required; however, the LDR is clear that the determination of the adequacy of loading is up to the approving body, and my be more or less than the "guidelines" in the code. The applicant requests a reduction to one bay, supported by operational data. The single bay meets minimum separation standards from residential properties. Concerns with various dealers loading or unloading in streets, including S. Federal Highway, are an ongoing issue.
Loading Bay Consideration: The Commission should consider if the proposed reduction to one loading bay adequate to serve operational needs without causing circulation conflicts or noise impacts?
Height Exception - Stair Towers
The height limit for the building is determined by the zoning district and is not subject to exceptions. However, LDR Section 4.3.4(J) provides exceptions for certain building elements, such as stair towers and parapets. The proposed building is approximately 44 feet tall to the top of the flat roof (the measure of building height) and has a parapet of 4 feet, within district limits. Stair towers are allowed to extend 8 feet above the building height, in this case up to 56 feet, with the approval of the body acting on the site plan. The criteria to use in the consideration is LDR Section 4.6.18(E) Architectural Elevations and Aesthetics, which also apply to the full project:
(1) The plan or the proposed structure is in conformity with good taste, good design, and in general, contributes to the image of the City as a place of beauty, spaciousness, harmony, taste, fitness, broad vistas, and high quality.
(2) The proposed structure, or project, is in its exterior design and appearance of quality such as not to cause the nature of the local environment or evolving environment to materially depreciate in appearance and value.
(3) The proposed structure, or project, is in harmony with the proposed developments in the general area, with the Comprehensive Plan, and with the supplemental criteria which may be set forth for the Board from time to time.
The applicant submitted a justification statement and visual impact study.
Stair Tower Height Considerations for City Commission:
1. Is the building harmonious with the surrounding development, including the residential development to the east, such that allowing additional height for the stair tower is appropriate?
2. Does the architectural composition, particularly the rear parking structure, provide sufficient articulation, variation in materials, and landscape layering to reduce visual impact on the adjacent residential district?
3. Do the stair tower height exceptions (8 feet above the 48-foot limit) remain compatible with the surrounding corridor context?
LDR Section 2.4.11(B)(5), Waiver: Findings, Prior to granting a waiver, the granting body shall make findings that granting of a waiver:
a. Shall not adversely affect the neighboring area;
b. Shall not significantly diminish the provision of public facilities;
c. Shall not create an unsafe situation; and
d. Does not result in the grant of a special privilege in that the same waiver would be granted under similar circumstances on other property for another applicant or owner.
Waiver 1: Relief from LDR Section 4.6.9(C)(1)(c)5., to reduce the number of required showers from eight showers to one shower. The provision of showers provides options for employees to commute for work. S. Federal Hwy has bike lanes and a consistent sidewalk on the corridor. The requested reduction reduces multimodal options envisioned by LDR Section 4.6.9.
Waiver 1 Consideration: Does granting the shower reduction align with the City’s goals for multimodal accessibility and workforce inclusivity and should at least one per gender be provided?
Waiver 2: Relief from LDR Section 4.6.5(F), to allow the rear wall adjacent to the residential zoning district to remain at the property line rather than providing the required two-foot setback. While the wall provides physical separation, its zero setback removes the two-foot planting zone intended for vegetation growth. The applicant proposes using existing foliage in the right-of-way for screening.
Waiver 2 Considerations:
1. Is reliance on existing right-of-way vegetation sufficient to meet the buffering intent of the South Federal Highway Redevelopment Plan?
2. Is removing the existing vegetation and wall to build a new wall more disruptive than maintaining the current condition?
On October 20, 2025, the PZB voted 6 to 1 to recommend approval of the application, subject to the condition of a Landscape Maintenance Agreement (LMA). Note: Technical items, such as LMA, are required of the applicant prior to issuance of a building permit and are not under the board's purview. Pursuant to LDR Section 4.6.19(H), the adjacent property owner is responsible to maintain trees and vegetation between the property line/right-of-way line, and the edge of pavement of the adjacent improved right-of-way, or between the property line and the centerline of an unimproved alley. The Board comments emphasized maintaining adequate public landscaping to the rear and improving architectural articulation of the east façade.
City Attorney Review:
Resolution is approved as to form and legal sufficiency.
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
Not applicable.
Timing of Request:
Approval of the Level 4 Site Plan, Architectural Elevations, and Landscape Plan with waivers, a loading determination of adequacy, and a height exception for the stair towers, is required prior to site plan certification.