487 Royal Palms Drive ZVAR22-0002 PACKET PUBLIC NOTICE
To whom it may concern,
Notice is hereby given to all property owners within 300 feet of the address below, and as shown in the map
below, that a Public Hearing regarding the case described in this notice will be held by the Community
Development Board (CDB).
The public is invited to attend in person. The meeting will be held in Commission Chambers located at 800
Seminole Road.
PROJECT Property Location Map
Item No: ZVAR22-0002
Address: 487 Royal Palms Drive
(RE# 171484 0000)
Applicant: Maureen Lamar
PUBLIC HEARING(S)
Body: Community Development Board
Date February 15, 2022
Time: 6:00 PM
Request: Request for a variance from Section 24-253(a)(3) to allow a circular driveway on a property
with less than 100 feet of street frontage at 487 Royal Palms Drive.
Summary: The applicant is requesting relief to allow a circular driveway on a lot with 80 feet for street
frontage on Royal Palms Drive.
Pursuant to Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes, a person deciding to appeal any decision made by the Commission with respect to any
matter considered at the meeting or at any subsequent meeting to which the Commission has continued its deliberations is advi sed that
such person will need to insure that a verbatim record of all proceedings is made, which must include the testimony and evidence upon
which the appeal is to be based.
All information related to the item(s) above is available for review on the city of Atlantic beach webpage under Publ ic Notices
https://www.coab.us/960/Public-Notices. For additional questions please contact Amanda Askew, Director of Planning and
Community Development at aaskew@coab.us or 904-247-5841.
Please Note: Two or more members of any board or committee of the City of Atlantic Beach may be in attendance. In accordance with
the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 286.26 of the Florida Statutes, persons with disabilities needing special
accommodations to participate in this meeting should contact the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall or by calling (904) 247 -5800 not less
than three days prior to the public hearing.
CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD
STAFF REPORT
AGENDA ITEM 4.B
CASE NO. ZVAR22-0002
Request for a variance from Section 24-253(a)(3) to allow a circular driveway
on a property with less than 100 feet of street frontage at 487 Royal Palms
Drive.
LOCATION 487 Royal Palms Drive (RE# 171484-0000)
APPLICANT Maureen Lamar
DATE January 24, 2022
STAFF Abrielle Genest, Planner
STAFF COMMENTS
The applicant is Maureen Lamar, the owner of the property at
487 Royal Palms Drive. This property is located on the east
side of Royal Palms Drive approximately 115 feet south of the
Sabalo Drive and Royal Palms Drive intersection in the
residential, single-family (RS-1) zoning district.
The applicant is proposing a new circular driveway. Section
24-253 states circular drives “shall only be permitted on lots
having at least one hundred-foot frontage”. The property has
80 feet of street frontage on Royal Palms Drive and has access
via a nine (9) to ten (10) foot wide driveway on the southern
end of the driveway The code allows the
existing driveway to be widened up to 20
feet in width.
This street has sidewalk on the east side
(same side as property).
Prior to the most recent update in 2019 to
Chapter 24 similar requests went before the
City Commission as part of the Waiver
Process. Now, driveway relief request are
part of Chapter 24 because it is related to lot
width requirements which are part of the
land development regulations. All land
development regulation are included in the
Chapter 24. This type of reduction request fits the definition of a variance by “granting relief from the
strict application of certain land development regulations…..” . The variance process allows for a
Page 2 of 5
streamlined review by the Community Development Board (CDB) and for each application to be judged
on the same merits (24-65 (c). The general descriptions of variances in Section 24-65 was updated to list
driveways specifically as part of the variance process.
This is the first
request since
the code was
changed
requiring
driveway lot
width
reductions to
follow the
variance
process. Four
(4) properties
along Royal
Palms Drive
have circular
driveways, two
(2) of which
were approved
through a
waiver. The
other two were
installed prior to the 100 foot lot width requirements.
Municipalities often regulate driveway cuts or access points as a way to reduce potential “conflicts” or
“encounters” between pedestrians and vehicles. By reducing the number of driveways, the number of
potential interactions between the two is decreased. A sidewalk runs the entire length of Royal Palms
from Plaza Drive to Cavalla Road on the same side of the street as this request. This area is also identify
as the Royal Palms connection on the Connectively Plan.
Page 3 of 5
Proposed circular
driveway
Page 4 of 5
ANALYSIS
Section 24-65 states that “applications for a variance shall be considered on a case-by-case basis, and shall
be approved only upon findings of fact that the application is consistent with the definition of a variance
and consistent with the provisions of this section.” According to Section 24-17, Definitions, “[a] variance
shall mean relief granted from certain terms of this chapter. The relief granted shall be only to the extent
as expressly allowed by this chapter and may be either an allowable exemption from certain provision(s)
or a relaxation of the strict, literal interpretation of certain provision(s). Any relief granted shall be in
accordance with the provisions as set forth in Section 24-65 of this chapter, and such relief may be subject
to conditions as set forth by the City of Atlantic Beach.”
Section 24-65(c) provides six distinct grounds for the approval of a variance:
(1) Exceptional topographic conditions of or near the property.
The applicant stated, “proposed driveway will be gravel with concrete boarder thus pervious surface
will allow storm water to be retained on the property”.
