Vision and Goals for the Edge of the Agricultural Reserve A Manifesto

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1 Vision and Goals for the Edge of the Agricultural Reserve A Manifesto 1

2 INTRODUCTION Commercial Policy Statement for the Agricultural Reserve As the unified voice for neighborhood associations and communities in Delray Beach and unincorporated Palm Beach County, the Alliance of Delray Residential Associations ( Alliance ) has seen an increase in proposed commercial activity along Atlantic Avenue. There is also a continuous flow of new residential, primarily single-family home projects being approved and built in the Alliance area. With the increase in development activity occurring, it is necessary to clearly define Alliance goals, policies and objectives to the public, including the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners. The Alliance recognizes that a large part of its membership is located within the Agricultural Reserve, which is subject to different rules than those lands to the east (located in the Urban/Suburban Tier of the County). From the beginning, the Alliance has played an integral part in voicing the Memberships opinions relating to the Agricultural Reserve and has actively participated in changes, inclusive of the most recent group of roundtable discussions concerning the Agricultural Reserve. The Alliance is on record as being the first organization to recognize that the commercial cap in the Agricultural Reserve should be revised on a case-by-case basis. To that end, the Alliance also recognizes that the Agricultural Reserve is different in Delray Beach than it is in northern neighborhoods with a variety of communities (senior/single family/apartment), varied ages groups ( super seniors /young families/extended families), and lifestyles (active senior/workforce/country club). Based on the Alliance s mission of providing neighborhood associations with a nonpartisan, unified front and voice to federal, state and county elected officials for the betterment of its citizens, new goals, policies and objectives are being identified in this statement. Realizing that growth is inevitable, the Alliance is offering this guide to assist in a smooth, continued growth pattern in this community. GOAL: Identification of natural transportation nodes and enhancement. The Agricultural Reserve is bounded on its east by the Florida s Turnpike, which has exits on both Atlantic Avenue and Boynton Beach Boulevard. These two natural transportation nodes provide unique development opportunities due to their locations along the turnpike and at two major east-west thoroughfares. These locations are logical sites for a mix of uses, including residential, and if properly buffered, higher intensity commercial. Due to their proximity to the Turnpike and US 441/SR 7, the land development pattern from the Urban/Suburban Tier west into the Agricultural Reserve becomes scaled downward from outside the Agricultural Reserve Tier, to the edge of the Tier, and then westward irrespective of the two commercial nodes (Atlantic Avenue and 2

3 Lyons Road, and Boynton Beach Boulevard and Lyons Road) in the interior of the Tier. By diversifying the uses and locating them at the edge of the Tier, along Florida s Turnpike, the traffic would be better dispersed and pushed north or south on the Turnpike thus avoiding additional traffic within the Agricultural Reserve. POLICY: Focus on unique mixed land uses at natural transportation nodes in the Agricultural Tier. By locating mixed use development at transportation nodes along the Florida Turnpike in the Agricultural Reserve, the provision of higher density multi-family residential development creates synergies with commercial development as well as the transportation options Florida s Turnpike provides. Parcels located at the intersections of Atlantic Avenue and Boynton Beach Boulevard and the Turnpike are transportation nodes that offer unique and extraordinary opportunities for development projects that would offer the community unique and extraordinary benefits. The ability to locate increased densities and intensities at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and the Florida Turnpike allows for new uses to be included in the Tier. For example, locating a hotel on the corner of Atlantic Avenue and the Florida Turnpike would be appropriate, as there is a substantial need for a hotel in the Agricultural Reserve and this is an excellent location for the use. OBJECTIVE: Encourage extraordinary development projects at natural transportation nodes in the Agricultural Reserve with greater densities and uses. Adopt a land use amendment that would bring the Multiple Land Use ( MLU ) concept into the Agricultural Reserve that would allow for increased densities and intensities if located at a natural transportation node, allowing extraordinary projects and uses like a hotel. GOAL: Provide needed goods and services to existing and future residents of the Alliance. The Florida Turnpike creates the eastern boundary of the Agricultural Reserve and includes two turnpike interchanges. The Atlantic Avenue interchange creates the most significant transportation node within the boundaries of the Alliance. Therefore, the development of this node as well as the entire Atlantic Avenue corridor is of critical concern and focus. As the Agricultural Reserve has developed over the last 20 years, the need for additional services has evolved. With the creation of new developments, the opportunity exists to encourage projects that provide a mix of uses, including but not limited to residential and if properly buffered, higher intensity commercial. Atlantic Avenue is a major east-west connector between the Florida Turnpike and SR-7/441. This interchange is the logical location for increased intensity/density; and if planned properly could provide needed goods and services, such as workforce housing, retail, restaurants, limited service hotel, and assisted living facilities ensuring these uses are provided prior to the build out of the Agricultural Reserve. 3

