Evaluation and Appraisal Report - City of Boca Raton

CASE NO: SC-04-18 The Evaluation and Appraisal Report of the
04-50000008 Boca Raton Comprehensive Plan
The Evaluation and Appraisal Report
of the
Boca Raton Comprehensive Plan
2005

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In compliance with Section 163.3190, Florida Statutes, the 2005 Evaluation and Appraisal Report of the
Boca Raton Comprehensive Plan was prepared by the City of Boca Raton Development Services
Department, with the assistance of staff from the following departments: Financial Services, Fire
Services, Municipal Services, Police Services, Recreation Services, and Utility Services.
This report will be the basis for updating the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
The Mayor, City Council and the Planning and Zoning Board are thanked for their support in
preparing the report and in their efforts to implement the recommendations.
Mayor and City Council:
Mayor Steven L. Abrams
Deputy Mayor Susan Whelchel
Council Member Peter R. Baronoff
Council Member Bill Hager
Council Member Susan Haynie
City Planning and Zoning Board Members:
Robert B. Hagerty, Chairman
William Fairman, Vice-Chairman
Grace M. Johnson, Secretary
Jorge H. Garcia
Frank J. Gulisano
Steven Utrecht
Keith O’Donnell
City of Boca Raton Development Services Staff:
Jorge A. Camejo, AICP Development Services Director
Carmen Annunziato, AICP, Planning and Zoning Division Director
James Bell, AICP, Senior Planner
Lynn Bodor, SRPA, Property Specialist/Appraiser
Bob George, DRI Project Manager
Daryl Johnson, Planner
Chris Kerr, AICP, Senior Planner
Richard Randall, Mapping and Design Administrator
Jennifer H. Simon, AICP, Senior Planner
City of Boca Raton Contributing Staff:
Vicki Gatanis, former Development Services staff
Linda C. Davidson, CPA, CGFO, Financial Services
Luana Deans, Municipal Services
Douglas T. Hess, Municipal Services
Maurice Morel, Municipal Services
Judi Ahern, Municipal Services
Joy Puerta, Municipal Services
Tony Puerta, Municipal Services
Cherie Levinson, Recreation Services
Cindy Martin, former Utility Services staff

Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Introduction
The Identification of the Major Issue 1
Organization of the EAR 4
Changes in Growth Management Law 4
Public Participation Process 6
Communitywide Assessment
Population Growth and Changes in Land Area 8
The Location of Existing Development 21
The Extent of Vacant and Developable Area 23
Public School Concurrency 27
Water Supply Planning 27
Redevelopment in the Coastal High Hazard Area 28
Financial Feasibility of Providing Needed Infrastructure 31
Analysis of the Major Issue
Issue Statement 43
Issue Background 43
Strategies Explored to Address the Major Issue 44
Existing Programs 44
Alternative Programs 47
Issue Analysis 58
Review of Goals, Objectives and Policies that Link 62
Transportation and Land Use Planning
Conclusions and Recommendations 63
Feasibility Study Scope of Work 64
Model Multimodal Transportation District Objectives 68
Assessment of Plan Elements
Analysis of Future Land Use Element 73
Analysis of Transportation Element 83
Analysis of Housing Element 95
Analysis of Coastal Management Element 109
Analysis of Conservation Element 118
Analysis of Recreation and Open Space Element 127
Analysis of General Sewer, Solid Waste, Drainage, Potable 136
Water and Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Element
Sanitary Sewer Subelement 136
Solid Waste Subelement 144

Drainage Subelement 149
Potable Water Subelement 154
Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Subelement 162
Analysis of Historic Preservation Element 173
Analysis of Public School Facilities Element 177
Analysis of Intergovernmental Coordination Element 187
Analysis of Capital Improvements Element 192
Chapter 5
Appendix A
Appendix B
Conclusion and Recommendations
Proposed Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan 196
Future Land Use Element 196
Transportation Element 197
Housing Element 199
Coastal Management Element 200
Conservation Element 201
Recreation and Open Space Element 201
General Sewer, Solid Waste, Drainage, Potable Water and 202
Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Element
Sanitary Sewer Subelement 202
Solid Waste Subelement 203
Drainage Subelement 203
Potable Water Subelement 203
Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Subelement 204
Historic Preservation Element 204
Public School Facilities Element 205
Intergovernmental Coordination Element 206
Capital Improvements Element 206
Map Series 207
Table of Changes to Chapter 163, F.S 208
Table of Changes to Rule 9J-5, F.A.C 222

Tables and Maps
Tables
Table 1 Public Participation Process 7
Table 2 City of Boca Raton Population Projections 14
Table 3 Age of Housing in City of Boca Raton as of 2000 Census 15
Table 4 Number of Building Permits Issued: 2000-2005 15
Table 5 Various Housing Statistics as of 2000 15
Table 6 Housing Value 1990 And 2000 16
Table 7 2000 Housing Costs for Owners 17
Table 8 2000 Housing Costs for Renters 17
Table 9 Environmentally Sensitive Lands 19
Table 10 Acreage of Future Land Use Categories 21
Table 11 Vacant Land Analysis 23
Table 12 Boca Raton Level of Service Standards, 1989 58
Maps
Map 1 Location Map 9
Map 2 Downtown Area Map 11
Map 3 Downtown Subarea Map 13
Map 4 Environmentally Sensitive Areas Map 18
Map 5 Parks and Open Space Areas Map 20
Map 6 Future Land Use Map 22
Map 7 Vacant Land Map 24
Map 8 Status of Downtown Projects Map 26
Map 9 Barrier Island Map 29
Figures
Figure 1 Boca Raton Downtown NOPC Review 2010 Peak Hour 59
Figure 2 Boca Raton Downtown NOPC Review 2025 Peak Hour 60

Chapter 1
Introduction

Introduction
Pursuant to Chapter 163, Part 2, Florida Statutes, the State of Florida requires all
counties and municipalities to prepare and maintain a long-range comprehensive plan
that will guide future growth and development. The comprehensive plan is a document
that lists the goals and objectives for different parts of the community and states the
policies of the local government that will direct programs, budgets, and decisions. The
comprehensive planning process requires local governments to monitor numerous
community characteristics relating to population growth and development, public
services and facilities, and environmental resource management.
As many communities change over time, the comprehensive plan is also designed to
respond to those changes. Response to change comes in part through comprehensive
plan amendments, revisions to the methods of the plan’s implementation, and through
the periodic evaluation of the comprehensive plan. State law requires that each local
government prepare an Evaluation and Appraisal Report of their Comprehensive Plan,
otherwise known as an EAR, once every seven years.
The EAR is the first step in updating a local government’s comprehensive plan. It is
intended to assess the progress a local government has had in implementing its
comprehensive plan and to identify ways that the comprehensive plan should be
changed.
Prior to 1998, every local government in the state of Florida had similar Evaluation and
Appraisal Reports in terms of content. In 1998, the legislature amended Chapter 163
Part 2 of the Florida Statutes to incorporate new criteria for Evaluation and Appraisal
Reports. The effect of the 1998 legislation allows each local government to now
evaluate only those issues that pertain to and affect them. Rather than requiring each
local government to evaluate every portion of the comprehensive plan through an
element by element evaluation, as was the case in the previous EAR, local governments
may now evaluate only plan objectives that relate to those major issues that affect a
community’s ability to achieve its goals, thereby creating a document custom tailored
for each local community.
1

Section 163.3191(2), Florida Statutes requires the EAR to contain information
addressing the following topics:
1) Population growth and changes in land area [163.3191(2)(a)]
2) The extent of vacant and developable land [163.3191(2)(b)]
3) The financial feasibility of providing needed infrastructure to achieve and maintain
adopted level of service standards and sustain concurrency through capital
improvements, as well as the ability to address infrastructure backlogs and meet
the demands of growth of public services and facilities [163.3191(2)(c)]
4) The location of existing development in relation to the location of development as
anticipated in the plan [163.3191(2)(d)]
5) The identification of major issues and, where pertinent, the potential social,
economic, and environmental impacts of these issues [163.3191(2)(e)]
6) Relevant changes in growth management laws (the state comprehensive plan, the
appropriate strategic regional policy plan, chapter 163, part II, F.S., and chapter 9J-
5, F.A.C.) [163.3191(2)(f)]
8) An assessment of whether plan objectives within each element, as they relate to
major issues, have been achieved, and whether unforeseen and unanticipated
changes in circumstances have resulted in problems and opportunities with respect
to major issues in each element [163.3191(2)(g)]
7) A brief assessment of successes and shortcomings related to each element
[163.3191(2)(h)]
9) Any actions or corrective measures, including whether plan amendments are
anticipated to address the major issues identified and analyzed in the report. Such
identification shall include, as appropriate, new population projections, new revised
planning time-frames, a revised future conditions map or map series, an updated
capital improvements element, and any new and revised goals, objectives and
policies for major issues identified within each element [163.3191(2)(i)]
10) A summary of the public participation program and activities undertaken by the
local government in preparing the report [163.3191(2)(j)]
2

11) An assessment of the success or failure of coordinating future land uses and
residential development with the capacity of existing and planned schools;
establishing with the school board appropriate population projections; and
coordinating the planning and siting of new schools [163.3191(2)(k)]
12) An assessment of the comprehensive plan with respect to the water management
district’s regional water supply plan, including whether the potable water element
should be revised to include a work plan, covering at least a 10-year period, for
building water supply facilities for which the local government is responsible that
are needed to serve existing and projected development [163.3191(2)(l)]
13) An evaluation of whether any past reduction in land use density within the coastal
high-hazard area impairs the property rights of current residents when
redevelopment occurs. The local government must identify strategies to address
redevelopment and the rights of affected residents balanced against public safety
considerations [163.3191(2)(m)]
THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE MAJOR ISSUE
The identification of the City’s major issue began in March of 2004 through the efforts
of City staff from the various departments participating in the EAR process. During the
process of identifying potential Citywide issues, staff reviewed the objectives and
policies of their respective comprehensive plan elements and identified “obstacles” or
issues that could affect the City’s future growth and development.
What resulted was a list of issues that were broadly defined and touched upon many
aspects of the City. They were presented to the Planning and Zoning Board on
September 23, 2004, and were recommended for approval. Following the Planning and
Zoning Board meeting, City staff met to consider the recommendation of the Planning
and Zoning Board and refine the list. Upon further review, staff concluded that the
ability to design an innovative transportation system that addresses traffic congestion
and increases mobility, beyond road improvements, is the major issue for the City and,
if established, can positively impact all of the issues that were initially identified by staff.
With this new focus, the issues were narrowed down to one primary issue for the City,
that being:
Addressing the impacts of urban growth and redevelopment through the
establishment of an innovative transportation system that enhances mobility
by linking local and regional transportation networks, incorporating
alternative transportation modes, and promoting traffic management
3

At a public hearing held on November 22, 2004, the Boca Raton City Council approved
the major issue for the City’s Evaluation and Appraisal Report.
Following the approval of the major issue, Development Services staff hosted a scoping
meeting on December 16, 2004, with State, Regional and local agencies on the major
issue. Representatives from the Department of Community Affairs, Treasure Coast
Regional Planning Council, South Florida Water Management District, Palm Beach
County Planning and Zoning Department, the City of Delray Beach, and the City of
Deerfield Beach attended the meeting. A Letter of Understanding was sent by the DCA
to the City of Boca Raton on February 16, 2005, agreeing with the major issue selected
and the scope of work outlined by the City.
ORGANIZATION OF THE EAR
The proposed Boca Raton Evaluation and Appraisal Report consists of five (5) Chapters,
as follows:
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Chapter 2 – Community-wide Assessment
Chapter 3 – Major Issues
Chapter 4 – Assessment of Plan Elements
Chapter 5 – Conclusion and Recommendations
CHANGES IN GROWTH MANAGEMENT LAW
[163.3191(2)(f)]
Chapter 163.3191(2)(f), F.S., requires that the Evaluation and Appraisal Report contain
an evaluation and assessment of the relevant changes to Chapter 187, Florida Statutes,
Chapter 163, Florida Statutes, Rule 9J-5, Florida Administrative Code and Chapter 186,
Florida Statutes, since adoption of the City’s last EAR in 1996.
State Comprehensive Plan: Chapter 187, F.S., is the State Comprehensive Plan, which
provides long-range policy guidance for the orderly social, economic, and physical
growth of the state. Its policies may be implemented only to the extent that financial
resources are provided pursuant to legislative appropriations, grants or appropriations
of any other public or private entities. The plan does not create regulatory authority or
authorize the adoption of agency rules, criteria, or standards not otherwise authorized
by law.
4

Chapter 163, F.S.: Part II, of Chapter 163, F.S., governs county and municipal planning
and land development regulations. Section 163,3164, F.S., otherwise known as the
Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulation Act,
regulates local comprehensive planning in the State of Florida. The intent of this Act is
to allow local governments to deal effectively with future problems that may result from
the use and development of land within their jurisdictions. Through the process of
comprehensive planning, it is intended that units of local government can preserve and
protect the public health and quality of life, facilitate the adequate and efficient
provision of public services and conserve and protect natural resources within their
jurisdictions.
Rule 9J-5 F.A.C.: Rule 9J-5, F.A.C., establishes the minimum criteria for the
preparation, review and determination of compliance of the comprehensive plans and
plan amendments pursuant to the Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land
Development Regulation Act, Chapter 163, F.S.
Treasure Coast Regional Policy Plan: Chapter 186, F.S, governs the procedures for
adoption and revision of the Strategic Regional Policy Plans (SRPP) that are prepared by
the state’s Regional Planning Councils.
Analyses of all the changes made to Chapter 163, F.S. and Rule 9J-5, F.A.C, since the
time of adoption of the City of Boca Raton’s previous EAR (1996) are provided as tables
in Appendix A and B of this report. The changes are summarized by year and include
the corresponding citations. The tables, which provide a determination of consistency
with the Boca Raton Comprehensive Plan, indicate which of the new citations have been
addressed in the Boca Raton Comprehensive Plan, which will require future
comprehensive plan amendments and which are not applicable to the City of Boca
Raton.
A summary of changes to the State Comprehensive Plan and the Regional Policy Plan
are provided below.
The State Comprehensive Plan was amended in 1999 to modify Goal 16, titled
Downtown Revitalization, to recognize the importance of Florida’s urban centers. The
goal was re-titled Urban and Downtown Revitalization and reads as follows: “In
recognition of the importance of Florida's vital urban centers and of the need to develop
and redevelop downtowns to the state's ability to use existing infrastructure and to
accommodate growth in an orderly, efficient, and environmentally acceptable manner,
Florida shall encourage the centralization of commercial, governmental, retail,
residential, and cultural activities within downtown areas.”
5

In addition, the State Comprehensive Plan added seven (7) new policies that are
provided below:
‣ Promote and encourage communities to engage in a redesign step to include
public participation of members of the community in envisioning redevelopment
goals and design of the community core before redevelopment.
‣ Ensure that local governments have adequate flexibility to determine and
address their urban priorities within the state urban policy.
‣ Enhance the linkage between land use, water use and transportation planning in
state, regional, and local plans for current and future designed urban areas.
‣ Develop concurrency requirements that do not compromise public health and
safety for urban areas that promote redevelopment efforts.
‣ Promote processes for the state, general purpose local governments, school
boards, and local community colleges to coordinate and cooperate regarding
education facilities in urban areas, including planning functions, the development
of joint facilities and the reuse of existing buildings.
‣ Encourage the development of mass transit systems for urban centers, including
multimodal transportation feeder systems, as a priority of local, metropolitan,
regional and state transportation planning.
‣ Locate appropriate public facilities within urban centers to demonstrate public
commitment to the centers and to encourage the private sector development.
With regards to the Chapter 186, F.S., the Treasure Coast Regional Policy Plan, the
Boca Raton Comprehensive Plan remains consistent with the Regional Policy Plan that
was adopted by the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council in 1995 and was
reviewed during the Regional Planning Council’s EAR process in 2000. After final
adoption of the Treasure Coast SRPP update scheduled in 2007, the City of Boca Raton
will address any inconsistencies through the City’s EAR-based plan amendment process.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS
[163.3191(2)(j)]
In accordance with Section 163,3191(2)(j), F.S., the City of Boca Raton was required to
submit a summary of the public participation activities involved in the preparation of the
Evaluation and Appraisal Report. The table on the following page outlines the
workshops and public hearings that were involved in the identification of the major
issue and the preparation of the EAR.
6

TABLE 1
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS
Date Activity Notice
March 23, 2004 Staff Kick-off Meeting In-house meeting
June 6, 2004
September 23, 2004
November 22, 2004
December 16, 2004
Staff meeting on preliminary
list of major issues
Planning and Zoning Board
workshop on identification of
major issues
City Council Workshop on the
identification of the major
issue
Scoping Meeting with State,
Regional and Local agencies
In-house meeting
Agenda advertised on City website
Advertisement in local section of
newspaper on November 16, 2004;
Letters sent out to homeowners
associations and special interest
groups
Letters to agencies
November 17, 2005
December 13, 2005
Planning and Zoning Public
Hearing on draft EAR
City Council Adoption Public
Hearing on EAR
Advertisement in classified section
of newspaper on September 8,
2005
Advertisement in local section of
newspaper on December 3, 2005.
7

Chapter 2
Communitywide Assessment

Communitywide Assessment
Boca Raton was incorporated as a town in 1925 with a population fewer than 300. Today,
the City of Boca Raton is the 24 th most populous city in the State of Florida and the second
largest city in Palm Beach County, Florida. Located along Florida’s “Gold Coast”, Boca
Raton is the southernmost municipality in Palm Beach County. The City is located
approximately 40 miles north of Miami, midway between the cities of West Palm Beach to
the north and Fort Lauderdale to the south. The City is bordered on the north by the
Town of Highland Beach, the City of Delray Beach, and unincorporated Palm Beach
County; on the west by unincorporated Palm Beach County; on the south by the City of
Deerfield Beach in Broward County; and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean.
Boca Raton, along with Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River Counties, are under the
jurisdiction of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. Deerfield Beach, Broward
County, and all local governments to the south of Boca Raton are under the jurisdiction of
the South Florida Regional Planning Council.
POPULATION GROWTH AND CHANGES IN LAND AREA
[163.3191(2)(a)]
At the time of adoption of the 1996 Evaluation and Appraisal Report, Boca Raton consisted
of 27 square miles, with five miles of ocean frontage. In 2003, the City annexed
approximately 245.37 acres of residentially designated land. In 2004, an additional 922.88
acres was annexed consisting of 218.46 acres of commercial and 704.52 acres of
residential land. With the inclusion of approximately 226.5 acres of rights-of-way and
canal easements, a total of 1,394.75 acres was annexed into the City. As illustrated on
Map 1, the annexations resulted in the size of the City increased to approximately 29.18
square miles.
8

