By Anne Geggis
The proliferation of newer homes looming over the area’s more traditional style — a trend emerging throughout South County coastal communities — has the Ocean Ridge Town Commission looking for ways to encourage new, one-story homes.
Like other municipalities, Ocean Ridge is on the hunt for how to encourage new investment in the town while preserving its small-town charm. The issue was front and center at the commission’s May 13 workshop.
Commissioners hit on the idea of loosening some aspects of the town’s building code to encourage the low-rise look.
“If you want more one-story houses, you have to throw those people a bone … so how do you want to do that?” Mayor Geoff Pugh said. “Why not let the rear (of the house) encroach further into the setback and then put a deed restriction on (it) so they can’t, in five years, add a second story?”
It would mean loosening the town’s current minimum requirements for green space and impervious surfaces, Pugh explained. Side and front setbacks would stay the same, he proposed.
Vice Mayor Steven Coz agreed: “I like the concept. I wonder how it would actually work?”
Commissioner David Hutchins raised the question of how it might engender complaints if a lot slated for a new home abuts the rear of a neighbor’s home, but also said, “I think I like the solution.”
A consensus emerged to direct the Planning and Zoning Commission to propose loosening restrictions on a planned home’s footprint in return for a one-story promise.
Similar conversations are happening throughout South Palm Beach County. It’s because property owners paying sky-high prices for barrier island property are looking to maximize the amount of square footage under air conditioning they can stack on one lot.
The resulting new look — big, boxy behemoths — has led to a chorus of complaints in Delray Beach, Gulf Stream and other municipalities.
Delray Beach earlier this year passed new regulations looking to curb sheer walls that extend to the second floor. Gulf Stream is conducting a “massing” study about what can be done.
Coz credited former Mayor Ken Kaleel, now on the planning panel, with Ocean Ridge’s idea. Coz said the workshop was one of the most productive in the four years the commission has held them to hash out its long-term growth and development issues.
“If people are going to plunk down millions of dollars for land, they want to maximize their investment,” Coz said. “Our job is to figure out how to be fair to the homeowner and retain the quaintness of the town.”
Comments
Amazing....this real estate commission is all in favor of encroaching into the setbacks today. Why not...we all want to live in a zero lot-line planned community...oh no wait, THAT IS WHY WE DID NOT MOVE TO WEST DELRAY !!!
I don't want to hear my neighbor flush his toilet 5ft off my fence!
And of course Ken Kaleel is all for it. Came up with the idea. A zoning lawyer who is representing developers. What better way to increase the buildable square footage and then 2 years later run to the Board of Adjustments and ask for a variance to build another story. The history of the Board of Adjustment in its recent past has been to grant everything and anything as a "hardship" from not wanting to look at their own boat lift on Inlet Cay (but letting their neighbors enjoy that monstrosity view) "Granted", to illegal structures that were build “Granted” to setback encroachments because they did not plan the house right, they themselves build and designed “Granted”
So we should just assume that Mr. Kaleel already knows that he can go in front of the BoA and sucker them into granting a variance for a second story. Some sob story about being pregnant and wanting to stay in Ocean Ridge in their home. I can see the crocodile tears already.
This is what you get when you let Real Estate agents and builders run a town....
Hello to the newest GL Homes Community called: "Town of Ocean Ridge"
Our commissioners thank you for making them a lot of money in commissions and attorney fees and contracting fees building pools.