Palm Beach unveils draft of 2024 Comprehensive Plan

Town staff unveiled the first draft of Palm Beach's 2024 Comprehensive Plan during the Planning and Zoning Commission's meeting on Tuesday.

Town Planner Jennifer Hofmeister-Drew presented the plan, which sets the binding goals and policy recommendations that will be the “guiding vision” to the Town Code and any regulating document, she explained.

“The Comprehensive Plan directly and indirectly influences all aspects of daily life,” she said.

Hofmeister-Drew outlined the 12 areas of policy focus:

• Future Land Use

• Housing

• Historic Preservation

• Public Safety

• Infrastructure

• Transportation

• Recreation and Open Space

• Coastal Management

• Conservation

• Capital Improvements

• Property rights

• Intergovernmental Coordination Element

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Mandated under the “Community Planning Act,” a new draft of the Comprehensive Plan is required every seven years to ensure local government is in compliance with state law.

With a final review deadline set for April 1, Hofmeister-Drew presented a projected deadline to the planning board. She suggested having one more public hearing before the document is sent to Town Council and then to the state for a 60-day preliminary review.

After the preliminary review, the council is required to hold a second hearing to adopt the Comprehensive Plan, which would then be sent back to the state for final approval.

"It's a very ambitious timeline," panel chair Gail Coniglio said. "It really only gives the Planning and Zoning Commission one more reading."

Director of Planning, Zoning & Building Wayne Bergman attempted to alleviate the commission's anxiety about the timeline. Stressing that the document is a draft, he told them more time could be taken if needed.

"Give us your ideas, what you like, what you don't like," Bergman said.

Coniglio asked why the commission's Dec. 6 meeting was excluded from the timeline.

Bergman said the timeline was created in consideration of the commission's upcoming review of the overhauled zoning code, currently scheduled for that day.

Commission Member Eric Christu said the panel's review of the 2024 Comprehensive Plan must be handled first, since "it informs zoning code."

Town staff and commission members agreed to address the Comprehensive Plan on both Nov. 8 and Dec. 6, with time on the latter date allotted for the code review.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach officials get first look at 2024 Comprehensive Plan