Map 1
Location Map
North
9

The City of Boca Raton contains a downtown redevelopment area that is delimited to the
north by the northernmost edge of Mizner Park; to the east, by N. E. and S. E. 5th Avenue;
to the south, by the Camino Real/Dixie Highway intersection; and to the west, by Dixie
Highway. The Redevelopment Area was established in 1982 and was characterized by
uneven development and a myriad of commercial and even some industrial tenants and
uses.
In some areas multiple ownership and small parcels flourished while in other areas of the
downtown several large parcels had been consolidated. As a whole, the area was
developed at a very low intensity. Some parcels had small buildings with no parking, while
others had some surface parking, and a few larger buildings had vast surface parking lots.
A significant number of parcels had no development at all.
Although the Downtown Plan was approved in 1982, little development or redevelopment
occurred between 1982 and 1986. In 1986, the Boca Raton Community Redevelopment
Agency initiated work on a Downtown Development of Regional Impact (DDRI), and on
March 15, 1988 the City approved a DDRI Development Order for the entire downtown.
The DDRI Development Order provided for and encouraged mixed-use development in the
downtown area.
The 1988 Development Order divided the downtown into subareas (Map 3) and allocated a
level of Development to each subarea. The status of each subarea as of 1988 and the
subsequent level of development and redevelopment activity can generally be described as
follows:
Area A contains primarily institutional and public uses and is dominated by the community
complex made up of City Hall, the Community Center, the Library, the Police Station, and
Memorial Park. Commercial uses along this portion of Palmetto Park Road consist of first
floor retail and some two and three-story office buildings. Access to the institutional
buildings is provided by N.W. 2nd Avenue and West Palmetto Park Road, but the railroad
tracks (constituting the eastern border of Area A) act as a barrier between Area A and the
rest of the Community Redevelopment Area. This subarea has seen little development or
redevelopment activity.
Area B is the northernmost section of the Community Redevelopment Area and contained
the Boca Raton Mall, a distressed 1970’s shopping center with approximately 50 percent
occupancy. Sanborn Square Park and the Old Towne Hall (an historic landmark)
represented additional significant public land uses within this area. Outside of Boca Mall
10

Map 2
Downtown Redevelopment Area
11

there were primarily low-density commercial uses within this area. This subarea has seen
substantial development and redevelopment activity including the development of Mizner
Park and several office or retail buildings on Federal Highway.
Area C is bounded by Boca Raton Road on the north, N.E. 5th Avenue on the east, Royal
Palm Road on the south, and Mizner Boulevard on the west. East Palmetto Park Road runs
through the center of the area. Land uses in Area C were split almost evenly between low
intensity commercial and residential, with a small area devoted to mixed use. Typically,
retail took up the first floor of old buildings with office or residential on the second floor.
Limited redevelopment activity has occurred in this area.
Area D is at the center of the Community Redevelopment Area, extending from Palmetto
Park Road to the north to 5th Street to the south. Land uses consisted of combination of
office buildings, an upscale shopping center, vacant lots, surface parking, and many lowdensity
commercial buildings. Several dilapidated buildings along Federal Highway, south
of Palmetto Park Road, detracted from the area. This area has seen significant
development and redevelopment activity.
Area E is at the southeastern border of the Redevelopment Area. This was the only
subarea primarily made up of vacant land. This area overlooks the Boca Raton Hotel and
Club golf course and has seen substantial development activity.
Area F is at the south central tip of the Redevelopment Area. The area is bordered on the
east by Federal Highway and west by FEC railroad tracks. This subarea was almost
completely made up of offices, with some dilapidated residential buildings between S.E. 5th
Street and S.E. 7th Street, a few small retail stores, two small motels, and a railroad
station (another historic landmark), which has been restored for public use between Dixie
Highway and the railroad tracks. This area has had substantial development and
redevelopment activity.
Area G forms a "leg" at the southwestern end of the Community Redevelopment Area,
west of Dixie Highway. Land uses include two neighborhood shopping centers, some twoand
three-story office buildings, and a small amount of vacant area. This subarea has
seen little development or redevelopment activity.
12

Map 3
Sub Areas
13

In 1996, the population in the City of Boca Raton was comprised of 64,602 permanent
residents. As indicated in Table 2 below, by 2005, the population had increased to 85,377
permanent residents, which is a 32 percent (%) change in population. This increase in
population includes the estimated population due to the annexations that occurred in 2003
and 2004. By 2010, the population is expected to increase by 3.2% to 88,107 and by
7.7% by the year 2020 for a total of 91,942 permanent residents.
TABLE 2
CITY OF BOCA RATON POPULATION PROJECTIONS
Year Resident Seasonal Tourist Total
1996 64,602 8,475 6,080 79,157
2005 85,377 10,538 4,277 100,192
2010 88,107 10,898 4,682 103,687
2020 91,942 11,404 5,102 108,448
As the population of Boca Raton increased during the decade before 2000, so did the
number of residential units, from 32,962 to 37,547. 1 Of these units, in 2000, 15.2% were
vacant (the Census was taken in April, when most seasonal residents had left town).
About 11% of housing units were designated in the 2000 Census as being for “seasonal,
recreational or occasional use.” Of occupied units, 24.4% were renter-occupied, and
75.6% were owner-occupied. As a result of annexation, 4,292 units, mostly multi-family,
were added to the total. Approximately 94% of these units are occupied, and 6% vacant
(according to records compiled by the City’s Land Records Division).
According to 2000 Census statistics, over 90% of the City's housing stock has been added
since 1960 (see Table 3). As Table 4 shows, 474 building permits for housing were issued
from 2000-04, for 1,135 units. The majority of the 4,292 units added by annexation were
built after 1980. Taking the above into account, it can be said currently that about 75% of
Boca Raton’s housing units were built since 1970. Thus, most of the units are well
maintained and in good condition. The 2000 Census indicated that 74 units lacked complete
plumbing facilities, while 114 units were without complete kitchen facilities. The Census
Bureau reported that just 2.5% of occupied housing units were overcrowded (“overcrowded”
is defined as more than one occupant per room).
1
In some of the text and tables that follow, total housing units are shown as 37,651. The reason for the
discrepancy is that the 37,547 figure is derived from Census Summary File 1, which is based on a 100%
count. The 37,651 figure is from Census Summary File 3, which is an estimate based on a sample count of
respondents who received the Census long form.
14

TABLE 3
AGE OF HOUSING IN CITY OF BOCA RATON AS OF 2000 CENSUS
Year Structure Built* Number of Units Percent Cumulative Percent
1995 to Mar. 2000 2,487 6.60% 6.60%
1990 to 1994 3,289 8.74% 15.34%
1980 to 1989 8,823 23.43% 38.77%
1970 to 1979 12,211 32.43% 71.20%
1960 to 1969 7,883 20.94% 92.14%
1950 to 1959 2,372 6.30% 98.44%
1940 to 1949 373 .99% 99.43%
1939 or earlier 213 0.57% 100.00%
Total Units 37,651
Source: 2000 U.S. Census, Summary File 3 *Data on year structure built are susceptible to errors because
respondents must rely on their memory or on estimates by people who have lived in the neighborhood a long time
TABLE 4
NUMBER OF BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED: 2000-2005
Calendar Year
Multi-Family
Single Family Duplex Permits Units
2000 117 0 3 251
2001 82 1 3 358
2002 86 4 1 3
2003 87 0 0 0
2004 81 0 9 65
TOTALS 453 5 16 677
Source: City of Boca Raton Building Division
TABLE 5
VARIOUS HOUSING STATISTICS AS OF 2000
Housing Type
No. of
Units
% of Units
Owner-occupied 24,068 75.6%
Renter-occupied 7,780 24.4%
Number of Bedrooms Number Percent
0 595 1.6
1 4,227 11.2
2 14,159 37.6
3 11,773 31.3
4 5,380 14.3
5 or more 1,517 4.0
Median Monthly Cost $1,621 (mortgage)
$847 (gross rent)
Source: 2000 U.S. Census, Summary Files 1 and 3
15

Table 6 presents housing values for owner-occupied units in 1990 and 2000. Just 5.2% of
all houses in 2000 were valued below $100,000, with 38.2% of all homes valued between
$100,00 and $200,000. Another 19.3% of homes were valued between $200,000 and
$300,000, with the remainder (37.4%) valued in excess of $300,000. Since 2000, home
values have risen at a very quick pace, as will be demonstrated later.
TABLE 6
HOUSING VALUE 1990 AND 2000
1990 2000
Home Value No. % No. %

Housing costs in Boca Raton are considerably higher than in Palm Beach County as a
whole, as demonstrated by 2000 Census data in Tables 7 and 8.
TABLE 7
2000 HOUSING COSTS FOR OWNERS
Owner-Occupied
% of Units
Units by Value City of Boca Raton Palm Beach County
Less than $50,000 0.2% 3.5%
$ 50,000-$ 99,999 5.1% 27.9%
$100,000-$149,999 18.6% 26.8%
$150,000-$199,999 19.5% 16.9%
$200,000-$299,999 19.2% 12.4%
$300,000-$499,999 19.6% 7.1%
$500,000-$999,999 14.2% 3.7%
$1,000,000 or more 3.6% 1.6%
Average Value $230,200 $135,200
Source: 2000 U.S. Census
TABLE 8
2000 HOUSING COSTS FOR RENTERS
Renter – Occupied
% of Units
Units: Monthly Rent City of Boca Raton Palm Beach County
Less than $500 6.5% 16.4%
$500-$749 27.1% 32.7%
$750-$999 32.6% 26.2%
$1,000-$1,499 17.9% 14.2%
$1,500 or more 10.6% 5.5%
No cash rent 5.4% 4.9%
Average Monthly Gross Rent $847 $739
Source: 2000 U.S. Census
The 2000 Census showed that most households in Boca Raton owned their housing units
(74%), while 26% rented. That ratio remained the same in 2002, according to a
University of Florida estimate (www.flhousingdata.shimberg.ufl.edu).
Boca Raton lies on the flat eastern coast of the Florida peninsula, and consequently the
elevation of most of the land in Boca Raton is between five and twenty feet above mean
sea level. Small areas along the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, which runs north and south
between Fourth Avenue and Second Avenue, lie slightly above twenty feet above mean sea
level. The area adjacent to the El Rio Canal in the south part of the City, the areas
immediately adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway, and a small area north of 20th Street
and east of the El Rio Canal all lie between zero and five (5) feet above mean sea level.
17

Map 4
Environmentally Sensitive Areas
North
18

The City of Boca Raton has no commercially exploitable natural resources nor is the
extraction of non-renewable resources permitted in Boca Raton. However, Boca Raton
does have significant environmentally sensitive land within its corporate limits.
At the time of adoption of the 1996 EAR, the City owned 52.75 acres of environmentally
sensitive lands. As displayed on Map 4, since 1996, the City has acquired more than 315
acres of environmental preserves for a total of 367.86 acres. Table 9 lists the
environmentally sensitive lands that were present at the time of adoption of the 1996 EAR
and those that have been acquired subsequent to 1996.
TABLE 9
ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LANDS
Existing Preserves Year Acreage
Cypress Knee Slough Preserve 1992 28.0+
Gopher Tortoise Preserve 1995 8.5+
Rosemary Ridge Preserve 1993 7.25
Serenoa Glades Preserve 1992 9.00
SUBTOTAL 52.75
Newly Acquired Preserves Year Acreage
Blazing Star Preserve 1997 24.14
Pond Hawk Preserve 2002 77.84
Yamato Scrub Preserve* 1997 212.00
*Purchased with the State of Florida and Palm Beach County
SUBTOTAL 315.11
TOTAL 367.86
Boca Raton has, excluding Community schools, approximately 1,265 acres, of developed
parks. This is an increase of approximately 145 acres since the time of adoption of the
EAR in 1996. The parkland comprises 6.8 percent of the total city area and is equivalent to
14.9 acres of parkland per 1,000 population. Boca Raton's parks include the beach parks,
large inland parks, and several smaller parks. The City Recreation Services Division has set
level of service standards for all park types. To provide for additional recreational facilities
and open space, Boca Raton has made agreements with the Greater Boca Raton Beach and
Parks District, Florida Atlantic University and Palm Beach County School District.
19

Map 5
Parks and Open Space Areas
North
20

THE LOCATION OF EXISTING DEVELOPMENT
[163.3191(2)(d)]
The baseline data analysis of the Comprehensive Plan developed in 1989 concluded that
the land development pattern in Boca Raton had occurred in a manner such that there
existed a mixture of residential, commercial, industrial and recreational uses. Table 10
indicates the number of acres per land use category at the time of the original 1989
Comprehensive Plan and the current ratio of acres per land use category.
TABLE 10
ACREAGE OF FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORIES
Future Land Use Map 1989 Future Land Use Map 2005
Future Land Use Acreage Percent Future Land Use Acreage Percent
Category
Category
Residential (RSU) 1.0 units
Residential (RSU) 1.0
213.00 1.53%
units
293.91 1.93%
Residential Low (RL) 3.5
Residential Low (RL) 3.5
6,493.43 46.54%
units
units
6,527.66 42.89%
Residential Low (3) units 0 0% Residential Low (3) units 18.48 0.12%
Residential Medium (RM)
Residential Medium (RM)
618.50 4.43%
9.5 units
9.5 units
759.06 4.99%
Residential Medium (5)
Residential Medium (5)
0 0%
units
units
169.17 1.11%
Residential Medium (8)
Residential Medium (8)
0 0%
units
units
703.36 4.62%
Residential High (RM) 20.0
Residential High (RM)
550.00 3.94%
units
20.0 units
606.47 3.99%
Residential High (12) units 0 0% Residential High (12) units 47.91 0.31%
Commercial (C) 741.94 5.32% Commercial (C) 728.43 4.79%
Commercial (CN) 3.00 0.02% Commercial (CN) 4.48 0.03%
Commercial (CH/8) 0 0% Commercial (CH/8) 217.60 1.43%
Public Institutional (PI) 1,629.00 11.68% Public Institutional (PI) 1,641.36 10.79%
Recreation and Open
Recreation and Open
1,152.15 8.26%
Space (PR)
Space (PR)
1,296.38 8.52%
Conservation (N) 45.60 0.33% Conservation (N) 410.27 2.70%
General Industrial (IG) 217.86 1.56% General Industrial (IG) 247.09 1.62%
Light Industrial (IL) 1,334.00 9.56% Light Industrial (IL) 981.43 6.45%
Manufacturing (IM) 678.04 4.86% Manufacturing (IM) 333.91 2.19%
Utilities (U/T) 0 0% Utilities (U/T) 11.25 0.07%
Central Business District
Central Business District
275.00 1.97%
(CBD)
(CBD)
220.60 1.45%
TOTAL 13,951.52 100% TOTAL 15,218.82 100%
Generally, the same functional land use mix of 1989 is found in the Future Land Use
acreage of 2005. The only differences are found in those land uses (RM 5, 8, and 12 and
Commercial CH/8 and U/T) that were annexed into the City in 2003 and 2004.
21

Map 6
Future Land Use
North
22

THE EXTENT OF VACANT AND DEVELOPABLE LAND
[163.3191(2)(b)]
The 1996 EAR anticipated that by 2000, there would be very few vacant residential
properties remaining in the City. The previous EAR further assumed that the demand for
housing within the City would continue well after all of the remaining vacant residential
property was developed and that the older more underdeveloped areas of the City would
most likely experience redevelopment. At that time, northern Boca Raton west of the CSX
railroad corridor, central Boca Raton, between Glades Road and Yamato Road, and the
westernmost area of the City had the majority of vacant land. These areas contained large
pockets of infill vacant land that have since 1996 been approved for development.
As the City of Boca Raton nears build out, developable vacant land is at a minimum (See
Map 7). Table 11 illustrates the extent to which the vacant and developable land in the
City has decreased since the time of adoption of the City’s 1996 EAR.
TABLE 11
VACANT LAND ANALYSIS
Vacant Land
Land Use Category 1996 2005 Total % Vacant
Residential RSU Semi-Urban 0.00 0.00 293.91 0.00%
RL Low 536.36 130.12 6,527.66 1.99%
RM Medium 1.64 30.39 759.06 4.00%
RH High 16.00 11.06 606.47 1.82%
Commercial C 84.89 36.47 728.43 5.01%
CN 0.00 0.21 4.48 4.67%
Industrial IG General 20.86 4.16 247.09 1.68%
IL Light 620.00 146.45 981.43 14.92%
IM Manufacturing 87.34 28.53 333.91 8.54%
Public/Private PI Institutional 0.00 77.74 1,641.36 4.74%
Institutional
PR 22.30 25.80 1,296.38 1.99%
Recreation/Open
Space
N Conservation 0.00 0.00 410.27 0.00%
Annexed
Areas
Residential-3 0.00 0.00 18.48 1.23%
Residential-5 0.00 0.00 169.17 0.00%
Residential-8 0.00 0.00 703.36 0.00%
Residential-12 0.00 0.00 47.91 0.00%
CH/8 Commercial 0.00 0.00 217.60 0.00%
U/T Utility 0.00 0.00 11.25 0.00%
Central Business District (CBD) 17.45 2.71 220.60 0.00%
TOTAL 1,406.84 493.64 15,218.82 3.24%
23

Map 7
Vacant Land
North
24

The majority of the vacant land in northern Boca Raton consisted of mostly natural areas
that were not yet designated as Conservation on the Future Land Use Map. Since 1996,
these areas have been changed to Conservation. However, this area as well as the area
due east also experienced land use changes to residential to accommodate multifamily infill
development projects. In 2004, a 17.23-acre tract of vacant land that had a Future Land
Use designation of Industrial and Commercial was approved for a change to Mediumdensity
Residential, consisting of 155 two-story units.
The large vacant area depicted in western Boca Raton during the previous planning period
consisted of single-family residential land. This area has now been developed as part of
the Woodfield Country Club Planned Unit Development.
Central Boca Raton contained a large tract of vacant land known as the Boca Technology
site, consisting of approximately 440 acres. In 1999, 224.44 acres were approved and are
currently under construction for retail and office development. The remaining 216 acres
have since been approved for a park and other public uses. In addition, a Future Land Use
Map amendment was approved for a 21.59-acre parcel from Commercial to Mediumdensity
Residential to permit the construction of 202 townhouses. These units are
currently under construction.
This scenario was not anticipated during the last planning period but is becoming
widespread throughout the City. The area to witness the most conversion of uses to
accommodate multifamily projects has been along North Federal Highway in northeastern
Boca Raton. Three townhouse developments were approved, one project (1) in 2002 and
the other two (2) in 2003, which required land use map amendments from commercial to
residential. In addition, a medium density townhouse project located beside the CSX
railroad corridor just north of Palmetto Park Road was also approved for multifamily
development in 2002. This area was previously vacant commercially designated land.
Another area within the City that has experienced redevelopment activities that were not
anticipated in the previous planning period is the barrier island. Underdeveloped
properties or properties that contained older buildings have been torn down to make way
for more luxurious multifamily developments. Examples of this include the Meridian, the
Excelsior and the Lussuria along South Ocean Boulevard.
Lastly, the downtown has seen tremendous growth and development since the time of
adoption of the previous EAR. Between 1988 and the 1996 EAR, 165,266 square feet of
retail, 224,345 square feet of office and 509 residential units were built. Since the 1996
EAR, 46 projects have been granted development approval and 205,577 square feet of
retail, 496,897 square feet of office and 1,042 residential units have been built. In
addition, currently there are 79,806 square feet of retail, 239,978 square feet of office, and
267 hotel rooms and 896 residential units approved and yet to be built.
25

