Riviera Beach, Florida

Zoning and Subdivision Codes Update
  

The City of Riviera Beach has retained Duncan Associates, in cooperation with Simpson-Wray Associates, to update the existing zoning and subdivision ordinances. The City, located along the coast in central Palm Beach County, Florida, has not significantly updated its codes since the mid-70’s. The City recently updated its comprehensive plan as mandated by Florida’s growth management law and numerous changes to land development regulations are necessary to implement the plan amendments.

The City possesses a number of unique challenges: (1) the eastern portion of Riviera Beach is Singer Island with extensive Atlantic Ocean shorefront, with exclusive high rise condominiums, multifamily and single family development, public parks and environmentally sensitive areas; (2) the central portion of the City is bounded on the east by the Intracoastal Waterway and includes the Port of Palm Beach, an active commercial and cruise destination, and extensive commercial and residential development along and west of U.S. Highway 1; and (3) the western portion contains extensive industrial development. In addition, most of the City along U.S. 1 and the Intracoastal Waterway is part of a Community Redevelopment Area, (CRA) with its own long range plan and development standards.

A variety of major tasks are included within the code revision. These tasks include updating and expanding the sign regulations, expansion of landscaping requirements, updating development standards for permitted and special exception uses, and providing standards for development-related issues such as screening of dumpsters and similar equipment and screening of mechanical equipment such as air conditioners and exhaust systems. Other substantive issues to be addressed are creation of a conservation zoning district to implement environmental preservation amendments of the revised comprehensive plan and integrating the requirements of the CRA plan with the City’s planning and zoning processes.