Pompano Beach Board denies zoning change for Briny Avenue Development
Pompano Beach, Florida – On June 28, the Pompano Beach Planning and Zoning Board, by a majority of 5-2, rejected a proposal to modify the zoning constraints for the property located at 580 Briny Avenue. This modification would have paved the way for the construction of a 113-foot high, mixed-use building.
The site, previously occupied by the Coral Tides Resort and Beach Club, was acquired by Ontario-based Claridge Homes (Beachboys) LP. The new owners envisioned creating 900 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor, along with 28 residential units and a subterranean parking area. The same developer also bought the former Bank of America branch at 101 S. Ocean Blvd, planning to utilize it as a temporary sales center for the 580 Briny property.
Currently, the property holds a Multiple-Family Residence 20 (RM-20) zoning designation and is situated within the city’s Atlantic Boulevard Overlay District (AOD). The request was submitted to transition the zoning to Planned Development-Infill, thereby enabling the erection of a taller, slimmer structure. The existing regulations cap the maximum building height at 105 feet.
The proposed rezoning sparked pushback from local residents, resulting in the launch of a website and a petition that garnered 200 signatures opposing the construction. At the meeting, many voiced concerns over the potential increase in traffic congestion and the erosion of the neighborhood’s quaint ambiance.
Bruce Nelson, a resident of Briny Avenue for the past 11 years, urged the board, “Stop changing the rules. Once you change the rules for one developer, what’s to stop you from doing it again for another?”
Board member Carla Coleman, who voted against the zoning alteration, argued that even though changes in the city are inevitable, augmenting the density of developed units on a property of less than an acre could provoke future complications.
“I have no issue with the height. I just don’t think additional density is going to be a good thing for that specific corridor,” Coleman articulated. Andrew Schein, acting on behalf of the property’s owner, underscored the necessity for redevelopment, claiming that the current building is turning into a blight.
“The reality is that the property is a desired piece of real estate,” Schein stated. “It’s going to get developed, and we feel our plans more than support the city’s overall vision for future growth.”
Gratified by the board’s verdict, Briny Avenue inhabitant Terry Sexton pledged that her group will “continue our activities to ensure the 11-story building does not get built.”
The final decision on the proposed development now rests with the city commission.