Map 8
Status of Downtown Projects
North
26

The status of the Redevelopment Area in terms of approved, under construction and built
development is shown in Map 8. Completed developments include both mixed-use and
single-use projects with retail uses, cinemas, restaurants, office uses, residential
apartments and condominiums. These projects have established the viability of a wide
range of development types and uses in the Redevelopment Area.
Except for Mizner Park in Subarea B development and redevelopment has been driven by
market forces. This has resulted in development being primarily concentrated in the South
Federal Highway/South Mizner Boulevard Area (Subareas D, E, and F). Market forces have
now begun to move eastward along Palmetto Park Road with major project approvals in
Subarea C. There has been little to indicate that market forces will lead to the
development or redevelopment of Subareas A or G within the next few years.
PUBLIC SCHOOL CONCURRENCY
[163.3191(2)(k)]
Local governments are required to comply with new school planning and coordination
requirements. Palm Beach County, the School Board of Palm Beach County and the 26
participating municipalities, which include the City of Boca Raton, are exempt due to the
implementation of school concurrency in Palm Beach County beginning in 2002.
Countywide school concurrency will ensure that school capacity at the adopted level of
service (LOS) standard is available at the time of impact of new residential development.
Palm Beach County is the first jurisdiction in the State of Florida to complete and
successfully implement this process.
School concurrency in Palm Beach County began effective in June of 2004. To meet the
demand for educational facilities, the School Board, through the Capital Facilities Plan, has,
since initiating the school concurrency program in 2002, built 21 new schools, replaced 25
old school and remodeled 8 existing schools. In addition, the processes are now in place
to coordinate the efforts on population and student enrollment projections and to
coordinate and collaborate in the planning and siting of new public school facilities. A
summary of successes related to public schools and planning is described in Chapter 4, the
Analysis of the Public School Facilities Element.
WATER SUPPLY PLANNING
[163.3191(2)(l)]
Legislation passed by the State in 2002 requires local governments to prepare a 10-year
Water Supply Facilities Work Plan (Work Plan). The intent of the legislation is to
strengthen the coordination of land use and water supply planning with the goal of
ensuring adequate regional water supply for the long term. The Work Plan must project
water facilities needs for at least a 10-year period and identify any deficiencies. The Work
Plan must be submitted to the State by December 2006. A draft Work Plan was reviewed
27

and recommended for approved by the Planning and Zoning Board in June 2004.
The draft Work Plan recommended that the Comprehensive Plan Potable Water Sub-
Element be amended to include the Water Supply Facilities Workplan and that the
Conservation Element also be amended to conform to the Workplan. Once approved, the
Workplan will be incorporated into the Data and Analysis documents that serve as technical
support for the Comprehensive Plan.
The March 2005 Plan concluded that no new facilities are required to maintain service for
the period spanning 2005 through 2015. It also stated that the City in 2015 will require an
average daily raw water demand of 44.93 million gallons per day (mgd) to produce 40.85
mgd of potable water. The City’s wellfields will have a surplus raw water production
capacity of 42.07 mgd and the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) will have a surplus finished
water capacity of 39.15 mgd. The City’s storage, distribution and treatment systems are
sufficient to meet the projected 2015 demand.
REDEVELOPMENT WITHIN COASTAL HIGH-HAZARD AREA
[163.3191(2)(m)]
In May 2002, the Florida Legislature amended Section 163.3191(2)(m) Florida Statutes
(F.S.) to require the following:
“…An evaluation of whether any past reduction in land use density within the
coastal high-hazard area impairs the property rights of current residents
when redevelopment occurs… The local government must identify strategies
to address redevelopment and the rights of affected residents balanced
against public safety considerations”
The State defines Coastal High Hazard Areas (CHHA) in Chapter 163.3178(2)(h) as: “the
evacuation zone for a Category One hurricane as established in the regional hurricane
evacuation study applicable to the local government.” The City of Boca Raton defines the
CHHA as the entire barrier island, which is a Category 1 hurricane evacuation area.
The barrier island is comprised of several land uses, as depicted on Map 9. These land
uses are: Residential High, Residential Medium, Residential Low, and Commercial.
28

Map 9
Barrier Island
North
29

Since the last planning period, the City has not decreased density in the CHHA. The City
has permitted development to occur on sites in the CHHA consistent with their future land
use categories. Based on staff’s research of background data in the Comprehensive Plan,
development or redevelopment in the CHHA, which is the barrier island, must adhere to
the following criteria:
Development or redevelopment cannot negatively impact the fifteen (15) hour
hurricane evacuation time;
Development or redevelopment cannot be located in a high velocity zone as noted
on FEMA FIRM maps;
Development or redevelopment cannot be located east of the Coastal Construction
Control Line;
Development or redevelopment cannot be located in a FEMA flood prone zone; and
Development or redevelopment cannot lower adopted level of service standards in
the Comprehensive Plan.
Since the last planning period, no development has been approved in the CHHA that has
conflicted with this criteria. Since the time of adoption of the Comprehensive Plan, as
amended in 1996, redevelopment has occurred in the coastal high hazard area (the barrier
island) consistent with adopted future land use designations.
The City’s Comprehensive Plan currently contains two policies that address post-disaster
redevelopment under the Objective CM.1.4.0, which speaks to directing the permanent
population away from known or predicted coastal high-hazard areas. This objective and
the associated policies are stated below:
Objective CM 1.4.0 Avoid Permanent Population Concentrations In Coastal High-Hazard
Areas As Shown In The Coastal High-Hazard Area Map Of This Plan. The City shall
continue to direct permanent population concentrations from known or predicted coastal
high-hazard areas.
Policy CM 1.4.1: Restrict Development in Coastal High-Hazard Areas. The City shall
incorporate appropriate policies in the land development regulations in order to direct
permanent residential population concentrations away from known or predicted coastal
high-hazard areas (i.e., areas located within the high velocity hurricane zone as denoted on
the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] Flood Insurance Rate Maps [FIRM] for
the City of Boca Raton, areas that are scientifically predicted to experience damage, areas
that have historically experienced destruction or severe storm-related damage, areas
seaward of the coastal construction line, and inlets which are not structurally controlled).
The following provisions shall be incorporated into the revised land development
regulations to restrict development within the coastal high-hazard area:
30

a. Consistent with Coastal Management Policy 1.2.1, no new uses other than
stipulated water-dependent structures shall be allowed in the coastal highhazard
area and the location of new habitable structures is expressly
prohibited. Similarly, sewage treatment plants, industrial holding ponds and
other potentially polluting facilities within the coastal high-hazard area are
prohibited.
b. Require any permitted construction within the FEMA V Zones to meet storm
and flood proofing standards required for a 100-year storm.
c. In the event of structural damage in excess of 50% of value of a structure,
said structure may be rebuilt to current construction requirements.
d. All new development and redevelopment in the coastal building zone shall
comply with the requirements of Chapter 161 F.S., and the Coastal
Construction Code of the City of Boca Raton. [9J-5.012(3)(c)(7); SRPP
5.1.1.1., 5.2.1.8, 5.4.1.7, 7.3.1.1.; SCP 9(b)3)
After reviewing various objectives and policies in the Comprehensive Plan, the City of Boca
Raton does have policies in place that address property rights of residents balanced with
public safety considerations. Since the last planning period, the City has not reduced
densities in the Coastal High Hazard Area and therefore, property rights of residents in the
CHHA have not been impaired. However, staff recommends that components of Policy
C.M. 1.4.1 be revised to better balance redevelopment needs with private property rights.
The recommended changes are provided for in Chapter 4, Analysis of the Coastal
Management Element and Chapter 5, the Conclusions and Recommendations of the EAR.
FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY OF PROVIDING NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE
[163.3191(2)(c)]
Concurrency Management System
This section analyzes the financial feasibility of implementing the comprehensive plan and
of providing needed infrastructure to achieve and maintain adopted Level of Service (LOS)
standards and the ability to sustain concurrency management systems through the Capital
Improvement Element (CIE), as well as the ability to address infrastructure backlogs and
meet the demands of growth on public services and facilities. The purpose of the
Concurrency Management System is to ensure adequate public facilities are in place and
are concurrent with the impact of development. As a result, this process directly involves
review by the pertinent service providers to determine if services and infrastructures are
adequate to serve proposed development on a subject property.
To facilitate the concurrency process, the City of Boca Raton’s Comprehensive Plan
31

equires that each City department is responsible for preparing and submitting to the City
Manager the Annual Infrastructure Report that demonstrates that each element has
complied with the adopted standards of service. Based upon analysis of the Annual
Infrastructure Report, the City Manager proposes to the City Council each year, any
necessary amendments to the CIE, and any proposed amendments to the City’s annual
budget for public facilities, in order to increase LOS where needed.
The City of Boca Raton Comprehensive Plan contains “level of service standards” for
infrastructure that the City of Boca Raton provides services for. These services include
potable water, wastewater, solid waste, drainage, parks and recreation, and traffic
engineering (roads) and public schools. A discussion of the City’s ability to provide “level of
service standards” for infrastructure follows.
Potable Water
The City of Boca Raton Utility Services Department (CBRUSD) is an operating unit of the
City of Boca Raton. CBRUSD provides potable water, reclaimed water, and wastewater
services to approximately 120,000 people within a 35 square mile area including
residential, commercial, hotel/motel, and institutional uses, as well as some contiguous
areas within unincorporated Palm Beach County.
CBRUSD water facilities include one regional water treatment plant facility located on
Glades Road by the I-95 interchange. The Water Treatment Plant (WTP) is capable of
producing approximately 80 million gallons per day (mgd) of finished water utilizing both
lime softening and membrane softening processes; it’s current Florida Department of
Environmental Protection (FDEP) rating is for 70 mgd. Auxiliary facilities include six
wellfields consisting of 52 operational wells (56 total) capable of producing a total of 87
mgd of raw water, one proposed well field consisting of 3 wells at the Boca Raton T-Rex
location with a potential capacity of 6 mgd; current South Florida Water Management
(SFWMD) limiting conditions are 17743 mg annual allocation and 64.6515 mg maximum
daily allocation. Other auxiliary facilities include on-site and off-site ground and elevated
storage with a combined capacity of 23.75 million gallons (mg). Administrative,
Engineering, O&M, and Laboratory facilities are located at the WTP facility premises. The
Customer Services Center is located in the City of Boca Raton City Hall. The addition of the
membrane softening process along with the other facilities is designed to meet the needs
of the current and future needs of the Department’s customer base.
CBRUSD distributes an average of 42 mgd treated water equivalent to 350 gallons per
capita per day raw water demand Level Of Service (LOS). CBRUSD has a design storage
capacity of 23.75 mg equivalent to 210 gallons per capita per day storage LOS. CBRUSD
provides a water pressure LOS of 60 pounds per square inch (psi) in normal conditions and
a minimum water pressure LOS of 20 psi under mechanical or drought conditions.
32

CBRUSD’s water distribution system includes over 526 miles of pipe, 5,000 hydrants, and
35,000 water meters. The mains are primarily constructed of ductile iron and PVC.
CBRUSD’s minimum level of service standard for potable water is 325 gallons per capital
per day.
Wastewater
CBRUSD wastewater facilities include one regional wastewater treatment facility (WWTF)
and one reclamation facility located on Glades Road by the I-95 interchange. Auxiliary
facilities include 234 wastewater pump stations. The WWTF is capable of treating 20mgd
of influent using conventional activated sludge (secondary level); it’s current FDEP rating is
for 17.5 mgd. Treated effluent is directed to either an ocean outfall located 5,166 feet off
shore and 90 feet below the oceans surface or to the reclaimed water system for further
treatment and use for irrigation. Ocean Outfall has a capacity of 26 mgd. The reclamation
facility is capable of producing approximately 10 mgd of reclaimed water and 6 mg
storage; it’s current FDEP rating is for 10 mgd.
CBRUSD collects and treats approximately 14.95 mgd of influent equivalent to 125 per
capita per day wastewater treatment LOS. With a peak demand of 8.0 mgd for reclaim
water, the CBRUSD currently provides reclaimed water to two golf courses, Florida Atlantic
University, Boca Raton Resort and Club, three parks, City facilities, one church, 50
business/commercial customers, and 743 residential customers.
CBRUSD’s wastewater distribution system includes 0ver 106 miles of force mains and 340
miles of gravity lines. The city’s reclamation system includes 35 miles of transmission and
distribution piping with an additional 3 miles being added resulting in a potential increase
of 2.0 mgd use which includes Lynn University and the Boca Airport as new customers.
There are some pockets in the eastern portion of the service area which are still served by
individual septic tanks. Septic tanks are permitted under the provisions of Palm Beach
County Environmental Control Rule 1, Rule 64E-6 of the Florida Administrative Code and
Florida Statute 381. The City has an aggressive program of special assessment to fund
extension of the sanitary sewer system into these areas. The City’s Community
Improvement Authority is proposing a program to use State Housing Incentive Program
(SHIP) funds to assist low and moderate-income homeowners to pay for assessments,
impact fees, and plumbing charges when the sanitary sewer is extended into residential
neighborhoods.
The minimum Level of Service (LOS) for urban sanitary sewer facilities for single lots of
record in the urban service area, which represent infill development, is a septic tank
permitted in accordance with state and local regulations.
33

Solid Waste
The City of Boca Raton is part of a countywide Solid Waste Management program. As such
we are dependent on Palm Beach County to provide capacity for the Solid Waste generated
within the Boca Raton city limits. Palm Beach County’s annual EAR report is as follows:
The Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County has disposal capacity available to
accommodate the solid waste generation for the municipalities and unincorporated county
for the coming year, and has sufficient capacity for both concurrency management and
comprehensive planning purposes. Capacity is available for both the coming year, and the
five and ten year planning periods specified in 9J-5.005(4).
As of September 30, 2003, the Authority’s North County Landfills had an estimated
39,442,993 cubic yards of landfill capacity remaining. Based upon the existing Palm Beach
County population, the most recently available population growth rates published by the
University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR), and projected
rates of solid waste generation, waste reduction and recycling, the Solid Waste Authority
forecasts that capacity will be available through approximately the year 2024 assuming the
depletion of the Class I and Class Ill landfills are approximately balanced.
The Authority continues to pursue options to increase the life of its existing facilities and to
provide for the entire County’s current and future disposal and recycling needs. As part of
its responsibility, the Authority will provide an annual statement of disposal capacity, using
the most current BEBR projections available.
Drainage
As stated in the Drainage Element in the Evaluation and Appraisal Report, the City does not
provide drainage systems for development or redevelopment. The primary and secondary
drainage facilities are owned and operated by the Lake Worth Drainage District or the
South Florida Water Management District. The drainage systems owned and operated by
the city, primarily serve the streets and right-of-ways. The City does insure that
development and redevelopment meet water quality and quantity standards established by
the applicable agency having jurisdiction through the development review and inspection
process.
The Stormwater Management Division of the Municipal Services Department reviews all
development applications for concurrency to insure that the development obtain the proper
surface water management permits from the agencies having jurisdiction, before the
issuance of a city building permits and that agencies have issued operation permits before
the city issues a certificate of occupancy when construction is complete.
The LOS for drainage is the twenty five day three year storm on site in accordance with
34

the South Florida Water Management District’s criteria.
Parks and Recreation
City Park LOS is established in the Comprehensive Plan and Recreation & Open Space
Element (R/OS). Park LOS is calculated by comparing City population to current inventories
and then expressing the results in terms of total acres available per 1,000 population. For
concurrency management purposes each year, actual LOS for total park acreages are
updated for each park class and compared to concurrency LOS in the ROSE.
The Table listed below shows the “2004 Actual LOS” which is the combined existing and
budgeted acres total as of September, 2004; the “Concurrency LOS” as established in the
Comprehensive Plan; and the “Current Status” indicates whether concurrency LOS has
been met or if additional acreage is needed.
District, Community, Neighborhood, and Nature: Concurrency has been met for total acres
of District, Community, Neighborhood, and Nature parks provided by the City.
• Concurrency has been met for total acres of District, Community, Neighborhood,
and Nature Parks provided by the City.
Should the City population continue to grow, additional analysis will be required to
compare population against established Levels Of Service.
RECREATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Park Level of Service Measures (LOS)
Park
Class
Total Acres/1000 Population (81,075 population –
2004-05 EAR Report)
2004 LOS Concurrency Current Acres Needed
Actual LOS
Status to Meet LOS
District 4.34 2.12 + 2.22 None
Community 3.14 1.94 + 1.20 None
Neighborhood 1.63 1.14 + .49 None
Nature 3.60 3.19 + 0.41 None
Total 12.71 8.39 + 4.32 None
35