4 POLICY: Review new and additional commercial uses on a case-by-case basis. As more developers express interest in developing commercial uses into the Agricultural Reserve, it is incumbent for the policymakers to review each application on a case-bycase basis to determine if it is appropriate to exempt the project from the commercial cap or to extend the cap. This case-by-case review will allow for a determination if the additional commercial space is warranted at the proposed location. It appears that the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners is heading in this direction and we encourage and support that approach. The residents of the Agricultural Reserve require new, diverse commercial opportunities so as to prevent unnecessary trips on east-west thoroughfares and avoid unnecessary congestion. OBJECTIVE: Adopt Comprehensive Plan amendments to allow for additional commercial uses and opportunities in the Agricultural Reserve. The precedent has been set in allowing a project-by-project/case-by-case review of new commercial square footage in the Agricultural Reserve. The County s rationale for the existing square footage cap and the desire to limit commercial development is understood. Accordingly, the community has grown substantially since the creation of the Agricultural Reserve and as residents in the Agricultural Reserve age, the Tier must be able to evolve to address those uses needed and wanted by residents of the Tier. GOAL: Containment of Development along the Eastern Edge of the Agricultural Reserve Tier With respect to the Atlantic Avenue/Florida Turnpike node, a reasonable and more intensive development pattern is warranted. The node boundaries would be the Turnpike to the east, eastern geographical border of the Turnpike, Starkey Road/Persimmon Avenue to the west, the LWDD L-33 canal to the north, and the southern border of parcel # to the south (it is noted that a portion of a residential community exists within the overlay). Policy: Allow certain mixed uses within a specified area (overlay) Included in the proposed Mixed Land Use designation would be residential (allowing workforce housing and senior congregate living facilities) and commercial (allowing retail services, restaurants, and a hotel). The node regulations should ensure proper buffering of these. Given the existing residential development to the south of Atlantic Avenue, no structure on the south side of Atlantic Avenue could be constructed more than 35 feet in height, from buildable grade to the highest point. Certain types of uses would be excluded such as industrial; fireworks manufacturing or retail; dry cleaning plant; coin laundry; motor vehicle licensing agencies or motor vehicle driving schools; skating rink; "reader board" type signs and billboards; discotheque; lounge; bar; drug-related paraphernalia shop; marijuana dispensary; amusement gallery; pool room; adult entertainment facility; massage parlor; adult book or video store; pin ball or electronic 4

game room; a so-called "head shop"; day labor employment service; funeral parlor; flea market; bingo parlor; a gaming, arcade, gambling, betting or game of chance business; fast-food restaurant with

