The Boca Raton Environmental Board voted unanimously last week to deny a recommendation for approval to the city council of an application by a property owner to develop an oceanfront property with a scaled-back version of a project that has previously led to litigation. The matter will now go to the governing body, which has the final say. (Note: If the video detailing the location of the project is not visible, visit this page or disable ad blockers.)
The proposal for 2600 N. Ocean Boulevard (A1A) has been reduced from a four-story duplex to a single-family home, however testimony from professionals representing the property owner did not sway members of the board. While the board’s recommendation carries weight in terms of influence, it does not legally condemn the project since the ultimate decision-making authority for approval is the city council.
First proposed in 2016, the home would be built seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line where development is normally prohibited due to environmental concerns. But the property was one of several that was never preserved when Boca Raton adopted an initiative to purchase oceanfront properties in 1960s and 1970s, leaving it in private hands. Its boundaries pre-date the existence of the line, as well as the zoning ordinances which govern the property today. Despite its history, in order for the private owner, Azure Development, of Delray Beach, to build on the parcel, the city council must approve a variance allowing construction to move forward east of the line.