Transportation
The Municipal Services Department requires each development submit a traffic concurrency
study adhering to Palm Beach County's Traffic Performance Standards (TPS). The City has
issued a Concurrency Management System - Administrative Manual, which adopts the
County's TPS standards for concurrency review. The key objective of the concurrency
system is to ensure that development orders are not issued for projects whose traffic will
cause adjacent roadways to exceed the adopted level of service (LOS). Both the City's
Traffic Division of Municipal Services and the County's Traffic Engineering Division review
each concurrency study for compliance with the County's TPS requirements.
The City uses gas tax and general fund revenue to provide necessary road improvements.
The City is also implementing Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) and a
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program. These will assist the City in
managing traffic in lieu of widening constrained roadways. The City’s objective is to
provide a multi-modal transportation system, incorporating private and commercial
vehicles, a bus transit system, and rail.
City Roads
The City conducted a review of the existing roadway infrastructure to assess if City roads
complied with our designated level-of-service (LOS) standards during the past year. The
Comprehensive Plan establishes a LOS E standard for all City roads. Three City roadways
currently do not meet our standards and are operating at a LOS F:
‣ Spanish River Blvd from Military Trail to FAU Blvd
‣ NW 12 th Ave from Palmetto Park Rd to NW 13 th St
‣ Boca Raton Blvd from Yamato Rd to Jeffery St
Spanish River Boulevard
This segment is currently under construction to widen Spanish River Boulevard from a two
(2)-lane road to a four (4)-lane divided road with bike lanes and sidewalks. Refer to the
attached CIP Project Request for more detailed information on funding sources. After
construction is complete the road will meet the LOS standards.
NW 12 th Avenue
Design is underway to widen NW 12 th Avenue from a two (2)-lane road to a four (4)-lane
divided road with bike lanes and sidewalks. Construction is scheduled to begin in Fiscal
Year 2005/06. The project will be phased with estimated completion in Fiscal Year
2008/09. The Palm Beach County School Board is contributing $200,000 to the project.
Refer to the attached CIP Project Request for more detailed information on funding
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sources. After construction is complete the road will meet the LOS standards.
Boca Raton Boulevard
The City’s Comprehensive Plan designated Boca Raton Boulevard as a constrained roadway
to maintain its current configuration as a two (2)-lane road. Therefore the City is not
currently planning to widen the road but other intersection and roadway improvements are
programmed. Staff studied the Boca Raton Boulevard / Jeffery Street intersection and
determined the need to extend the northbound left-turn lane and add a southbound rightturn
lane. Design costs are estimated to be approximately $50,000 and construction costs
are estimated to be $180,000. Design will begin in Fiscal Year 2005/06 as part of the
Traffic Improvements project in the CIP. Bicycle lanes are also programmed along the
roadway from Yamato Road to Hidden Valley Boulevard. Design costs are estimated to be
approximately $94,200 and construction costs are estimated to be $602,400. Design will
begin in Fiscal Year 2005/06 as part of the Bike Paths project in the CIP. Refer to the
attached CIP Project Requests for more detailed information on funding sources.
For any significant future development to occur in this area, Boca Raton Boulevard would
need to be widened to a Four (4)-lane divided roadway. Developers would be required to
fund this improvement. The estimated cost to widen Boca Raton Boulevard to a four (4)-
lane divided road is approximately 14.3 million dollars, based on the FDOT 2004
Transportation Cost Manual.
County and State Roads
The City reviewed County and State roads within the City limits to assess if they complied
with their designated level-of-service (LOS) standards. The County and State have
adopted a LOS D for all roads under their jurisdiction. Four roadways currently exceed
their standards and are operating at a LOS F:
‣ Federal Highway north of Yamato Road
‣ Glades Road west of Military Trail to Airport Rd
‣ Palmetto Park Road from Military Trail to I-95
‣ Powerline Rd north of the Palm Beach County line
‣ Powerline Rd north of Camino Real
Intersection and roadway improvements are the responsibility of the maintaining agency.
Palm Beach County is currently working on the design to 8-lane Palmetto Park Road, and
FDOT is conducting a PACE study evaluating the need to 8-lane Glades Road.
Public Transit
Palm Beach County provides fixed-route bus service through Palm Tran. The bus system is
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composed of 34 routes with most routes in operation seven days per week. During
weekday peak hours, up to 107 buses are utilized to provide service. Coordination with Tri-
Rail is provided by linking fixed-route bus service to Tri-Rail stations (Mangonia Park, West
Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and Boca Raton) in the County.
Palm Tran also has shuttle service between the West Palm Beach Tri-Rail station and the
downtown of West Palm Beach.
Public Schools
To implement school concurrency, the County has been divided into 21 geographic zones
known as concurrency service areas (CSAs). When a residential development application is
filed, School District planners look first at the CSA directly affected. If there is no available
capacity at the nearest school(s), they look to an adjacent CSA. If there is still no capacity
available, the developer must postpone or pay for more classroom space to be built
(mitigation). For a proposed project to receive concurrency credit, a school does not have to
actually be physically standing, if it is scheduled to be built and opened within the next three
years.
The 26 municipalities that signed the Interlocal Concurrency Agreement were: City of
Atlantis, City of Belle Glade, City of Boca Raton, City of Boynton Beach, City of Delray
Beach, City of Greenacres, Town of Haverhill, Town of Hypoluxo, Town of Juno Beach,
Town of Jupiter, Town of Lake Clarke Shores, Town of Lake Park, City of Lake Worth,
Town of Lantana, Village of North Palm Beach, City of Pahokee, Town of Palm Beach, City
of Palm Beach Gardens, Town of Palm Beach Shores, Village of Palm Springs, City of
Riviera Beach, Village of Royal Palm Beach, City of South Bay, Village of Tequesta, Village
of Wellington, City of West Palm Beach.
An essential factor in the Interlocal Concurrency Agreement is the Five-Year Capital
Facilities Plan. To meet the demand for educational facilities the School Board, through
the funding of the Capital Facilities Plan opened seven new schools and four replacement
schools in August 2002, adding 7,515 seats. Four additional new schools and seven
replacement schools opened in August 2003 with 6,686 new seats. The County and School
Board have a joint process to coordinate efforts on population and student enrollment
projections, and currently, student enrollment in the County is growing in excess of 3,500
students annually. The County, the School District, and local governments also have a
process of coordination and collaboration in the planning and siting of public school
facilities, which includes the integration of school facilities with land uses. There are 38
additional new schools and modernizations included in the Five-Year Capital Facilities Plan,
which are scheduled for completion between 2004 and 2006. Due to the State’s Class Size
Reduction referendum, building costs are exceeding budgeted amounts, but to date, there
have been no school concurrency suspensions. The Five-Year Plan projects student
population to the 2008/2009 school year, and includes sufficient capacity to accommodate
the projected population and the adopted LOS. Regarding the financial feasibility of the
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Plan, the costs of the school projects completed in 2002 were within two percent of the
amounts budgeted. Projected costs for the Plan’s unbuilt projects increased between the
2002 and the 2003 budgets, primarily due to the Class Size Reduction (CSR) referendum.
Revisions in projected costs have also been the result of inflation, the addition of student
stations, changes in site locations and changes in programs. The plan is still considered to
be financially feasible.
Short-term Financial Feasibility
Facilities plans are expected to be financially feasible. Financially feasible facilities plans
demonstrate the ability to finance capital improvements from existing revenue sources and
funding mechanisms to correct deficiencies and meet future needs based on achieving and
maintaining the adopted LOS for each year of the five year planning period, and for the
long range planning period. All facilities have been found to be financially feasible, and
with no infrastructure backlogs. The City has included those infrastructure projects
necessary to meet the LOS for each year in its adopted Six-Year Capital Improvement
Program.
Water and Wastewater
The development of the 6-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for CBRUSD addresses
required technological upgrades, expansions, and maintenance of capacity. The CIP
developed for FY 2005 –2010 includes the construction of new water production wells,
extension of reclaim water infrastructure, and new sewer installations to replace septic
tanks. The total funding to meet these capital facility requests is estimated at $11,57,000.
The total cost of the 6-year Capital Improvement Plan is projected to be $52,439,000,
which does not include personnel costs. The CBRUSD will maintain its current level of
service standard with the addition of these facilities and will stay within the Concurrency
Standard through the year 2010.
Solid Waste
The capital budget of the Solid Waste Authority (SWA), approved by the Board annually as
part of the budget approval process, addresses the short-term (five-year) capital
improvement projects. This plan and budget includes both a Renewal and Replacement
component, including the development of landfill cells, and a Capital Improvement
component that addresses new or expanded facilities or equipment. The five-year plan also
includes those projects funded by Bond proceeds. The SWA has issued Revenue Bonds to
construct some of its capital projects, such as the acquisition and construction of the
Southwest County Transfer Station, and are included in the capital budget. The capital
budget of the SWA shows no backlogs or deficiencies in the five-year plan.
The City of Boca Raton currently has an adopted level of service of 7.13 lbs per day per
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capita. Our current level of service is also 7.13 lbs per capita per day. There are no
compliance issues regarding this element.
Parks and Recreation
As indicated above, for 2004, Concurrency has been met or exceeded for total acres of
District, Community, Neighborhood and Nature Parks provided by the City. Therefore,
further development is not required.
Roads
In the City of Boca Raton, road construction is prioritized in the City’s Six-Year Capital
Improvement Program for 2005 - 2010. The projected costs for 2005-2010 are
$10,682,900 and are funded by gasoline taxes and other currently available revenue
sources.
Long-Term Financial Feasibility
Revenues should be adequate over the long-term to fund needed facilities. In the future,
further capital improvements will be funded both by a growing population and increasing
property values. Once vacant properties are developed, it is anticipated that infill and
redevelopment will continue to allow population growth in Boca Raton.
The City of Boca Raton believes that its future property tax revenues will continue to grow
due to changes in assessed value. The City of Boca Raton has one of the lowest property
tax rates for a full service City. The City will consider future annexations only if the
revenues generated by the areas exceed the cost of providing the services. The City
believes that it will continue to collect gasoline taxes, state revenue sharing, the ½ cent
sales tax, and various grants to fund infrastructure needs.
Water and Wastewater
As part of the City of Boca Raton’s Code of Ordinances, Section 17-161(5), states that as of
October 1,2001, and each October 1 thereafter, the impact fees established in this section
shall automatically increase by and amount equal to the Department of Labor Co summer
Price Index for All Urban Consumers – CPI (U); U.S. City Average (as of June), if certified
by the city manager that there has been a commensurate increase in the CPI. Additionally
CBRUSD reviews utility rates (commodity charges, connection charges) on an annual basis
to assess the rates and assure proper funding is available for the repair, replacement and
upgrade of the infrastructure. As redevelopment continues to change the skyline of the
CBRUSD service area, staff evaluates the effect of impact fees on the water and sewer
rates.
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Based upon the results of extensive comprehensive planning, master planning, and
expected population growth, CBRUSD has developed a Capital Improvement Plan ensuring
adequate water supply, and water and wastewater treatment facilities through 2015. With
the pending application for a 20-year Consumptive Use Permit, the City of Boca Raton is
currently updating the Capital Improvement Program to ensure adequate water supply,
and water and wastewater treatment facilities will be available to satisfy projected demand
through the year 2026. The CBRUSD’s CIP should meet current and projected potable
water needs and will be in alignment with other users or environmental resources.
CBRUSD has realized the necessity of aggressive water conservation and the use of
alternative water sources as part of their strategy to meet current and projected potable
water needs. CBRUSD’s updated CIP is designed to have a surplus condition for both raw
and finished water facilities throughout the 20-year planning period.
Between 2000 and 2005, a total of $66,000,000.00 was spent on the significant capital
improvement project involving the construction of a 40 mgd membrane-softening facility.
This project added capacity and provides services to an anticipated population of 124,000
in 2015.
The CBRUSD In-City Reclaimed Irrigation System (IRIS) provides approximately 5.6 mgd or
reclaimed water to over 800 customers. Expansion of the IRIS system during FY 2005-
2006 will reduce the dependability of groundwater for customers west of I-95. Additional
expansion of the IRIS system will be projected thru 2026.
The current 2015 projected population of 124,000 will require an average daily raw water
demand of 44.93 mgd to produce 40.85 mgd potable water. Water treatment facilities to
be utilized in the 2015 condition will be a 2:1 blend of lime-softening treatment and
membrane-softening treatment. Utilizing a 1:10 year drought demand (assuming 10%
higher than average-day demand) the CBRUSD will have a surplus of more than 37.5 mgd
raw water pumping capacity and more than 31.9 mgd treatment capacity.
Historically, City of Boca Raton Utility Services Department has operated with a raw water
per capita usage of 362.4 gallons per capita per day (gpd) and finished water per capita
usage of 329.5 gpd. Although there is a projected increase of 6,000 in population from
2005 through 2015, the raw and finished water per capita usage projections remains
unchanged throughout 2015 and are expected to remain unchanged throughout 2026.
Solid Waste
The long-range planning for the Solid Waste Authority (SWA) is accomplished first through
an annual evaluation of remaining disposal capacity at the County’s existing landfill. The
annual evaluation is titled The Landfill Depletion Model Report. The current year’s analysis
indicates that the existing site will provide disposal capacity for the county until
41

approximately 2023. Beyond the capacity in the existing landfill, the SWA owns a 1600-
acre parcel in the western portion of the county (Everglades Agricultural Area) that can
serve as a disposal site when the existing landfill is depleted. The time horizon to initiate
the development of plans for the western site is approximately ten years from now.
Assuming the use of this site, there is no long-range deficiency in disposal capacity for the
County.
Parks and Recreation
The Parks and Recreation Department capital improvement funding is used for the
acquisition, design and development of parks and recreational facilities. Funding
generated from general fund revenue, which includes property taxes, grants, bonds or
other revenue, are the primary recurring funding sources for parks and recreation capital
improvement projects.
Roads
The City of Boca Raton relies on the Palm Beach County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s
(MPO) model to project long-range traffic conditions and make recommended long-range
improvements. The MPO has adopted the Year 2025 Transportation System Plan. The
MPO’s Cost Feasible Plan within the City of Boca Raton addresses all modes of
transportation.
In addition to the MPO’s plan, the City is striving to better manage the existing
transportation network through ATMS improvements utilizing CCTV cameras, video
detection, dynamic message signs, signal coordination, etc. In addition the City has adopted
a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program for the downtown area, and the City
is currently modifying their land development regulations to require TDM programs along the
North Federal Highway corridor. The objective of TDM is to reduce single occupancy trips
and peak hour travel.
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Chapter 3
Analysis of the Major Issue

Analysis of the Major Issue
ISSUE STATEMENT
Addressing the impacts of urban growth and redevelopment through the establishment
of an innovative transportation system that enhances mobility by linking local and
regional transportation networks, incorporating alternative transportation modes, and
promoting traffic management.
ISSUE BACKGROUND
[163.3191(2)(c)]
Due in part to the growing population of the City and the adjacent areas, the existing
development patterns, and high dependency on the automobile, Boca Raton has been
experiencing increasing traffic congestion. Traffic projections indicate that even when
road-widening projects are considered, traffic congestion will still increase and the level
of service standards for the heaviest traveled roadways will still be exceeded.
Nevertheless, for as far back as twenty or more years, City residents have responded to
proposed street-widening projects with opposition, requesting that certain streets not
be widened so that community character could be preserved. The City first responded
to resident opposition to road widening projects with the establishment of roadway
constrainment designations that maintain the current or maximum laneage for the
constrained roadway. More recently, the City enacted requirements that promote more
efficient use of transportation resources by influencing the time of day or mode selected
for a given trip with the passage of the Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
program in the downtown. While innovative, the benefits of these programs are
limited.
During the process of identifying the City’s major issue, there was a general consensus
that in order to accommodate the growing number of people who live and/or work in the
City and still maintain the quality of life that makes the City of Boca Raton so attractive
to residents and visitors alike, the City needed to address the issue of traffic congestion.
Acknowledging that the traditional approach of mitigating the impacts of increasing
traffic volumes, which is limited to roadway construction projects, was becoming less
acceptable. It became apparent that the ability to provide residents with more choices
in travel, other than the automobile, may prove to be the most viable alternative. It was
further recognized that there is a direct relationship between transportation and land use
43

