Delray officials consider updating downtown development rules

Delray’s rules for building new developments in its downtown core have been a source of frustration formany residents and officials.

Even when they don’t like a proposed project, there is little they can do if it follows the rules. But now Delray officials want to take a fresh look at those rules, which haven’t been updated in more than a decade, City officials hired Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, a group that helps cities plan for urban growth, to complete the task. The group helped create “Delray’s Downtown Master Plan” in 2002, which is the set of guidelines commissioners currently follow when voting on bringing a new development to town.

It cost $200,000 to bring Treasure Coast back to update the vision folks have for downtown, which spans from Interstate 95 to the beach. Thecity kicked in $50,000and the Community Redevelopment Agency picked up the rest of the tab.

Commissioners will review the proposed updates Tuesday night. If they sign off, the proposals will go through the motions to become permanent.

“What we are doing is bringing our development regulations into the 21st century with innovative and tough land development regulations that will strongly control future development by ensuring high quality. design authenticity, andreal, substantive benefits to the public realm,” Mayor Cary Glickstein said. “Gone are the days when developers receive approvals for additional height and density and the public gets little in return. More transparent, predictable rules for city staff, the publica nd developers is whatwe need and that’s what this does.”

Treasure Coast representatives didn’t come up with the proposed suggestions

alone. Since November, they received input from 40 city officials, residents and developers.

The proposal addresses topics such as how tall a building can be, how many living units buildings can contain and what types of buildings are allowed in different downtown sections. It also outlines what commissioners should expect back from developers when granting them waivers, such as more public parking or more open green space.

The clash between residents and developers hit full force when commissioners approved plans for Atlantic Crossing, which didn’t require any waivers for height, density or parking.

Delray’s rules didn’t require developers to conduct a complete traffic study, which caused uproar among folks who live nearby. But because the project fit Delray’s rules several commissioners felt they had no choice but to approve it.

Changing the rules is a topic that Commissioner Jordana Jarjura pushed in her election campaign. In doing so, she wants to protect residents while being fair to developers who want to invest money in Delray.

“The revisions should more tightly define allowable modifications while providing incentives,” she said.