Season in review: Palm Beach tackles development concerns, traffic congestion, parking

The Town Council confronted a slew of key issues during the busy winter season, with development looming large among them.

Amid concerns about overdevelopment threatening the town's character, council members delayed decisions on a handful of controversial projects that have generated significant backlash from the public.

One of the more contentious projects is the proposed redevelopment of the Paramount Theatre, which remains stuck in neutral as the season comes to an end.

The council deferred a decision on the project three times since it first was presented in January, with town officials joining residents, neighbors and town staff in expressing concerns over traffic, building heights, proposed uses, and more.

"This project is fraught with peril for the safety and tranquility of our quiet residential neighborhood," Jerry Zaro, president of the Sun and Surf 100 building's association, told the council in March.

Original project plans called for a major renovation of the landmarked Paramount Theatre Building, as well as an extensive redevelopment of the parking lot directly to the south that would have created four three-story houses with retail space.

But stiff opposition forced the project's developer to make multiple revisions to the residential component of the plans.

Currently, the project no longer includes the multi-story homes or retail, and a planned 475-member private club at the site continues to face opposition.

Deferred a third time in April, the project is scheduled to be presented again in July following the completion of an updated traffic and parking study commissioned by the town.

What's next for the Wells Fargo bank site?

The council also spent much of this season considering the proposed redevelopment of the Wells Fargo bank site at South County Road and Royal Palm Way.

Palm Beach-based Frisbie Group had planned to pursue a controversial zoning tool that would have smoothed the path for building a major residential project on land east of the landmarked Wells Fargo Bank buildings.

However, after a meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission in March, the developer abruptly dropped its plans to ask the town council to create a planned unit development on the 5.78-acre lot.

Frisbie Group previously said the PUD zoning tool — rare in Palm Beach — would have allowed the council to sign off on nearly every aspect of the development, which could then have proceeded without any zone code variance requests. The PUD would have changed the Wells Fargo property's three existing zoning districts — one for residential and two for commercial use — to a single residential district.

Council members reviewed the Wells Fargo plan informally in January, and reaction was mixed.

Condo proposal at The Ambassador also faced headwinds

A third major development project considered by the town council ran into heavy resistance this season.

In February, a developer who wants to build a super-luxury condominium complex on the site of The Ambassador Palm Beach Hotel & Residences withdrew a proposed — and controversial — zoning-code change that would have accommodated the project.

Developers OKO Group of Miami and Cain International of London proposed the so-called “text amendment” to change zoning rules to allow them to build three midrise condo buildings without having to request any code variances.

The town council and neighbors of the site said the proposed change would be too sweeping for the South End’s so-called “Condominium Row” and could open a door to projects that might not be welcomed by those who live there. The neighbors were especially opposed to rooftop swimming pools.

The developers said they would abandon the zoning proposal and rethink the plans for the 4.5-acre site, which is currently occupied by the oceanfront Ambassador Hotel and an adjacent former co-operative building on the lakefront at 2730 and 2720 S. Ocean Blvd., respectively.

The new condo development would be the first built in the South End in nearly 20 years.

Traffic, parking problems mount

In addition to development, traffic congestion and parking scarcity also have been a top concern for council members.

During an address to the Palm Beach Civic Association in April, Mayor Danielle Moore described the town's issues with traffic congestion as a 'multi-pronged' problem, and noted that a traffic study commissioned by the town was sent back to Miami-based consultant The Corradino Group for further tweaking after questions arose about a number of key items, including the metrics used to predict the town's population and employment growth rate.

The updated plan is expected to be complete in June, Wayne Bergman, the town's director of planning, zoning and building, told the council in April.

The plan is expected to consider future Palm Beach development projects that were excluded from the original study, including the rebuilt Royal Poinciana Playhouse and its accompanying restaurant; the recently opened Alef Preschool Palm Beach at 165 Bradley Place; the Palm House Hotel in the 100 block of Royal Palm Way, currently under renovation; and The Breakers’ property on the south side of Royal Poinciana Way, which reserves the rights to build 140 homes.

Breakers officials told the Daily News in February that the company has no interest in developing the area.

The updated study also will consider a wider time window when examining peak afternoon traffic, analyzing the period from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. rather than the 4 to 6 p.m. as used in the original analysis.

In her Civic Association address, Moore praised the seven-point parking plan created by council members Lew Crampton and Bobbie Lindsay that includes elements such as pre-paid parking stickers for residents, the expansion of paid parking using the ParkMobile app, and more free half-hour parking spaces.

Resident parking permits, which were introduced in November and allow for two-hour parking at any metered spot in town, have been good for residents, Moore noted.

She added that the town will start rolling out metered parking this summer.

"Everyone will get used to the fact that there will be paid parking on the island of Palm Beach," Moore said.

Progress burying the overhead lines

Undergrounding and code review and reform continued during the winter season.

The town's efforts to bury its overhead electrical, phone and cable television lines are "really coming along," Moore said in April.

The $128 million town-wide undergrounding project is expected to be complete during the 2028-29 winter season, she said, and extra revenue from the Town Marina is helping to cover some of the overages.

The town has slowed its approach to overhauling its aging zoning code, with a new timeline established last July to include a full draft to be ready for public review in November.

Moore said the town must make sure that the code review process is heard and seen by residents.

"If they see it and understand it, it is less frightening," she said. "You hear about code reform, and then you see traffic and density, and everybody gets very anxious about it. I certainly understand that, and so does the council. So we're taking it very methodically, and it's coming together very, very slowly, piece by piece. But it's important that we get it right."

A swearing in and a farewell on Town Council

A new town council member was sworn in as the winter season came to close, while a longtime town official said goodbye.

Bridget Moran, a longtime Palm Beach resident and volunteer, defeated retired preservationist John David Corey in a close race March 19 to claim the Group 3 seat vacated by Maggie Zeidman.

Zeidman, who served four years as council president, announced in October she would not seek a fifth term on the council. She was honored for her eight years of service April 9 at her final council meeting.

"I thank my colleagues, the staff who support us, and the community of friends and neighbors who have given me one of the best gifts ever," she said at the meeting. "You placed your trust in me, and I thank you. To serve has been my greatest honor. I thank you for it."

Moran was sworn in the same day and thanked her new colleagues for welcoming her.

"I really appreciate it," she told them. "I'm really happy to be here. Thank you, and thank you to the public for placing your trust in me. I'm looking forward to this new chapter and doing the very best I can to make you proud. And I love this town, so I'm looking forward to it."

Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach tackles development, traffic, parking during winter season