planning and the decisions made can have a profound impact on mobility or the lack
thereof. The major issue for the City was identified and the focus became one of
mobility: multi-modal mobility.
This chapter of the EAR explores the strategies that have been identified to develop a
transportation system that will increase mobility, beyond traditional road improvements.
The vision of the transportation system is one that gives people more accessible
transportation options, more linkages to the network of local and regional transportation
systems, better management of existing transportation corridors, and a complementary
mix of land uses in order to better manage the future growth and development within
the City of Boca Raton.
STRATEGIES EXPLORED TO ADDRESS THE MAJOR ISSUE
The strategies that have been explored to address the major issue for the City of Boca
Raton all attempt to address the issue of traffic congestion. This section begins with a
description of the programs that are currently administered by the City of Boca Raton
and Palm Beach County. Following this description, the chapter will then bring
attention to alternative programs that go further to creating an environment that
fosters alternative modes of transportation and connectivity. Some of the programs
have been established by state statute with the purpose of countering the negative
effects that transportation concurrency has had on promoting pedestrian friendly urban
development and redevelopment. Others have been created to provide for change in
urban design in order to foster mobility; and still others, can be described more by how
they serve to influence how we travel and where we will live.
Existing Programs
Traffic Calming, initiated in the City of Boca Raton in 1997, utilizes mainly physical
measures to reduce speeding along residential streets, to alter driver behavior, and to
improve the conditions for non-motorized street users, such as pedestrians and cyclists.
The immediate purpose of traffic calming is to reduce the speed of traffic to acceptable
levels for improved neighborhood livability. The City of Boca Raton offers traffic
calming measures, such as enhanced speed humps, through a neighborhood initiated
and grass roots planning process.
The main focus of the traffic calming program is speeding and the program has resulted
in an 18% average reduction in speeds on the participating neighborhood streets in the
City of Boca Raton. Traffic volumes in these designated areas have also been reduced
through the traffic calming program.
Constrained Roadway Facility applies to those corridors in the City of Boca Raton
that due to physical, environmental or policy constraints will not be widened to
accommodate additional traffic flow at the adopted level-of-service (LOS) standard.
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The designation requires an amendment to the Transportation Element of the Boca
Raton Comprehensive Plan.
The program has proven to not be very successful at alleviating traffic congestion. In
most instances, the program serves a societal function by maintaining the status quo
for certain roadways that, if widened, could change the character of that particular
area. The program is a more reactive than proactive approach to traffic management.
Transportation Demand Management, (TDM), encourages the use of alternative
modes of transportation other than the single occupant automobile. TDM strives to
influence driver behavior and habits in order to reduce peak hour trips by encouraging
transit use, walking, cycling, carpooling, flex-time work hours and telecommuting. In
2002, a TDM ordinance was adopted for the downtown in order to promote a reduction
in trip generation and peak hour traffic. The TDM program was established with the
intent of adopting a citywide TDM program in the future.
The requirements for participation in the downtown TDM program include the following:
‣ Businesses with 50 or more employees;
‣ Residential buildings containing 30 or more residential units; or
‣ Buildings that contain or will contain two or more uses which share common
parking facilities.
Existing development in the downtown is required to:
‣ Provide facilities for the posting of TDM program information, which is readily
visible to employees;
‣ Provide on-site availability of public transit tickets for one or more of the existing
public transit providers;
‣ Ensure the availability of meaningful incentives to the employees who make work
trips by modes of transportation other than the automobile;
‣ Provide a TDM plan to the City describing in detail the TDM program which has
been implemented; and
‣ Designate an individual to act as the TDM program coordinator to act as the
contact person with the City and to monitor all TDM program activities for the
site.
New development is required to do all of the above, in addition to:
‣ Design driveways and parking areas to accommodate the use of vans and shuttle
buses;
‣ Provide a bus shelter or transit/bus pickup facility if the development has
frontage on any transit route unless a suitable facility is already available;
‣ Reserve priority employee parking spaces for qualifying high occupancy vehicles
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‣ Provide facilities for the posting of TDM program information that is readily
visible to employees; and
‣ Provide sheltered, secure facilities for storage of bicycles.
In an effort to promote the TDM program, the City will, by 2008, have in place a shuttle
bus system connecting the downtown to the nearest Tri-Rail Station and institute an
intra-downtown shuttle/trolley system. In addition, the City intends to establish, by
2009, a remote parking operation by providing a shuttle between remote parking areas
and the downtown. Further, although the program in geographically restricted to the
downtown, the intention is to extend the program citywide.
Constrained Roadway at Lower Level of Service (CRALLS) was established by
Palm Beach County in response to changes in state law that allow local governments to
establish the LOS standard for roadways within their jurisdiction. A CRALLS designation
is applied to a roadway segment that has reached the established LOS standard, and
which, for a variety of reasons, including physical, fiscal, and policy constraints, cannot
be widened to accommodate additional traffic flow at the adopted LOS standard.
Essentially, the CRALLS designation modifies the adopted LOS for that roadway
segment in order to allow a certain amount of development to be permitted. An
amendment to both the County and the City Comprehensive Plan is required to
designate a Constrained Roadway at a Lower LOS.
Concern has been expressed over the use of CRALLS designations as the primary
method for addressing the inadequacy of transportation facilities within Palm Beach
County. In addition to the impact that CRALLS designations can have on Florida
Interstate Highway System (FIHS) facilities, continual degradation of the region’s
mobility can have long-term implications on the quality of life in Palm Beach County.
Currently there are no streets with a CRALLS designation in the City of Boca Raton.
Corridor Master Plans are master plans prepared for individual corridors where the
adopted LOS is projected to fail in the long-range (20-year) projections. Instituted by
Palm Beach County, once a corridor Master Plan has been adopted for a corridor, no
project with significant traffic on the corridor can be approved for development by that
jurisdiction unless it complies with the Corridor Master Plan. A total of 28 corridors in
Palm Beach County have been targeted for completion by the end of 2005, two of those
being within the Boca Raton City limits. The North Federal Highway corridor, extending
from Glades Road to Linton Boulevard within the City of Delray Beach is currently being
prepared. A Corridor Master Plan for Palmetto Park Road extending from the Turnpike
to Northwest 4 th Avenue has not yet been initiated.
Although this program does integrate land use and transportation planning, the policies
are limited to specific corridors. In order to address the major issue for the City, a
broader based approach is necessary.
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Alternative Programs
The State of Florida has recognized the limitations of the conventional transportation
concurrency system. Recent legislation now allows for exceptions to traditional
concurrency requirements. The Legislature found that in some circumstances, in
dealing with transportation facilities, countervailing planning and public policy goals may
come into conflict with the requirement that adequate public facilities and services be
available concurrent with the impacts of development. The effects of transportation
concurrency directly conflicts with the goals and policies of the state comprehensive
plan and the intent of Chapter 163, Florida Statutes. As a result, the State of Florida
has developed special concurrency exemption programs for transportation facilities.
Two of the programs are a direct result of the unintended consequence that the
transportation concurrency requirement has on discouraging urban infill development
and redevelopment. The third program was created based upon the recommendations
of the Transportation and Land Use Study Committee that was established by the
Florida Legislature in 1998 to improve transportation concurrency and level of service;
community design; land use impacts used to assess transportation needs; and the role
of state, regional and local agencies in addressing these areas. The three programs are
listed below in the order in which they were described above.
‣ Transportation Concurrency Management Areas (TCMA)
‣ Transportation Concurrency Exception Areas (TCEA)
‣ Multimodal Transportation Districts (MMTD)
Transportation Concurrency Management Areas. The purpose of this optional
alternative transportation concurrency approach is to promote infill development or
redevelopment within selected portions of urban areas in a manner that supports the
provision of more efficient mobility alternatives, including public transit. A
transportation concurrency management area is a compact geographic area with
existing or proposed multiple, viable alternative travel paths or modes for common
trips. As a coordinated approach to land use and transportation development, it may
employ the use of an areawide level of service standard.
An areawide level of service standard is established for specified facilities. The LOS
must be maintained as a basis for the issuance of development orders and permits
within the designated TCMAs. Areawide level of service standards may only be
established for facilities with similar functions serving common origins and destinations.
Designation of each TCMA and establishment of areawide level of service standards
within such areas must be supported by data and analysis which:
‣ Demonstrate that the transportation concurrency management areas, as
designated, are compatible with and further the various portions and elements of
the local comprehensive plan.
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‣ Provide a justification of the size and boundaries of each transportation
concurrency management area.
‣ Demonstrate that transportation concurrency management areas as designated
contain an integrated and connected network of roads and provide multiple,
viable alternative travel paths or modes for common trips.
‣ Demonstrate the basis for establishing the areawide level of service standards
and determine existing and projected transportation service and facility
requirements that will support the established areawide level of service standard.
‣ Demonstrate that the established areawide level of service and other
transportation services and programs will support infill development or
redevelopment.
‣ Demonstrate that the planned roadway improvements and other services and
programs such as, transportation system management (TSM) and/or
transportation demand management (TDM) strategies and incentives to use
public transit (such as parking policies and provision of intermodal transfers), will
accomplish mobility within and through each concurrency management area.
In order to exercise the option of establishing a TCMA, a local government must
designate in its comprehensive plan the specific geographic area. In addition, the local
comprehensive plan must contain objectives and policies that specify actions and
programs to promote infill development and redevelopment. A local government must
adopt and maintain a Capital Improvements Plan to maintain the established areawide
level of service standard.
The areawide LOS applies only to roadways. Basically, rather than requiring that each
corridor maintain the adopted LOS standard, the areawide LOS stipulates that the
overall LOS be maintained within the designated TCMA. For example, if one corridor
within the designated TCMA functions below the adopted LOS, but three other
roadways, which serve the same transportation route, are at or above the adopted LOS,
the areawide LOS standard is met for that TCMA. Unfortunately, the focus is still on
roadway and roadway improvements, with limited attention to promoting alternative
modes of transportation.
Transportation Concurrency Exception Areas. The purpose of this flexible
transportation concurrency approach is to reduce the adverse impact transportation
concurrency may have on urban infill development and redevelopment and to promote
alternative modes of transportation. Under limited circumstances, it allows exceptions
to the transportation concurrency requirement in specifically defined urban areas. The
exceptions provide flexibility for concurrency management in order to encourage the
application of a wide range of planning strategies that correspond with local
circumstances of a specific geographic area. The exceptions apply to all land uses and
development and types of facilities within expressly excepted areas.
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In order to exercise the option of establishing a TCEA, a local government must
designate in its comprehensive plan a specific geographic area, or areas, of
transportation concurrency exception. A proposed development located in a designated
exception area is not subject to the requirements of concurrency. The comprehensive
plan must show that the TCEA is within an urban infill area, which meets the criteria or
is within an existing urban service area established in the plan as a specific geographic
area that does not contain more than 40 percent developable vacant land. The local
comprehensive plan shall contain objectives and policies that specify actions and
programs to promote urban redevelopment.
To implement the transportation concurrency exceptions, a local government must
adopt, as an amendment to its comprehensive plan, guidelines and/or policies, which
specify programs to address transportation needs of such areas. With a designated
TCEA, rather than mandating that minimum levels of service be maintained for the
roadways, the local government is required to specify and implement programs that
may incorporate a wide range of strategies, including:
‣ Parking control and pricing policies,
‣ Transportation demand management programs,
‣ Availability of public transportation, and
‣ Utilization of creative financing tools for the provision of transportation services
and facilities.
In contrast to the TCMA, the designation of a TCEA, allows local governments to
exempt projects within the designated TCEA from meeting the concurrency
requirements. In comparison, both TCMAs and TCEAs do not set level of service
standards for alternative modes of transportation, which, by doing so, may do more in
the way of promoting multimodal transportation. The lack of progress in multimodal
mobility within TCEAs was recognized during the 2005 legislative session. The
legislature adopted amendments to the transportation concurrency exception areas that
will require DCA to examine and refine the TCEA program to adequately address
multimodal mobility within the defined areas.
Several years ago, Broward County designated a TCEA for the eastern portion of the
county, wherein a traffic concurrency exception was provided and developers paid
transit impact fees. The transit impact fees, however, have not been sufficient to
provide for meaningful mobility improvements in the TCEA because they were collected
at the platting stage rather than at the time of building permit. Currently, however,
Broward County is in the process of adopting comprehensive plan amendments that
would dissolve their existing TCEA and establish ten concurrency districts, known as
Transit Oriented Concurrency Districts. The impact fees collected to fund the transit
improvements within the proposed Transit Oriented Concurrency Districts were also
broadened to cover all new development, not just development subject to platting. The
new approach will convert the regional transportation concurrency system from a
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program that is designed to support roadway improvements, to a program that is
oriented towards enhancements to public transit system.
Eight (8) of the ten (10) concurrency districts will be TCMAs. However, areawide level
of service standards will be established not only for roadways but also for headways on
bus routes in order to ensure the availability of transit centers and additional
community bus routes. The concurrency assessments to be paid by developers for new
development will be used to maintain these new transit-oriented levels-of-service in the
subject district. For example, assessments collected may build transit stops and fund
bus routes, rather than fund roadway construction. Two (2) of the ten (10) new
concurrency districts, which are located in western Broward County and are not ideally
situated for transit use, will retain the traditional concurrency system.
Multimodal Transportation Districts (MMTD). The purpose of this flexible
transportation concurrency option is to elevate the priority of the pedestrian, cyclist and
transit rider in the transportation network by creating a safe, comfortable, and
attractive environment. Vehicle mobility is still provided, however, it is not the primary
priority. Local governments may designate a Multimodal Transportation District by
amending the Comprehensive Plan to show the MMTD on the Future Land Use Map and
must incorporate community design features that will reduce the number of automobile
trips or vehicle miles of travel and will support an integrated, multimodal transportation
system. The designation of such districts recognizes the inherent, integral relationship
among transportation, land use, and urban design and the degree that these elements
affect one another.
Community design elements of such a district include:
‣ A complementary mix and range of land uses, including educational, recreational
and cultural uses;
‣ Interconnected networks of streets designed to encourage walking and bicycling
with traffic calming where desirable;
‣ Appropriate densities and intensities of use within walking distance of transit
stops;
‣ Daily activities within walking distance of residences allowing independence to
persons who do not drive;
‣ Public uses, streets and squares that are safe, comfortable and attractive for the
pedestrian with adjoining buildings open to the street and with parking not
interfering with pedestrian, transit, automobile and truck travel modes.
Local governments may establish multimodal level of service standards that evaluate
alternative modes of transportation not just roadway level of service standards. The
LOS analysis must be based on the existing and planned improvements and must
demonstrate that the capital improvements are financially feasible. Local governments
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may issue development permits in reliance upon all planned capital improvements that
are financially feasible without regard to the period of time between development or
redevelopment and the scheduled construction of the capital improvements. A
determination of financial feasibility shall be based upon current available funding or
funding sources that could reasonably be expected to become available over the
planning period. Local governments may also reduce impact fees or local access fees
for development within MMTDs based on the reduction of vehicle trips per household or
vehicle miles of travel expected from the development pattern planned for the district.
A good candidate for a MMTD contains a mix of mutually supporting land uses, good
multimodal access and connectivity, an interconnected transportation network and the
provision of alternative modes of transportation to the automobile. However, due to
the general type of growth and development that has occurred in Florida, areas desiring
district designation may encounter some difficulty in meeting these basic criteria for a
multimodal transportation district. Therefore, although there are certain elements that
are needed for a designation, many of the guidelines are recommendations rather than
requirements. For proposed districts that may not meet the needed minimum criteria
for designation, a definitive commitment to meeting these criteria, shown in the local
comprehensive plan and capital improvement program, is necessary.
The Legislature directed the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to develop
methods for measuring performance of various modes and assist local governments in
setting minimum standards for each of the modes in order to manage growth. The
evaluation of potential MMTDs is conducted through a cooperative effort performed by
the FDOT and the Florida Department of Community Affairs.
The City of Destin, Florida is currently in the process of implementing a MMTD that will
entail substantial changes to the Transportation, Future Land Use and Capital Facilities
Elements of their Comprehensive Plan. The changes allow for an incremental
implementation of the MMTD and the ultimate phase out of their existing traffic
concurrency system. The City of Destin has developed pedestrian friendly community
and urban design guidelines and has created multimodal level of service standards that
rely primarily on non-vehicular modes of transportation. A multimodal level of service
analysis has been performed that has evaluated the existing multimodal transportation
system and has identified needed improvements to help reduce the number of motor
vehicle trips within the established MMTD. The improvement projects have been
prioritized and developed into a financially feasible schedule of capital improvement
projects for the MMTD.
The goal of a MMTD is to facilitate the use of multiple modes of transportation, leading
to a reduction in automobile use and vehicle miles traveled. The designation of such
districts recognizes the relationship among transportation, land use, and urban design.
After consideration, the designation of a Multimodal Transportation District in the City of
Boca Raton has the greatest potential of addressing our major issue, that being:
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addressing the impacts of urban growth and redevelopment through the establishment
of an innovative transportation system that enhances mobility by linking local and
regional transportation networks, incorporating alternative transportation modes, and
promoting traffic management.
The MMTD designation is a proactive, comprehensive approach to traffic management.
MMTD expands upon the traditional concurrency system by establishing LOS standards
for all modes of transportation. It creates a regulatory framework for a local
government to put in place a transportation system that includes an interconnected
automobile, pedestrian, bicycle and transit network to increase mobility.
The following are the elements of a Multimodal Transportation District:
1. Complementary Mix of Land Uses
The effective organization and mix of land uses can help reduce the number of
automobile trips, which leads to a reduction of other auto related needs, such as
parking, and promotes pedestrian/bicycle/transit use. This type of land use
organization, which mirrors that of transit oriented developments, makes the use of
alternative modes of transportation feasible and best supports the goals of a MMTD
district. Three basic criteria are used to determine if a complementary mix of land uses
is provided, these include:
• Appropriate Scale of development
Minimum residential population of 5,000
Minimum 2 to 1 ratio of population to jobs
• Contain a variety of land uses
Three or more significant land uses that are mutually supporting
Physical and functional integration of project components, including
connected and continuous pedestrian facilities
• Transit and pedestrian friendly design
The types of areas suitable can encompass urban centers, regional
centers or traditional towns. Single use developments and isolated park
and ride/transit stations are generally not appropriate candidates.
However, if alternative modes of transportation are provided, including
transit service, within the proposed district, as well to the major urban
center in the area, than these types of developments may quality.
Transportation linkages must exist both internally and from the isolated
development to the central community.
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2. Appropriate Density and Intensity of Land Uses
The MMTD must contain an appropriate density and intensity of land uses to support
multimodal transportation use. The land uses should have:
• Appropriate densities to demonstrate transit ridership
• Appropriate intensities in and around central cores
Providing a central core within a community is the ideal land use
organization for providing the vitality and sustainability of land uses and
pedestrian activity necessary for a MMTD. The intensity of land uses
should provide denser development within the primary service area for
this central core, which should include transit service.
• Appropriate organization of land uses along major transit corridors
Higher density land uses, such as commercial offices, multifamily
residential and institutions should be located within walking distances to
activity centers along the major route. The densities should decrease as
distance from the major route increases.
3. Network Connectivity
Network connectivity requires a MMTD to provide:
• Proper pattern of roadways
The street pattern should promote efficient and continuous circulation that
maximizes the efficiency of transit usage and provides the greatest
accessibility for pedestrians and bicyclists. A properly organized street
network promotes continuous systems for pedestrians, bicyclists and
automobiles.
• Convenient connections between modes
In order for MMTDs to be successful, easy connections between modes
must be provided, with particular attention to bicycle and pedestrian
access to transit stops. For pedestrians, short walking distances, usually
ranging between one-quarter to one-half mile, with easy access and
connections to other modes are of primary concern. In addition to
network connections to transit stops, major stops should provide an
adequate level of amenities.
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• Convenient connections to regional transportation
A MMTD should have connectivity to regional and intercity multimodal
transportation facilities and services. These types of linkages include
direct access to regional bus services, express bus service, regional rail
service, regional greenway and trail systems, the Florida Intrastate
Highway System and regional aviation facilities.
4. Level of Service
In addition to convenient connections within the network and between modes, the
network must also provide a desirable minimum level of service for pedestrians,
bicycles, transit and automobiles. Then a composite level of service is calculated for all
modes, which is referred to as an Areawide Quality of Service (QOS).
• Pedestrian LOS
The FDOT recently adopted a method for determining a quality LOS for
pedestrians along facilities. The Pedestrian LOS Model measures the
performance of a roadway with respect to pedestrians’ primary perception
of safety and comfort. The factors that are considered in the model
include:
• Bicycle LOS
• Lateral separation elements between the pedestrian and motor vehicle
traffic, such as:
• Presence of sidewalk;
• Buffers between sidewalk and motor vehicle travel lanes, such as grass
strips;
• Presence of protective barriers, such as trees or swales within the
buffer area, or on-street parking; and
• Width of outside travel lanes and bicycle lanes
• Motor vehicle traffic volume
• Motor vehicle speed
Each of these factors is weighted within the model by relative importance.
A numerical score is computed and then converted to a LOS letter grade
based on the numerical scale.
The Bicycle LOS Model developed by the FDOT measures the performance
of a roadway with respect to bicyclists’ perception of quality, which
appears to be based primarily on safety and comfort. Bicycle level of
service along a roadway segment depends on a numeric score that
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considers the effect of a number of factors on the bicycle mode of travel,
including:
• Total width of pavement
• Traffic volume in the outside lane
• Motor vehicle speed
• Percentage and number of trucks
• Pavement surface condition
• Availability of a designated bike lane or paved shoulder
Each of these factors is weighted within the model by relative importance.
This weighting has been validated by a statistically significant sample. A
numerical score is computed and then converted to a LOS letter grade
based on the numerical scale.
• Transit LOS
The Transit LOS Model evaluates the riders’ perception of the quality of
the transit route segment. Various factors that affect the user’s
perception of service are weighted and then used to calculate a numeric
score for the frequency of service. This numeric score is translated into a
LOS letter grade based on threshold values. A planning level model is
incorporated into the 2002 version of ARTPLAN, which is the software
used for computing multimodal arterial level of service at a conceptual
planning level.
• Automobile LOS
While automobile LOS analysis is a consideration in the multimodal district
concept, the LOS score is not a major factor unless the facility analyzed is
part of the Florida Intrastate Highway System (FIHS). Facilities included
on the FIHS have the primary responsibility of moving state and regional
traffic in the most efficient and effective manner. Therefore, the goals of
these facilities defer significantly from the goals of an MMTD and
therefore should be excluded from the designated district if possible.
However, if the boundaries must include a FIHS facility, the minimum LOS
standard established by FDOT should apply.
• Areawide Quality of Service (QOS)
The QOS methodology integrates techniques for assessing both the land
uses and the transportation components needed for a successful district.
The land use evaluation criteria include the mix of land uses, the density,
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intensity and organization of land use, and appropriate community design
elements. The transportation criteria include the use of level of service
performance measures, network connectivity and regional connections.
5. Design
Every potential MMTD is composed of a network of facilities serving
bicyclists, pedestrians, transit riders and motorists. Within this network,
the transportation facilities exhibit an operational hierarchy in which
certain modes are preferred. Determining an LOS by mode, for a
potential MMTD, is based on defining the appropriate facilities, mobility
within those facilities and the accessibility to potential users. The
Areawide QOS is determined by comparing the average modal QOS with
the LOS based on the percentage of households and employment located
within the user service area. The LOS based on households and
employment measures the multimodal potential within the user service
area. The higher the percentage of households and employment located
within a service area, the higher the multimodal potential, and the
average modal QOS is adjusted to reflect that potential.
The design and development of a MMTD should incorporate those elements both
providing for, and encouraging the use of, alternative transportation modes. Almost
every trip begins with walking, regardless of the ultimate transportation mode chosen
for the trip. The design of the area should provide a pleasant environment conducive
to the continuation of a trip utilizing some form of transportation other than the
automobile.
Design features that promote transit/pedestrian/bicycle activity include adequate
pedestrian/bicycle connections with transit stations and stops, which facilitate,
encourage and support transit use. Transit oriented design principles, which facilitate
and encourage the use of transit and pedestrian activities, include the following
elements:
• Transit stations or stops are a visible point of identity for the neighborhood
district and community
• Access to the transit station or stop is along clear, direct and convenient routes
• Continuous and safe pedestrian access is provided with sidewalks and pathways
• Access to transit stations or stops includes good accommodations for bicycles,
including storage
• Transit stops or stations are safe, comfortable places
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• Transit stations or stops provide direct or reasonable access to major attractions
and destinations
• A mix of land uses are available promoting pedestrian, bicycle and transit usage
and encouraging off-peak pedestrian activity and transit use
• Buildings and services are located adjacent to the sidewalk
• The transit stations and stops are accessible in accordance with the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990
• An active, visually pleasing, interesting, and safe environment
• Adequate parking is provided with direct access to major transit stations or parkand-ride
services
While adequate parking with direct access to the transit system is needed, care must be
taken not to provide an excess of parking. An abundance of convenient and cheap
parking encourages, rather than discourages, the use of the private automobile instead
of other transportation modes. It is also important that urban design and aesthetics be
considered in the provision of parking. A "sea of asphalt" parking lot is not conducive
to a pleasant walking environment, nor does it visually enhance the streetscape.
Another important feature contributing to the quality of the pedestrian environment is