592 Royal Palms Drive
69 ft. frontage
Waiver- 2013
510 Royal Palms Drive
83 ft. frontage
Waiver- 2019
469 Royal Palms Drive
82 ft. frontage
No Waiver
342 Royal Palms Drive
84 ft. frontage
No Waiver
Page 5 of 5
(2) Surrounding conditions or circumstances impacting the property disparately from nearby
properties.
The applicant stated, “high volume of traffic, including existing bus route, on Royal Palms Drive
makes backing out a safety hazard”.
(3) Exceptional circumstances preventing the reasonable use of the property as compared to other
properties in the area.
The applicant stated, “There are 4 existing properties on Royal Palms with circular driveways. All
four properties are less than 110’ in width so precedence has been to allow such driveways. (469,
510, 342, and 592)”.
(4) Onerous effect of regulations enacted after platting or after development of the property or after
construction of improvements upon the property.
The applicant stated, “twenty-two newly planted oak trees on the eastside of Royal Palms Drive
between stop sign at Cutlass Drive and Plaza Drive, including two on said property exist. As trees
mature visibility will be increasingly restricted making safe entry more difficult”.
(5) Irregular shape of the property warranting special consideration.
(6) Substandard size of a lot of record warranting a variance in order to provide for the reasonable
use of the property.
REQUIRED ACTION
The Community Development Board may consider a motion to approve ZVAR22-0002, request for a
variance to Section 24-253(a)(3) upon finding this request is consistent with the definition of a variance,
and in accordance with the provisions of Section 24-65, specifically the grounds for approval delineated
in Section 24-65(c) and as described below.
A variance may be granted, at the discretion of the Community Development Board, for the
following reasons:
(1) Exceptional topographic conditions of or near the property.
(2) Surrounding conditions or circumstances impacting the property disparately from nearby
properties.
(3) Exceptional circumstances preventing the reasonable use of the property as compared to
other properties in the area.
(4) Onerous effect of regulations enacted after platting or after development of the property or
after construction of improvements upon the property.
(5) Irregular shape of the property warranting special consideration.
(6) Substandard size of a lot of record warranting a variance in order to provide for the
reasonable use of the property.
Or,
The Community Development Board may consider a motion to deny ZVAR22-0002, request for a
variance to Section 24-253(a)(3), finding this request is not consistent with the definition of a variance.
Request for a variance from Section 24-
253(a)(3) to allow a circular driveway on a
property with less than 100 feet of street
frontage at 487 Royal Palms Drive.
ZVAR22-0002
487 Royal Palms Drive
Site Context and Details
Located on the east
side of Royal Palms
Dr. approx. 115 ft.
south of the Sabalo
Dr. and Royal Palms
Dr. intersection
Zoned Residential,
Single-Family (RS-1)
80 feet of lot frontage
Site Context and Details
Existing driveway
The applicant is
requesting to
add a circular
driveway made
of gravel with at
concrete or
paver border to
the property.
Proposed Plan
Background
Circular driveway requests were previously heard by
Commission as a part of the Waiver process.
Commission has approved two (2) waivers for circular
driveways, one located at 510 Royal Palms Dr.
Four properties have circular driveways on Royal Palms
Drive (2 approved through a waiver). The other two were
installed prior to the 100 foot lot width requirements.
In 2019, the City updated the Land Development
Regulations to encompass variances for driveways. This is
the first request since the code was changed requiring
driveway lot width reductions to follow the variance
process.
Background
CDB reviews because it is related to lot width requirement
(which is part of Chapter 24)
This request fits the def. of variance “granting relief from the
strict application of certain land development regulations….”
Variance process allows applications to reviewed using the
same standards (streamlined)
Municipalities regulate driveway cuts or access points as a way
to reduce potential “conflicts” or “encounters” between
pedestrians and vehicles. By reducing the number of driveways,
the number of potential interactions between the two is
decreased. A sidewalk runs the entire length of Royal Palms
from Plaza Drive to Cavalla Road on the same side of the street
as this request. This area is also identify as the Royal Palms
connection on the Connectively Plan.
592 Royal Palms Drive
69 ft. frontage
Waiver- 2013
510 Royal Palms Drive
83 ft. frontage
Waiver- 2019
469 Royal Palms Drive
82 ft. frontage
No Waiver
342 Royal Palms Drive
84 ft. frontage
No Waiver
Need for Variance
Section 24-253(a)(3) states circular drives “shall only be
permitted on lots having at least one hundred-foot frontage”.
The subject property has 80 feet of frontage on Royal Palms
Drive
Grounds for Decision
APPROVAL-existence of
one or more of the following
Section 24-65 (c)
DENIAL-
1.Exceptional topographic conditions of or near the property.
2.Surrounding conditions or circumstances impacting the property disparately from nearby properties.
3.Exceptional circumstances preventing the reasonable use of the property as compared to other properties in the area.
4.Onerous effect of regulations enacted after platting or after development of the property or after construction of improvement upon the property.
5.Irregular shape of the property warranting special consideration.
6.Substandard size of a lot of record warranting a variance in order to provide for the reasonable use of the property.
The CDB may consider a denial upon
finding that none of the
requirements in 24-65 (c) exist.