5 game room; a so-called "head shop"; day labor employment service; funeral parlor; flea market; bingo parlor; a gaming, arcade, gambling, betting or game of chance business; fast-food restaurant with or without a drive-through; cafeteria; sale, rental or lease of automobiles, trucks, other motorized vehicles, boats, or trailers; auto parts store; car wash; gas station; or gas station convenience store; auto, vehicle, boat, or trailer repair or service including paint and body, repair business, oil changing facility or tire store; gun shop; live dancing; animal shelter, kennel, or dog daycare; homeless resource center; mortuaries; pawn shop; private clubs; lodges; fraternities or sororities and the like; radio or television broadcasting studio; rental of hospital equipment; repair and incidental assembly; solid waste transfer station; potting soil manufacturing; chipping and mulching; composting; manure processing; tattoo parlor; or any local, County or State agency, bureau, department or the like, (whether provided by the governmental entity or under contract by a private provider for the government); pylon signs; monument signs in excess of ten feet; and mobile food truck. Objective: Create an Overlay for the Atlantic Avenue/Florida Turnpike Node GOAL: Identify and incentivize developers to address community challenges with their projects. 5

6 The Agricultural Reserve plays a huge role in the lives of Palm Beach County residents and it should be recognized that there may be development opportunities that address larger needs than those of meeting the established rules of the Comprehensive Plan and Unified Land Development Code. Workforce housing is valuable to the community and could creatively be incorporated into the overlay. Policy: Creativity in meeting economic and neighborhood demands should be encouraged. There is an evolutionary process occurring in south Florida that involves more extended family living situations (children and grandchildren returning home to live or adult children becoming caregivers for their elderly parents) and 55 and older communities are proliferating. Residents still have strong ties to northern states and family and friends visit throughout the year. The evolution of the Agricultural Reserve parallels that of the rest of the County. Residents in the Agricultural Reserve have been asking for a hotel to house family members when visiting and assisted living facilities for family members. The need for workforce housing would naturally follow this evolution as it provides housing opportunities for the service employees. As our community evolves, the Agricultural Reserve evolves, and our policies and procedures need to evolve as well. Those projects that creatively seek to address a balance between the needs of the existing and future residents of the Agricultural Reserve are encouraged; some projects may bring extraordinary value to the community and should be approached with the same creativity and consideration. Location within the AGR Tier should also be considered along with a property s unique access to major thoroughfares, as these parcels have great potential to be major benefits to the AGR Tier and Palm Beach County. In addition to balance and location, a mixture of uses should only be encouraged at logical locations in/or at the edge of the AGR Tier. By allowing developers to be creative while balancing the needs of residents will ensure that the intent of the Agricultural Reserve is maintained while allowing for new development at logical locations, offering a mix of uses. Objective: Implementing the balance between resident needs and the intent of the Agricultural Reserve requires flexibility within the Comprehensive Plan and ULDC. Times have changed since the Agricultural Reserve Tier was established, as have the needs and desires of the community. Comprehensive plan amendments, rezonings and site plan approvals approved in the Agricultural Reserve have incrementally changed the Tier. This evolution is apparent. In order to better control when and where development occurs in the Agricultural Reserve, flexibility should be incorporated within the Comprehensive Plan and the ULDC. The Alliance is proposing this flexibility to achieve the balance desired. Innovation usually stems from the necessities and desires of the private sector and government response to those requests. In the case of new, creative development in the Agricultural Reserve, it would be of benefit to work with those 6

7 developers and projects that seek to work within the proposed framework and with government and civic leadership. CONCLUSION For more than twenty years, the Alliance has been recognized as a driving force in the preservation and enhancement of agricultural activity and environmental and water resources in the Agricultural Reserve while managing residential and commercial growth within the Tier. These statements are a reflection of the evolution of the Agricultural Reserve, the residents of the Tier and their changing needs within the Tier. Some innovative ideas have been proposed for the Agricultural Reserve and the Alliance asserts that these ideas and concepts are in the best interests of the community. A progressive approach to growth within the Agricultural Reserve needs to be applied to continue to enhance the lives of current and future residents who choose Palm Beach County for its outstanding climate and spectacular lifestyle. 7

Ground Lease Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA. September David Bider. Brian Mason PREPARED BY:

Ground Lease Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA. September David Bider. Brian Mason PREPARED BY: Ground Lease 1096 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA September 2013 PREPARED BY: Brian Mason +1 408 282 3959 brian.mason@collers.com CA License No. 01229363 David Bider +1 650 854 4153 david@cypressinvestments.com