block length. Shorter blocks provide more stopping points for automobiles, allowing for
easier pedestrian crossings. The shorter block design also allows for numerous route
options, providing more overall connectivity. Consideration should also be given to the
provision of truck access to businesses for freight deliveries.
6. Implementation and Monitoring
In order to be considered as a MMTD, a technical evaluation of the proposed district will
be performed through a cooperative effort between FDOT and DCA, again emphasizing
the interrelationship among land use, urban design and transportation. Actual district
designation requires a change in the local comprehensive plan, and possibly new or
amended local ordinances specific to the needs of the local government. The change
concerning district designation is made in the comprehensive plan and is submitted to,
and subject to approval by DCA. Monitoring of these designated districts will be
accomplished in a biennial review through a cooperative effort among DCA, local
governments and necessary technical assistance provided by FDOT. These biennial
reviews and reports also provide the opportunity for pertinent information about the
districts and the process to be applied to future proposals throughout the state.
7. Funding
The establishment of multimodal level of service standards that evaluate all modes of
transportation must be based on the existing and planned improvements and must
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demonstrate that the capital improvements are financially feasible. Development
permits may be issued in reliance upon all planned capital improvements that are
financially feasible without regard to the period of time between development or
redevelopment and the scheduled construction of the capital improvements. A
determination of financial feasibility shall be based upon current available funding or
funding sources that could reasonably be expected to become available over the
planning period.
ISSUE ANALYSIS
The following analysis examines the existing transportation management system and
land use planning process implemented in the City of Boca Raton. The purpose of this
analysis is to determine whether current transportation and land use policies and
practices can support the establishment of a Citywide Multimodal Transportation
District.
Pursuant to Rule 9J-5, F.A.C., the City of Boca Raton must adopt, as a component of
the comprehensive plan, objectives, policies and standards for the establishment of a
concurrency management system. The concurrency management system ensures that
issuance of a development order or development permit is conditioned upon the
availability of public facilities and services necessary to serve the new development.
The concurrency management system includes a requirement that local governments
maintain the adopted level of service standards (LOS) for roads.
In the City of Boca Raton, roadway LOS descriptions range from A through F with a LOS
A and B being primarily free-flowing conditions. LOS C is the traditional design
standard. LOS E is considered to be capacity with stabilized flow as well as to be the
limit of acceptable delay. Lastly, a LOS F is considered the point of breakdown and
unstabilized traffic flow. The adopted level of service standards for roadways in the City
of Boca Raton are shown on Table 12.
TABLE 12
BOCA RATON LEVEL OF SERVICE STANDARDS, 1989
Facility Type
Limited access State principal arterial
State principal arterial
County minor arterial
County collector
State minor arterial
City collector
LOS Standard
D
D
D
D
E
E
The City of Boca Raton’s existing concurrency management system solely measures
roadway level of service. This traditional approach to transportation concurrency
requires the City to correct existing deficiencies after identifying backlogged facilities,
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which are roadways that exceed the adopted LOS but have not yet been widened, in
the Capital Improvements Element of the Comprehensive Plan. The corrections entail
the construction of additional capacity along corridors exceeding the adopted level of
service standard. In theory, this requirement strives to reduce the likelihood of traffic
congestion. In practice, however, it often results in the opposite. By creating the
scenario that “if we build it they will come”, more lanes more often lead to more traffic
with little opportunity for creating an environment that promotes alternatives to the
automobile.
In February of 2004, a traffic analysis was completed for the City of Boca Raton as a
submission requirement for a Notice of Proposed Change to the Downtown
Development of Regional Impact (the downtown). The analysis was performed on all
of the major roadway links and on the intersections in the City of Boca Raton. The
results of this analysis can best be summarized by the PM peak hour results for 2010
and 2025.
In 2010, as displayed in Figure 1, the following intersections are projected to operate
below adopted LOS levels after modified timing:
FIGURE 1
1. Dixie Highway and Camino Real 5. Palmetto Park Road and Jog Road
2. Glades Road and Butts Road 6. Palmetto Park Road and St. Andrews Boulevard
3. Glades Road and Airport Road 7. Palmetto Park Road and SW 12 th Avenue
4. SW 18 th Street and Military Trail
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In 2025, the intersections projected to operate below adopted LOS are:
FIGURE 2
1. Dixie Highway and Camino Real 12. Glades Road and Airport Road
2. Federal Highway and Camino Real 13. Glades Road and NW 2 nd Avenue
3. Palmetto Park Road and I-95 (East) 14. Palmetto Park Road and Jog Road
4. Palmetto Park Road and Military Trail 15. Palmetto Park Road and St. Andrews Boulevard
5. Dixie Highway and Glades Road 16. Palmetto Park Road and SW 12 th Avenue
6. Federal Highway and Hillsboro Boulevard 17. Camino Real and Powerline/Jog Road
7. Dixie Highway and Yamato Road 18. Camino Real and Military Trail
8. Glades Road and Florida’s Turnpike 19. SW 18 th Street and Military Trail
9. Glades Road and Powerline/Jog Road 20. Spanish River Boulevard and Federal Highway
10. Glades Road and Butts Road 21. Dixie Highway and Spanish River Boulevard
11. Glades Road and I-95 (East) 22. SW 18 th Street and Powerline/Jog Road
Based upon the 2025 analysis, 22 intersections will operate below the adopted LOS in
the PM peak hour. Of these 22 intersections, only two (2) are within the downtown
area (Camino/Dixie and Camino/Federal Highway). This generally indicates that the
intersections primarily impacted by mixed use, higher intensity, pedestrian and transit
oriented development will still meet adopted LOS levels in the 2025. In contrast,
intersections outside of the downtown, which are primarily impacted by development
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that is regulated by traditional land use and zoning regulations, were found to not meet
the adopted LOS standards in 2025. This is a good indication that the failure of these
intersections to meet adopted LOS standards is not related to downtown development
patterns. If the primary issue was an unforeseen impact of downtown development,
then the intersections inside and outside the downtown would both be failing to meet
the adopted service level standards by 2025.
Peak hour roadway failures are due in large part to the City’s attraction as a regional
employment center. Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) statistics, which project employment
and population in the County, was obtained from the Palm Beach County Metropolitan
Planning Organization (MPO) for the years 2000 and 2030. In 2000, the TAZ data
estimated the number of employees in the City at 76,491. By 2030, it was projected
that the number would increase to 101,068 employees. By comparing the number of
employees to residents in the City, which has been estimated at 82,755 in 2000 and
108,448 in 2030, the TAZ data indicates that there is nearly one (1) City resident for
every one (1) employee working in the City. This 1:1 ratio indicates that more of the
working population is commuting into the City. Thus, providing a multimodal system
that connects to regional transportation systems will be just as important as providing
an accessible local multimodal system.
In addition to providing a means of convenient travel in and out of the City, altering the
development pattern to provide the mix of land uses and the appropriate density,
intensity and organization of land uses around transit is as important in the ability to
maximize the multimodal potential of the Boca Raton area. Land uses should be
appropriately distributed to help define viable transit centers and community cores and
to support the bicycle, pedestrian and transit uses.
According to a November 18, 2004 USA TODAY article, Americans discover charms of
living near mass transit, by John Ritter:
“Shifting housing demographics are stoking interest around the country in
development near transit, according to a study for the Federal Transit
Administration released in October of 2004. The study predicted that by
2025 nearly 15 million U.S. households will want to rent or buy near
transit, double today's number. Demand will be highest in regions that
have extensive systems — New York City, Boston, Chicago — and those
with large growing systems like Los Angeles. But many other cities are
converts. Portland, Oregon, has been a leader in creating density around
transit. San Diego is investing heavily next to rail. Denver's downtown
redevelopment focuses on transit. The Miami regional transit agency's
new chief is a developer pushing projects close to commuter rail stations.
Salt Lake City's light rail is attracting developer interest.
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The gold standard for residential development near transit stations is
Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington,
D.C., urban planners say. In the 1970s, Arlington decided to concentrate
development along its three (3) mile subway route to maintain the
character of suburban neighborhoods. That was novel and controversial
at the time. But the results are impressive: 35,000 residents living in
18,000 houses and apartments, 75,000 jobs, 1,900 hotel rooms and 17
million square feet of office and retail space within walking distance of
subway stations. The half-mile-wide corridor contains just 7.6% of
Arlington's land but generates a third of its tax revenue, keeping residents'
property tax bills lower than anywhere else in the region. In Arlington,
three-fourths of people walk to the train. In Fairfax, two-thirds drive.
The difference is just dramatic. Pedestrian-friendly spaces are critical,
planners say. Arlington learned from early mistakes that buildings had to
open onto sidewalks and invite walking. If a goal is to cut car trips — only
a fourth of all trips are work trips — give residents fewer reasons to drive
by mixing shopping, housing and entertainment, planners say. It will lead
to fewer cars per household.
Offer housing choices — apartments, condos, townhouses and singlefamily
homes. Single uses such as office buildings make for dead afterhours
downtowns. Mixing uses creates 24-hour villages and more transit
ridership.”
Review of Goals, Objectives and Policies that Link Transportation and Land
Use Planning
A review of the Transportation and Future Land Use Elements was completed to
determine the current status of the Goals, Objectives and Policies of the Boca Raton
Comprehensive Plan that promote alternative modes of transportation, in addition to
land use patterns that are pedestrian, bicycle and transit oriented. Research on the
MMTD has demonstrated that when policies are established that provide specific design
standards and allow a mixture of land uses and appropriate increases in land use
densities and intensities to accommodate projected population that more closely
coordinated with transit services, a greater quality of life can be achieved. This occurs
through increased levels of walking, bicycling and transit use, reduced vehicle miles
traveled, improved air quality, economic and community revitalization and preservation
of neighborhood character.
With regards to support for multimodal transportation, the Transportation Element does
provide language that encourages the provision of a safe, convenient, and energyefficient
multimodal transportation system and the use of mass transit to alleviate
roadway congestion (Objective TRAN.1.1.0, Objective TRAN.1.3.0 and Objective
TRAN.3.1.0). In addition, there is a stipulation that by 2015, the traffic circulation
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system in the City shall be integrated to provide rail, transit, pedestrian walkways and
bikeways as alternative modes of travel (Objective.TRAN.1.4.0). Further, for non-forprofit
medical facilities, the City allows exceptions from the transportation concurrency
if those uses demonstrate that they will promote public transportation pursuant to
Section 163.3180(5)(b) F.S. (Policy TRAN.1.3.15). However, there is currently no clear
policy direction in the Future Land Use Element that links transportation and land use
planning nor are there any policies that encourage pedestrian, bicycle and transit
oriented development or redevelopment.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
[163.3191(2)(i)]
To strengthen the integration of land use and transportation, staff is recommending
that the City establish a Citywide Multimodal Transportation District (MMTD) in order to
create a transportation system that will enhance mobility by linking local and regional
transportation networks, incorporating alternative transportation modes, and promoting
traffic management. A proposed Boca Raton Citywide MMTD will require review and
approval by both the Department of Community Affairs and the Florida Department of
Transportation. In addition, the City will need to demonstrate that it qualifies as an
MMTD based upon the following existing and/or planned future design elements defined
in Chapter 163.3180(15)(b), F.S.:
• A complementary mix and range of land uses;
• An interconnected network of streets to encourage walking and bicycling, with
traffic calming where desirable;
• Appropriate densities and intensities of use within walking distance of transit
stops;
• Daily activities within walking distance of residences, allowing independence to
persons who do not drive; and
• Public uses, streets, squares that are safe, comfortable, and attractive for the
pedestrian, with adjoining buildings open to the street and with parking not
interfering with pedestrian, transit, automobile and truck travel modes.
To implement the guidelines for designating a MMTD, the Boca Raton Comprehensive
Plan will need to be amended to include policy guidance that supports land use,
transportation and urban design standards that are pedestrian, bicycle, and transit
oriented. The designation will require substantial amendments to the Transportation,
Future Land Use, and Capital Improvements Element, in addition to new maps defining
the district. It is anticipated that amendments to the Housing and Intergovernmental
Coordination Element will also be required. In addition, the Land Development
Regulations of the Boca Raton City Code will need to be amended to ensure the support
for multimodal transportation to implement the policy guidance in the Comprehensive
Plan. As the goals, objectives and policies must be supported by data inventory and
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analysis of the existing and projected conditions, a comprehensive feasibility study will
be the initial step necessary in the designation process.
Feasibility Study Scope of Work
The study to determine the feasibility of designating a Citywide MMTD should evaluate
the transportation needs of the City and the potential impact of the MMTD on the Boca
Raton community and its quality of life. Pursuant to Chapter 163,3180(15)(a), F.S., the
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has developed a professionally acceptable
methodology for measuring the quality of service for bicyclists, pedestrians and transit
users along roadway segments. The scope of work envisioned for the study
incorporates the FDOT methodology and consists of the following tasks:
Task 1: Data Collection Process
Field inventory
A field inventory of roadways and land use and development characteristics to
determine the existing conditions for pedestrian and bicyclists. The data collection for
the field inventory should be compiled into multimodal characteristics database to
determine existing levels of service for non-auto modes.
Roadway segmentation
Roadways should be divided into manageable segments and data collected describing
the physical and operational characteristics of each segment. This process will provide
the data necessary to conduct an area-wide multimodal LOS analysis.
Transportation Characteristics
The following data should be collected for each of the roadway segments:
• Presence of sidewalk;
• Sidewalk width;
• Presence of bike lanes;
• Buffers between sidewalk and motor vehicle lanes;
• Presence of on-street parking;
• Width of outside travel lanes;
• Posted motor vehicle speed;
• Pavement condition, and
• Access driveway frequency.
Urban design Characteristics
Inventory of existing street design characteristics should be conducted for major
collector roadways. The following information should be collected, but they are not
intended to be exhaustive or exclusionary:
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• Building setbacks;
• Space between buildings;
• Physical barriers (landscaping, drainage swales, etc.) between the sidewalk and
buildings;
• Vertical or horizontal mix of land uses, and
• Parking area location (e.g., on-street parking and relation to the building).
Existing Conditions Database
The information collected should be maintained in a database to serve as the City’s
database of existing multimodal transportation and urban design conditions.
Task 2: Level of Service Standards
Establishment of Minimum LOS standards
In accordance with the FDOT recommended methodology, each travel mode should be
evaluated separately to determine both corridor and system wide performance. A
minimum multimodal LOS standard should be based upon the maximum LOS grade
achievable, given the existing land development pattern and implementation of all the
facility improvements recommended.
Utilizing FDOT’s arterial analysis model (ART-PLAN), a methodology should be devised
for the analysis of bicycle, pedestrian and transit level of service standards, in addition
to existing motor vehicle analysis capabilities. The ART-PLAN model should also
measure the quality of service with respect to a user perception of safety and comfort.
The key factors used to determine bicycle LOS should include the following:
• Presence and width of a bike lane or paved shoulder;
• Width of outside shoulder lane;
• Proximity of bicyclists to motor vehicles;
• Motor vehicle volume, speed and type;
• Pavement condition, and
• Percent of on-street parking.
The key factors used to determine pedestrian LOS should include:
• Presence and width of a sidewalk or shared use path/trail;
• Lateral separation of pedestrians from motor vehicles;
• Presence of a physical barrier or buffer;
• Motor vehicle volume and speed; and
• Presence of shade.
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Key factors used to determine transit LOS should include:
• Service Frequency;
• Pedestrian LOS;
• Span of service;
• Pedestrian crossing difficulty, and
• Sidewalk connection to transit stop.
Multimodal LOS Analysis
Utilizing the ART-PLAN model, an LOS analysis should be performed in order to provide
an estimate of corridor LOS and available capacity for motor vehicle, transit, bicycle and
pedestrian modes. The multimodal district-wide LOS should also be determined by
weighting the LOS score for each mode by the length of all segments in the MMTD.
Task 3: Quality of Service Factors
There are three factors affecting quality of service in an MMTD that are not considered
by the FDOT ART-PLAN model, including:
1. Urban form (density, diversity and design of land uses);
2. Population and employment accessibility to multimodal transportation facilities;
and
3. Multimodal transportation facility connectivity.
The gross district-wide LOS scores should be subsequently adjusted by the generalized
factors derived from these characteristics.
Urban Form (Density, Diversity and Design)
The five initial measures of urban form are:
• Building setbacks;
• Spacing between buildings;
• Barriers between streets/sidewalks and buildings;
• Off-street parking; and
• Presence of such amenities as street furniture and lighting that contribute to the
safety and comfort of the pedestrian.
All of the five measures quantify building proximity, a key factor in density, diversity and
design. Buildings set back far from the road or each other generally create poor walking
or biking environments. Physical barriers have the same impact as distance. Large
parking lots, particularly those in front of buildings, create setbacks that inhibit walking
or cycling.
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A general rating of “Good,” “Moderate” or “Poor” should be assigned to each multimodal
district corridor based on the urban form characteristics recorded during a field review.
The numerical factor associated with each rating is intended to acknowledge the impact
of urban form on transportation. A score of one indicates neither a positive or negative
relationship between urban form and transportation. Good to moderate urban
characteristics having a positive influence on access for multimodal transportation result
in a score less than one. Poor development characteristics along a corridor that degrade
multimodal transportation LOS, resulting in a score greater than one. This score is used
to factor the FDOT ART-PLAN model score, thereby qualifying the effects of urban form
on transportation operating characteristics.
Accessibility Index
The accessibility index measures the proportion of the total MMTD population in close
proximity to pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
Connectivity Index
The local street network should be designed to promote mobility and interconnectivity
for all modes of transportation. The connectivity index for all modes of transportation is
as follows:
• The automobile/bicycle connectivity index is derived by dividing the number of
street links by the number of nodes (intersections, cul-de-sacs and dead-ends).
• The pedestrian and shared use path/trail connectivity index is derived by
computing the number of termini per square mile in the MMTD.
• The transit connectivity index is based on the percentage of major activity zones
served by existing fixed route transit service
Task 4: Citywide Multimodal LOS
The LOS scores generated using FDOT’s ART-PLAN model is adjusted to arrive at the
citywide LOS using the urban form, accessibility and connectivity LOS results.
Task 5: Recommended MMTD improvements and estimated costs
Task 6: Report summary
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Model Multimodal Transportation District Objectives
Based upon the data collection and analysis of the current transportation system and
distribution of land uses in the City of Boca Raton, it is anticipated that a multimodal
transportation plan will be drafted that will recommend such objectives as:
Objective. MMTD establishment. Establish a Multimodal Transportation District
(MMTD) within the City of Boca Raton is to elevate the priority of the pedestrian, cyclist
and transit rider in the transportation network by creating a safe, comfortable, and
attractive environment. Vehicle mobility is still provided, however, it is not the primary
priority.
Objective: Required Design Elements. The MMTD will exhibit the following
community design elements:
1. An interconnected network of relatively equally classified streets and paths
designed to encourage walking and bicycle use, with traffic calming where
desirable;
2. A complementary mix and range of land uses, including residential, educational,
recreational, and cultural;
3. Appropriate densities and intensities of land uses within walking distance of
transit stops;
4. Daily activities within walking distance of residences and public uses, streets and
squares that are safe, comfortable, and attractive for the pedestrian, with
adjoining buildings that front on or provide access to the street and parking
designed to be conducive with all transportation modes;
5. Off-street parking areas located and designed in a manner that supports and
does not conflict with pedestrian activity. In commercial areas, on-street parking
shall be short-term (parking duration limits, time-of-day limits, restricted parking
zones);
6. Along all public right-of-way, buffer the pedestrian from the roadway through
landscaping and distance. Maximize the sidewalk’s separation from the travel
lanes and landscape the buffer to create a pedestrian friendly environment.
Sidewalks may be located on the development’s property through an easement if
necessary to get an adequate buffer; and
7. Location of multimodal stations throughout the City.
Objective: Design Guidelines. The City of Boca Raton shall establish architectural
design guidelines appropriate for applications in the MMTD to ensure that new
construction, infill and redevelopment will contribute positively to the character and
livability of the MMTD.
Objective: Organization of Land Uses. The City of Boca Raton shall review the
Future Land Use Map and land development regulations and modify them as needed to
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provide for an appropriate density, intensity and mix of land uses to support multimodal
transportation, and specifically to ensure:
1. A strong central core or urban center consisting of government centers, transit
stations, or a town square surrounded by relatively high density/intensity
residential and non-residential development;
2. A compatible mix of land uses throughout the MMTD and within individual sites
and buildings that supports alternative modes of transportation and promotes
activity during peak and non-peak hours; and
3. Proximity of shopping, services, educational, recreational and employment
centers to each other and to the surrounding residential uses to facilitate walking
and bicycling, as an alternative to driving.
Objective: Relationship to Major Thoroughfares. The MMTD shall be planned in a
manner that maximizes internal circulation and minimizes conflicts on the Florida
Intrastate Highway System (FIHS) and other major arterial roadways which have the
primary function of moving high volumes of statewide and regional traffic. Where such
roadways are included in a Multimodal Transportation District, a minimum of three (3)
safe pedestrian crossings shall be provided per mile.
Objective: LOS standards. The City of Boca Raton shall establish minimum quality
and level of service standards and performance targets for transit, bicycle and
pedestrian facilities and roadways. The minimum recommended standards being as
follows:
1. 80% of all the bicycle and pedestrian facilities within the MMTD network shall
function at LOS C or better;
2. All parcels within ¼ mile of a transit stop should be served by pedestrian
facilities operating at LOS C or better;
3. 80% of the employees and dwelling units in a district will be located within ¼
mile of a transit stop; and
4. 80% of residential units in a district shall be located within ¼ mile of a school.
Objective: Multimodal Street Design and Operation. The City of Boca Raton shall
establish multimodal street cross-sections, design standards, and operational measures
(i.e. bus priority signals, etc.) to ensure streets are safe, convenient and appealing for
all modes of travel, including transit, automobiles, trucks, bicycles and pedestrians.
Strategies shall include marked crosswalks, wider sidewalks, on-street parking, bus
turnouts, transit-use shelters, traffic calming, raised medians, landscaping, street
furniture, adequate drainage and other appropriate safety enhancements that reduce
hazardous conflicts between modes and that are consistent with the planned functions
of the roadway.
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Objective: Street Network and Connectivity. The MMTD shall provide a dense,
interconnected network of equally classified local and collector streets that supports
walking, bicycling and transit use, while avoiding excessive speed.
Objective: Bicycle/Pedestrian Network and Connectivity. The MMTD shall
provide direct bicycle and pedestrian connections within and between residential areas
and supporting community facilities and services, such as shopping areas, employment
centers, transit stops, neighborhood parks, and schools within public right of ways and
easements, including, but not limited to, roadways, canals, and railroad and utility
corridors.
Objective: Transit. The City of Boca Raton shall work with the South Florida Regional
Transportation Authority to ensure that the MMTD is well-connected via transit to major
trip generators and attractors both inside and outside of the MMTD, that transit stops
and waiting areas are safe and comfortable and to enhance intermodal connections.
1. Identified needs shall be reflected in the South Florida Regional Transportation
Authority’s development plan and/or the City of Boca Raton’s CIP and priority
shall be given to funding of improvements that increase the availability, speed,
frequency and duration and reliability of transit serving the MMTD;
2. The City of Boca Raton shall coordinate with the South Florida Regional
Transportation Authority regarding the provision of transit centers, multimodal
stations and other facilities for the transfer of passengers to and from the MMTD
via the regional transit system;
3. The City of Boca Raton shall coordinate with South Florida Regional
Transportation Authority the regarding the provision of benches, signage, lights
and covered or enclosed waiting areas for transit stops within the MMTD; and
4. The City of Boca Raton shall coordinate with the South Florida Regional
Transportation Authority regarding the provision of bicycle parking at transit
stops and bicycle racks on buses as a means to interface bicycle travel with
public transit.
Objective: Vehicle Trip Reduction and Transportation Demand Management.
Transportation Demand Management strategies shall be incorporated a citywide
transportation planning process to alleviate traffic congestion.
Objective: Parking Management. Parking shall be limited to discourage singleoccupant
vehicle commuting and reinforce non-auto modes, but not so limited as to
adversely impact the viability and vitality of the MMTD. Maximum allowances for offstreet
parking spaces shall be established in the land development regulations for land
uses within the MMTD and reviewed periodically as conditions change to ensure they
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continue to adequately address parking needs and the availability of transit or other
non-auto modes.
Objective: Location and Design of Off-street Parking. Off-street parking areas
shall be located and designed in a manner that supports and does not conflict with
pedestrian activity, such as to the side or rear of buildings, and shall be limited in size
and scale.
Objective: Consideration for Schools. The City of Boca Raton shall give special
consideration to schools and their multimodal needs to provide a safe, accessible
environment for students by giving high priority to bicycle and pedestrian facilities
within a two-mile radius of all schools in both new development and redevelopment.
Objective: Consideration for Demographics. Special consideration shall be given
to areas with concentrations of students, seniors, low-income families or others that are
more dependent on modes other than the automobile to provide a safe, accessible
environment. Demographics should be considered when evaluating the compatibility of
land uses in order to shorter trips lengths and reduce the number of trips on adjacent
roadways.
Objective: Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Construction of access routes should be in conformance with the ADA.
Objective: Transportation Concurrency. Transportation concurrency in the MMTD
shall be evaluated based upon a financially feasible long-range capital improvements
plan and program for the district, without regard to the period of time between
development or redevelopment and the scheduled construction of the capital
improvements.
Objective: Financial Feasibility. The MMTD shall only be approved in conjunction
with the approval of financially feasible plans for bicycle, pedestrian and transit systems
that reduce reliance on automobiles for access and internal circulation.
Objective: Contributions to Multimodal Network. New developments or
redevelopment projects shall contribute to providing a safe, convenient, comfortable
and aesthetically pleasing transportation environment that promotes walking, cycling,
and transit use. Appropriate improvements or enhancements to the multimodal network
may be required as a condition of development approval, such as the following:
1. Full accommodations for pedestrian access and movement, including shaded
sidewalks,
2. Full accommodations for bicycles, such as lockers, showers, and racks;
3. Direct connections between the MMTD and the regional bicycle/pedestrian
network;
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4. Installation of bike lanes, sidewalks, and shared use paths/trails;
5. Well-designed accommodations for transfer of passengers at designated transit
facilities;
6. Preferential parking for rideshare participants;
7. Well designed access for motor vehicle passenger drop-offs and pick-ups at
designated transit facilities and at commercial and office development sites;
8. Full accommodations for the mobility impaired, including parking spaces,
sidewalks, and ramps for handicapped access; and
9. Installation of transit use shelters.
Objective: Preservation of FIHS. The MMTD shall not significantly degrade the
adopted level of service standards for facilities designated as part of the Florida
Intrastate Highway System.
Objective: Intergovernmental Coordination. The City of Boca Raton shall
cooperate with transit operators, local and state government and any other locally
involved agencies or groups with the establishment and maintenance of the MMTD.
Through public hearings and special meetings, Boca Raton citizens and stakeholders will
be fully informed and involved in the process. The consideration of the MMTD district
should become an integral part of the land use and transportation planning in the City
of Boca Raton.
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Chapter 4
Analysis of Each Element

Analysis of Future Land Use Element
Element Overview
The Future Land Use Element provides for the goals, objectives and policies that will
promote balanced growth and appropriate land development patterns within the City
through the identification of existing land use conditions as well as the creation of
future land use designations that will ensure that the health, safety, and welfare of the
public are protected and which are compatible with the surrounding uses. It includes
general development parameters and provides that future development occurs only
where public infrastructure is, or can be provided at minimum adopted levels of service.
Element Assessment
OBJECTIVE LU.1.1.0: The City shall continue to issue development orders, or
permits, only if:
(1) Sufficient infrastructure exists, or is provided for in accord with provisions of
the City's Comprehensive Plan, or will exist, concurrent with the impact of the
development, to maintain adopted levels of service on infrastructure projected to be
impacted by the development; and
(2) The land is surveyed for possible protection under State and/or Federal
wetlands protection legislation, if the land is identified in the Conservation Element of
this Plan as a possible wetland; and
(3) The development of the land proceeds in accord with any applicable wetlands
legislation; if it is found to be a wetland; and
(4) There are no known topographic features, soil conditions, flooding problems,
or other barriers to development that cannot be corrected for without the degradation
of natural systems; and
(5) The items referenced in subsection (4) immediately above are addressed by
conditions in the development order guaranteeing that corrections will be made
simultaneously with construction and completed prior to the issuance of a certificate of
occupancy. A legal commitment from the developer will be required at the time of
approval to ensure that the needed corrections are made before the certificate of
occupancy is issued. The City shall issue development orders only if sufficient
infrastructure exists, or will exist, concurrent with the impact of development and all
required environmental surveys are to be provided.
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Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. The establishment of intensities and density regulations for each land use
designation;
2. The provision of a Concurrency Management System, and
3. The requirement for a site plan review for all applicable development orders.
Objective Achievement Analysis. There have not been any development orders or
permits issued that are in violation of this objective. The application of the Land
Development Regulations, which assigns zoning district intensities, states concurrency
requirements, and establishes a procedure for site plan reviews, has been successful in
precluding any development orders that are inconsistent with the prescribed
development intensities or without adequate public facilities in place at the time of
commencement.
However, the comprehensive plan currently does not establish intensity standards for
the Institutional (PI), Recreation (PR), and the Conservation and Open Space (N) land
use designations. The comprehensive plan states that the intensity standards for these
land uses be established by the land development regulations. In order to comply with
state statute, intensity standards for these land uses shall be established and stated in
the comprehensive plan.
OBJECTIVE LU.1.2.0: The City of Boca Raton shall revitalize its Downtown Area
through a variety of land use policies designed to enhance the commercial, cultural, and
overall character of the area.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Provide for a rich mix of land uses throughout the Downtown Redevelopment
Area consistent with the development of the downtown as a "focal point" for the
City.
2. Permit mixed retail commercial, residential, and public uses throughout the
Downtown area consistent with the Downtown Development Order.
3. Those uses incompatible with a strong pedestrian orientation such as gas
stations, outside storage, drive-ins, drive through parking structures along major
pedestrian linkages shall be prohibited.
4. Prohibit in the downtown, those uses not permitted in any other areas of the
City.
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Objective Achievement Analysis. The Land Development Regulations stipulate that
development within the downtown is subject to the Downtown Development of
Regional Impact (DDRI) Ordinance (Ordinance No. 4035). The Ordinance establishes
the vision for the development of downtown. It includes specific provisions to
encourage mixed-use developments, a unified design theme, interconnectivity between
uses, and the development of cultural activities in a pedestrian-friendly environment in
the downtown. This Ordinance has successfully permitted development in the
downtown in a manner that is consistent with this objective and the related policies.
Since the adoption of the DDRI Ordinance, over 1.1 million square feet of office
equivalency and 2,249 dwelling units have been approved in the downtown.
OBJECTIVE LU.1.3.0: Because no blighted areas, exclusive of CBD, have been
identified in the Data and Analysis section of this element, the City makes no explicit
commitment to the encouragement of redevelopment. The City of Boca Raton shall
revitalize its Downtown Area through a variety of land use policies designed to enhance
the commercial, cultural, and overall character of the area.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. The evaluation of redevelopment needs in conjunction with the Five-Year
Evaluation and Appraisal Report.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The DDRI was created, in part, to address the
blighted areas within the CBD and has proven successful eliminating the blight and
promoting redevelopment. Another area of the City, generally referred to the North
Federal Highway Corridor, was recently identified by the City as an area in need of
redevelopment as well. The City commissioned a public charette to identify the citizen’s
vision for the area. As a result of this charette, a Master Plan was prepared that
identifies goals and principles regarding the future development of the area. The
Master Plan identified streets, proposed land uses, park, cultural and recreational
amenities as well as design guidelines.
The Master Plan will ultimately result in changes to the Future Land Use Element of the
Comprehensive Plan and changes to the Land Development Code that will foster the
redevelopment of this underutilized community. Staff is continuously monitoring areas
of the City that require redevelopment, and as they are identified, similar processes
such as those undertaken in the downtown and along the North Federal Highway
Corridor will be utilized.
OBJECTIVE LU.1.4.0: During the planning period, no uses incompatible with the
character of Boca Raton, as described in the Future Land Use map, may be permitted.
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Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Prohibition of certain incompatible uses and adoption of regulations prohibiting
such uses.
2. As part of the development review process, the requirement that adjacent land
uses be reviewed for compatibility of the use under consideration.
3. The City's Environmental staff and/or Parks and Recreation Department shall
continue to provide written comments on the compatibility of any use proposed
for siting adjacent to environmentally sensitive land or a park.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The Land Development Regulations clearly indicate
prohibited uses. The development review process includes consideration of a
development’s compatibility with the surrounding properties. Staff has been successful
in prohibiting any incompatible uses within the City.
OBJECTIVE LU.1.5.0: During the planning period, appreciable degradation of natural
areas or environmentally sensitive lands and historic resources shall be prevented.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Mitigation for the degradation or destruction of environmentally sensitive land
will be sought by the City to the maximum extent technically feasible.
2. Characteristics of the natural environment shall be considered in the review of all
development proposals or redevelopment proposals involving parcels which
contain environmentally sensitive lands, listed species, and/or wetlands.
3. The City will require that parcels which contain listed species shall receive
development approval by providing for the protection of the listed species and
that parcels which contain wetlands shall receive development approval by
allowing no net loss of wetlands.
4. The City will not issue any development orders or development permits until it
has received confirmation from the Palm Beach County Department of
Environmental & Resource Management that the proposed land use is not in
conflict with the Palm Beach County Wellfield Protection Ordinance.
5. All land development in Boca Raton shall be consistent with the applicable
policies in the Historic Preservation Element of this Comprehensive Plan.
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Objective Achievement Analysis. The City has benefited from the applicable policies
and, Citywide, has seen a net increase in natural and historic resources. Since 1996,
the following public preserves have been added:
Blazing Star Preserve, 24.14 acres of sand pine scrub and wetland
Yamato Scrub, 212 acres of native plant communities
Pondhawk, 78.97 acres of native plant communities
In addition, two ordinances have been adopted to further protect environmental
resources. The “Abram’s Ordinance” (Ordinance No. 4272) permits sequencing private
preserve protection measures and Ordinance No. 4681 places restrictions on lighting in
the beach area to protect sea turtle nesting.
Regarding historically significant areas, the City recently identified the Pearl City
neighborhood of historic significance and proceeded to have it designated as a Historic
District by the City Council. The Pearl City Neighborhood Master Plan was established
to protect and preserve this important historic neighborhood. The City has a Historic
Preservation Board, which continuously identifies historic resources within the City.
OBJECTIVE LU.1.6.0: The City will not permit residential development to occur in the
coastal high hazard area that would increase the time necessary for hurricane
evacuation beyond the standard established in the Coastal Management Element.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Residential densities of the zoning districts on the barrier island will not be
increased during the planning period.
2. Additional intensities or densities will not be granted to any properties located in
a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) Flood Zone A or V.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The objective is being realized because there has
been no increase in the residential density on the barrier island or on properties located
in a FEMA Flood Zoning A or V.
OBJECTIVE LU.1.7.0: The City will ensure the coordination of this Plan with all
resource management plans prepared pursuant to Chapter 380 F.S. Policies LU.1.7.1.
and 1.7.2. confer vested rights to any DRI (Development of Regional Impact), or FQD
(Florida Quality Development), or "development orders" approved prior to May 22,
1990; and prohibit the issuance of development orders that contravene the
Concurrency Management System.
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Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Prohibit the issuance of development orders that violate the Concurrency
Management System.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The Objective is being successfully achieved through
the development review process, as evidenced by the lack of any development orders
issued that violate Concurrency Management System.
OBJECTIVE LU.1.8.0: The City shall issue no "development order" unless provisions
are made in the development order for land needed for placement of utilities, and the
necessary permits issued or planned to be issued for construction of utilities.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Prior to the approval of a final plat, the availability of all necessary utility
easements and construction permits shall be provided.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The Objective is being successfully achieved through
the development review process, as evidenced by the lack of any development orders
that do not provide the stated utilities.
OBJECTIVE LU.1.9.0: During the planning period, the City will maintain and seek to
enhance its use of innovative land development techniques.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. The provision of Planned Industrial Developments, Planned Commercial
Developments, Planned Unit Developments, and other innovative land use
regulations.
2. The implementation of the study results of the housing needs assessment.
3. The enforcement of the City's Sign and Subdivision Ordinances consistent with
this Comprehensive Plan.
4. The allowance of mixed use projects for Developments of Regional Impact.
Objective Achievement Analysis: The stated Objective to seek and enhance the use of
innovative development techniques is being achieved through the development review
process and continuing enforcement of the Land Development regulations. The City
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ecently made significant revisions to the Sign Code Regulations that permit more
opportunities for flexibility in design without sacrificing aesthetic measurements. The
City is also currently processing a rewrite of the Planned Development Regulations. The
amended Regulations will permit more flexible residential design within the context of
Planned Developments. They also focus on removing obstacles inherent with
developing smaller infill parcels. Such regulations are expected to encourage a greater
variety of housing types for a wider range of homeowners.
OBJECTIVE LU.1.10.0: Within the time provided by law, the City shall complete a
revision of its land development regulations.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Ensure consistency of this comprehensive plan with the Boca Raton Code of
Ordinances.
2. Ensure that the Code of Ordinances does not permit growth unsupported by
infrastructure as detailed in the Capital Improvements Element of this Plan.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The Objective is being successfully achieved through
the existing development review process. The Land Development Code requires that
the development review process provide for consistency with the Comprehensive Plan
and consistency with the Concurrency Management System.
OBJECTIVE LU.1.11.0: Seven studies will be conducted as called for in the Land Use
Element of the 1996 Evaluation and Appraisal Report.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. To analyze the optimum location of a satellite city hall;
2. To design compatibility guidelines for areas adjacent to rezoned properties in
order to lesson any negative impact that could result;
3. To analyze an area located within and near the Community Redevelopment Area,
which is extremely underdeveloped to consider options that could be encouraged
through rezoning or other government action;
4. To provide an analysis of the older commercial, residential and industrial areas,
which are underdeveloped;
5. To provide an analysis regarding the area along NW 20th Street, between Dixie
Highway and NW 2 Avenue; and
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6. To provide an analysis of publicly-owned lands which have not been rezoned to
the category of “Public Land”.
Objective Achievement Analysis. There were actually six (6) potential studies rather
than seven (7) listed under this objective. City has completed studies No. 4 and No. 5
listed above, but has not formally initiated studies for the other areas identified in the
Report. The analysis of underdeveloped commercial, residential, and industrial areas
(No. 4) was completed. The information from that analysis was utilized, in part, in
identifying the redevelopment needs in the North Federal Highway corridor.
Study No.5 was also completed. It analyzed the area along NW 20 th Street, between
Dixie Highway and NW 2 nd Avenue and identified problems and opportunities for
redevelopment. As a result of this study, modifications were made to the Land
Development Code to include specific developmental regulations for properties within
this designated area. Additionally, based on recommendations of the study, the
Municipal Services Department is in the process of making improvements within the
public right-of-way in this area. These improvements include new sewer lines,
sidewalks and improvements to the stormwater drainage system.
During the last planning period, there was not enough staff manpower to complete the
other studies identified. Staff is recommending that the remaining studies not be
conducted because there no longer is a need.
OBJECTIVE LU.1.12.0: The City shall coordinate relevant planning activities with the
Palm Beach County School Board in order to ensure the proper location of public
schools.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. The City will permit public schools within certain zoning districts that correspond
to each of the Future Land Use categories.
2. The appropriate locations for public facilities should consider the collocation of
such facilities as parks, libraries, and community centers with public schools.
Objective Achievement Analysis. In 1998, the Florida Legislature amended Chapter
163.3177(6)(a), Florida Statutes, to require local governments to amend their
comprehensive plans to identify those future land use designations where public schools
are an allowable use. Local governments were further directed to provide site selection
criteria that encourage the location of schools proximate to residential areas in order to
meet the projected needs of their community and to include policies that support the
collocation of public schools with other public facilities.
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In order to promote the collocation of public facilities and schools, the City amended its
land development regulations to allow public schools within all Future Land Use
categories. Prior to February of 2001, public schools were not permitted in within any
of the zoning districts that corresponded to the Light Industrial (IL) or Manufacturing
(IM) Future Land Use designations. Ordinance No. 4567, adopted February 13, 2002,
brought the Land Development Code into compliance with Policy LU 1.12.1, of the Boca
Raton Comprehensive Plan, to provide for public schools as a conditional use in certain
zoning districts that corresponded to the IL and IM Future Land Use categories.
An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
Upon review of the achievements in each of the objectives in this Element, staff has
identified several objectives that may be impacted by the major issue. Specifically,
objectives LU.1.5.0 and LU.1.9.0 encourage land use designations that may permit a
mixture of uses, thereby capturing external trips which can significantly limit traffic
between uses and thereby addresses the major issue. In addition, objectives which
require the identification of areas for redevelopment and opportunities to assist in that
redevelopment (Objectives LU.1.2.0 and LU.1.3.0) may need to include new land use
designations changes as well as a reevaluating the parameters of the concurrency
management system, especially as it relates to traffic performance standards.
With regard to the downtown, as a prior approved Development Order, the DDRI
Development Order is not subject to the 1989 City of Boca Raton Comprehensive Plan
or Palm Beach County Comprehensive Plan. The Boca Raton Community
Redevelopment Agency is currently working on a Notice of Proposed Change that would
amend the 1992 Development Order.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The comprehensive plan currently does not establish intensity standards for the
Institutional (PI), Recreation (PR), or Conservation and Open Space (N) land use
designations. The comprehensive plan states that the intensity standards for these land
uses be established by the land development regulations. In order to comply with state
statute, intensity standards for these land uses shall be established and stated in the
comprehensive plan.
With regard to the major issue, as there is no clear policy direction in the Future Land
Use Element that addresses pedestrian, bicycle or transit-oriented development or the
relationship between transportation and land use planning, it is anticipated that new
goals, objectives and policies will be prepared to support the designation of a
Multimodal Transportation District.
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Since transportation mobility is the major issue of the City of Boca Raton 2005 EAR and
continued development and redevelopment in Downtown will significantly impact the
transportation and mobility in the City, it is important that any amendment to the 1992
DDRI Development Order be consistent with and reinforce the 2005 EAR. Currently,
staff intends to accomplish this by making any amendment to the 1992 DDRI
Development Order subject to any new initiatives with respect to multi-modal
transportation systems, mass transit and transportation management brought about by
the 2005 EAR process and subsequent Comprehensive Plan Amendments to the extent
that these requirements are in excess of those contained in the amendment to the 1992
DDRI Development Order.
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Analysis of Transportation Element
Element Overview
The Transportation Element is an integral part of the City of Boca Raton’s
Comprehensive Plan. The basis for determining the City’s transportation system needs
for motorized and non-motorized traffic is the City’s land use map and level of service
standards. Pursuant to Chapter 163, F.S. and Chapter 9J-5.019, F.A.C., the
Transportation Element consists of four (4) goals:
‣ To provide a safe, efficient, convenient, and economical transportation circulation
system, which has sufficient capacity to move people, goods, and services
throughout the City.
‣ To cooperate with the airport authority to ensure proper and orderly
development of the Boca Raton airport and to minimize negative impacts from
airport activities upon adjacent residents, lands, natural systems, and public
facilities.
‣ To maintain effective coordination and cooperation with Palm Tran, the Palm
Beach County Transit Authority, and to provide Palm Tran with sufficient
demographic, engineering, economic, and related data to facilitate mass transit
planning.
‣ To develop and maintain effective coordination and cooperation with the tricounty
commuter rail and the developer of the high speed rail to provide for
alternative modes of transportation for the citizens of Boca Raton.
Element Assessment
OBJECTIVE TRAN 1.1.0:The City shall provide for a safe, convenient, and energyefficient
multimodal transportation system.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Resolution to MPO from City Council to encourage the MPO to include widening
projects.
2. Annual Inventory Update of bicycle and pedestrian ways
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3. Negotiation with Tri Rail Commission to request the construction of a Tri Rail
Park and Ride Facility
4. City liaison coordination between the City and the Airport Authority to gain a
consensus on terminal and location and to assure proper development of lane
uses.
5. Study the feasibility of the installation of a Downtown parking structure with
intermodal terminal by January 1998.
6. Amendment of Capital Improvements Elements consistent with the policies when
identified as necessary in the annual infrastructure report.
7. Review each Development Order for compliance with the Thoroughfare Right of
Way Protection Map.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City of Boca Raton regularly coordinates with the
County and State to include widening projects in the 5 Year Road Program. The City is
focused on widening major east-west arterials in part due to the numerous residential
developments west of the City. Yamato Road and Spanish River Blvd were recently
widened and more improvements on other segments are planned. The City has
encouraged the County and State to widen Glades Road and a feasibility study is
currently underway. A feasibility study is also underway on widening Palmetto Park
Road. In all projects the City promotes the installation of bicycle and pedestrian
facilities.
A multimodal Tri-Rail station is under construction south of Yamato Road. It will
provide access to Tri-Rail, Palm-Tran, shuttles to area office developments, T-Rex Trail
(connects to proposed City park), and the El-Rio Trail (connects to FAU).
Intermodal transfer stations are being discussed with Towncenter Mall and the Boca
Raton Airport Authority. The City is also examining other potential locations including
downtown and along N. Federal Highway.
The City prepared a feasibility study for a Downtown Parking Structure. Potential sites
are still being discussed. The City works with the Airport Authority to ensure proper
development, compatible with the City’s land uses and the transportation system. Prior
to the issuance of a Development Order, staff reviews all projects for compliance with
the Thoroughfare Right-of-Way Protection Map.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 1.2.0: Consistency with County, State, Regional, and Other Agency
Plans. All roadway or transit improvement plans and programs shall be coordinated
with County, State, Regional, and local transportation agencies.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
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1. Annual adoption as part of the Capital Improvement Plan.
2. Construction inconsistent with the Thoroughfare Right of Way Protection Map
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City of Boca Raton develops, adopts, and annually
updates a 5 year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to maintain and upgrade the City’s
transportation infrastructure. Staff coordinates with Palm Beach County, the MPO,
FDOT, Tri-Rail and other applicable agencies. Improvements are consistent with the
City’s adopted Thoroughfare Right of Way Protection Map.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 1.3.0: Effective and Efficient Roadway Network. During the
planning period, the City roadway network shall operate at the adopted level of service.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Annual Reports; traffic counts
2. Annual infrastructure report, traffic counts
3. Development of multi-jurisdictional transportation coordination
4. Generation of interlocal agreement, letters of understanding, advance
preparation of right of way acquisition documents, construction plans, etc.
5. Initiation and continuation of discussions through the auspices of the MPO
6. Actual data generation and provision
7. Concurrency management system; Annual Infrastructure Report
8. Actual collection of “fair share” impact fees
9. Revision of the City’s Code of Ordinances consistent with this policy
10. Actual study and implementation
11. Environmentally sensitive areas degraded or lost as a result of roadway
expansion
12. Actual construction
13. Conformity with County Traffic Performance Standards Ordinance and the City
Concurrency Administrative Manual
14. Number of Transit-exception projects
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City of Boca Raton semi-annually conducts traffic
counts throughout the City to track the peak hour and daily volumes during the peak
and off-peak seasons. The City documents the peak season level-of-service on all
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thoroughfares to identify backlogged facilities. To improve the level-of-service the City
annually identifies roadway and intersection improvements for inclusion in the CIP.
The CIP also includes improvements to other modes of transportation, including transit,
bikeways and pedestrian facilities. The city adopted a transportation demand
management (TDM) ordinance in 2002 to encourage alternative modes of
transportation and decrease peak hour travel. The City is in the process of establishing
a shuttle to serve Tri-Rail, FAU Research Park, City Hall and the downtown. The City
actively works with the County and State to identify funding for traditional roadway
improvements and improvements to alternative modes of transportation.
All City land development reviews include a concurrency review by the County’s Traffic
Division. This coordination replaces the coordination with the Intergovernmental Plan
Amendment Review Committee since such a committee is not in existence. The City
has adopted Palm Beach County’s Traffic Performance Standards Ordinance to address
concurrency, adhering to the methodologies outlined in the County’s Code. Land
development reviews also evaluate on-site circulation, parking and cross-access for
safety, convenience and compliance with City design requirements. County road impact
fees for approved developments are collected by the City.
The County’s and City’s Comprehensive Plans allow for concurrency exemptions if a
development is designed with transit-oriented elements. The City’s Comprehensive Plan
specifically permits this exemption for only not-for-profit medical facilities, while the
County’s Comprehensive Plan does not limit this benefit to a specific use. At this time
no facilities have applied for this exemption.
The City provides current and future land use and socioeconomic data to the MPO for
use in developing regional transportation plans. Traffic studies are required for all
proposed land use changes and, if needed, mitigation is provided to ensure the adopted
roadway level of service standards. The City of Boca Raton cooperates with other
agencies in establishing STA boundaries within the City.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 1.4.0: All Modes of Transportation. By 2015, the traffic circulation
system shall be an integrated network providing rail, transit, pedestrian walkways and
bikeways as alternative modes of travel.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Actual construction of bikeways and sidewalks and other pedestrian facilities
2. Actual inclusion in mixed-use projects
3. Revision of the City’s land development regulation consistent with this policy, if
found to be necessary
4. Construction schedules
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5. Road construction schedules
Objective Achievement Analysis. As part of the major issue, the City is identifying sites
for future intermodal stations and discussing moving towards an intermodal level-ofservice.
The City continues to fund CIP projects to construct bicycle and pedestrian facilities on
City collectors and arterials where right of way is available. The City continues to
construct paths for pedestrian and cyclists as identified in the updated pedestrian and
bicycle master plan, now known as the Bicycle, Pedestrian, Greenways and Trails
Master Plan.
All new mixed-use developments must address pedestrian, bicycle and motorized
access to adjacent uses during the developmental review process. All new
developments make provisions for safe, convenient on-site traffic flow and to provide
adequate parking.
No road widening improvements are planned along the constrained roadways identified
in the Comprehensive Plan.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 1.50: Plan Element Coordination. The City of Boca Raton shall
develop intergovernmental cooperation strategies to achieve the objectives and policies
of this element. The City shall cooperate with other entities to resolve areas of conflict
with Palm Beach County, F.D.O.T., Palm Beach School Board, and other units of local
government by implementing these strategies.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Continued membership in the MPO
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City continues to utilize the Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO) as the City’s main coordination mechanism for transportation
planning and intergovernmental coordination.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 2.1.0: All development at the Airport shall be made with proper
consideration for the adjacent population, environment and the Future Land Use
Element of this plan. Development shall proceed based upon the Boca Raton Airport
Master Plan Update (1990), as amended, subject to the Memorandum of Agreement
approved in Boca Raton City Council Resolution 17-88 and any amendments thereto
which are consistent with this Plan.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
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1. Continued city staff liaison assignment
2. Issuance of building permits
3. Continue to site violations
4. Accept changes through City Council action
5. Comprehensive land use redesignation (needs to moved from this policy (not
related)
6. Issuance of permits for non-permitted activities (needs to moved from this policy
(not related)
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City coordinates with the Airport Authority on
matters relating to the Airport’s development. City staff regularly attends the Airport
Authority meetings. All construction on non-aviation property must obtain building
permits from the City. The development of land designated for aviation use is subject
to the Memorandum of Agreement approved in Resolution 17-88. The City may accept
changes to the Airport Master Plan, as approved by the Federal Aviation Administration
and Airport Authority.
Land use designations in the vicinity of the airport should be in the Future Land Use
Element. Associated policies will be transferred.
Port or port facilities are not permitted within the City.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 2.2.0: The surface traffic generated by the Airport shall not exceed
the number of daily vehicle trips vested by Palm Beach County Determination.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Review each development proposal based upon amount of traffic it will generate
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City monitors all new development and
redevelopment. Traffic studies are required for review by the City and County to
ensure that the Airport’s traffic generation does not exceed the total number trips
vested by Palm Beach County.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 2.3.0: The City will cooperate with the Airport Authority to ensure
that plans for airport development or other airport activities are in coordination with all
other agencies having jurisdiction.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
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1. Violation alleged by any affected party
2. Collective activity by both organizations
Objective Achievement Analysis. Development of the Airport has proceeded subsequent
to compliance with applicable laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, regulation or policies of
applicable agencies. The City has cooperated with the Airport on aviation issues that
are determined to be mutually beneficial.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 2.4.0: Ground access routes to the Airport will be properly
integrated with other modes of transportation.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Traffic volumes shall be used to determine acceptable LOS
2. Encourage Development of intermodal access
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City ensures that all ground access routes within
its jurisdiction will be property maintained. The City continues to evaluate the need for
an intermodal station at the Airport. In the past, transit ridership was low. With the
proximity of the new Tri-Rail station, transit ridership between the facilities may
increase.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 3.1.0: The City will keep Palm Tran apprised of demographic,
economic, and engineering data necessary to effective transit planning.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Generation of annual report (Transfer to Land Use Element)
2. Unacceptable abolition of Palm Tran routes
Objective Achievement Analysis. Palm Tran has not requested the City to provide them
with annual land use changes or re-zonings. The City requires each proposed
development located on a Palm Tran route to contact the agency identifying the transit
needs in the area, such as a bus shelter or bus lane.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 3.2.0: Palm Tran routes in Boca Raton shall not be abolished as a
result of loss of right-of-way, unless alternative routes, acceptable to Palm Tran, the
City, and the Metropolitan Planning Organization are available.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
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1. Unacceptable abolition of Palm Tran routes
2. Unacceptable abandonments
3. General of information
4. Amendment to Code of Ordinances consistent with this policy
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City continues to consult with Palm Tran through
the Metropolitan Planning Organization before abandonment of any road on which a
Palm Tran route exists or is planned. The City does not abandon any right-of-way
which would result in the non-attainment of Objective 1.2.0. The City through the
Metropolitan Planning Organization continues to advise Palm Tran of any planned road
construction in the City's 5-Year Capital Improvements Program, as well as the
approximate construction dates when known. The City works cooperatively with Palm
Tran to plan alternative temporary transit routes. The City in the site plan review
process and where recommended by Palm Tran, requires developer dedications of bus
pullover lanes and/or bus shelters.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 3.3.0: The City of Boca Raton will cooperate with Palm Tran, in
expanding public transportation services to the elderly, handicapped individuals, lowincome
persons and others classified as transportation disadvantaged.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Dissemination of information
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City is installing bus shelters on high demand
routes. The City also regularly requires developers to construct bus shelters if their
property fronts a Palm Tran route. Bus shelters are constructed to meet ADA.
The City cooperates with Palm Tran’s marketing to the transportation disadvantaged
through a variety of media. The City promotes the availability of specialized
transportation needs. The City advertises on the City cable access channel information
on availability of special transportation needs. The City encourages Palm Beach County
and Palm Tran to provide transportation for not only wheelchair-bound individuals, but
also for those who are of limited ambulatory ability.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 3.4.0: The City of Boca Raton, with the cooperation of Palm Beach
County, Palm Tran, and local employers will strongly encourage the use of mass transit
to alleviate roadway congestion.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
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1. Communication with Palm Beach County, Palm Tran
2. City cable channel notice
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City adopted a Transportation Demand
Management Ordinance for downtown development, which in part encourages local
businesses to promote mass transit to their employees. The City is establishing a
shuttle to serve Tri-Rail, FAU Research Park, City Hall and the downtown. The City has
also required DRIs in the City to provide a shuttle between their development and Tri-
Rail. The City promotes ride sharing by public and private sector employees through
our partnership with South Florida Commuter Services.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 4.1.0: The City will keep the Tri-County Commuter Rail apprised of
demographic, economic, and engineering data necessary to effective rail transit
planning.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Successful relocation when and if necessary
2. Generation annual report
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City assisted Tri- Rail to relocate its Boca Raton
station to the Boca Technology property south of Yamato Road. The City preferred this
location versus the current Tri-Rail station north of Yamato Road as it ties into a larger
mixed use development and provides better access to FAU and adjacent developments.
Staff does not provide an annual report to the Tri-Rail staff, but rather meets several
times throughout the year and provides local input. Solely providing information will
not improve the feeder transportation services with Tri-Rail. Staff is actively working to
initiate multiple shuttles, both publicly operated and privately operated, that serve the
Tri-Rail station.
OBJECTIVE TRAN 4.2.0: The City of Boca Raton will coordinate with the State of
Florida Transportation Commission (FTC), the Florida Department of Transportation
(FDOT), and Florida Overland Express (FOX) to develop a High Speed Rail Station
system.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Issuance of permits within a reasonable time of request.
2. Cooperative arrangement in right-of-way acquisition
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Objective Achievement Analysis. Florida residents voted to remove the State’s
Constitutional Amendment requiring high speed rail. The City will work with all
applicable agencies if high speed rail is proposed again in the future.
An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
An assessment of the element’s objectives has been completed to identify whether their
achievement relates to the major issue and whether any unanticipated changes in
circumstances have resulted in problems or opportunities regarding the major issue.
Objective 1.1.0:The City shall provide for a safe, convenient and energy-efficient
multimodal transportation system.
Analysis: The City must continue to strive towards this objective to create an
innovative transportation system. Creating a multi-modal transportation district within
the City will create more opportunities to expand alternative transportation modes,
design developments to be transit-oriented and treat the pedestrian, cyclist and transit
user with the same accord as the motorist.
Objective 1.4.0: Integration of All Modes of Transportation. By 2015, the traffic
circulation system shall be an integrated network providing rail, transit, pedestrian
walkways and bikeways as alternative modes of travel.
Analysis: In addition to creating the network, all modes must operate at acceptable
levels of service. References to a specific date should be removed.
Objective 2.4.0: Ground access routes to the Airport will be properly integrated with
other modes of transportation.
Analysis: Determine the feasibility and need for an inter-modal station at the airport.
Objective 3.1.0: The City will keep Palm Tran apprised of demographic, economic and
engineering data necessary to effective transit planning.
Objective 3.2.0: Palm Tran routes in Boca Raton shall not be abolished as a result of
loss of right-of-way, unless alternative routes, acceptable to Palm Tran, the City and the
Metropolitan Planning Organization are available
Objective 3.3.0: The City of Boca Raton will cooperate with Palm Tran, in expanding
public transportation services to the elderly, handicapped individuals, low-income
persons and others classified as transportation disadvantaged.
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Objective 3.4.0: The City of Boca Raton, with the cooperation of Palm Beach County,
Palm Tran and local employers will strongly encourage the use of mass transit to
alleviate roadway congestion.
Objective 4.1.0: The City will keep the Tri- Rail apprised of demographic, economic
and engineering data necessary to effective rail transit planning
Analysis of Objectives 3.1.0 – 4.1.0: A collaborative effort with Palm Tran, Tri-Rail,
Broward County Transit and private providers is needed to provide a safe, efficient and
convenient transit system.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The Transportation Element creates the framework to manage the growth, expansion
and maintenance of the City’s transportation network. In general the City’s goals will
remain the same in the next amendment, to identify local transportation needs to
maintain adequate levels of service. However the City now recognizes that capacity is
also added to the transportation network through alternative modes of transportation,
which is not currently recognized in the traditional roadway level-of-service assessment.
The City is looking for alternative ways to achieve our goals through the use of TDM,
transit, bikeways, sidewalks, potential land use changes and ultimately a multi-modal
transportation district.
Preliminary recommendation of amendments to the City’s Transportation
Element’s Goals, Policies and Objectives:
1. The City will develop appropriate Goals, Policies and Objectives to support the
establishment and operation of a multi-modal transportation district. The City’s
transportation focus will become more holistic, raising the priority of the transit user,
cyclist and pedestrian.
2. The City will provide for consistency with the County’s Comprehensive plan as the
County has made amendments to their Comprehensive Plan that have not been
implemented by the City, such as Corridor Master Plans. Corridor Master Plans were
initiated to address corridors where the adopted level-of-service may not be
achieved in the 20 year plan.
3. Policies relating to the pedestrian, bicycle, greenway and trail facilities will be
transferred from the Recreation and Open Space Element and placed in Objective
Tran 1.4.0 Integration of All Modes of Transportation. All transferred policies
will be reviewed to ensure no duplications exist.
4. Recommend Objective 2.1.0 and 2.3.0 relating to Airport development be
transferred to Land Use Element. Objective 2.1.0 concerns compatible land use
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planning with the Airport. Objective 2.3.0 concerns coordination with other agencies
for airport development.
5. Recommend updating Objectives 3.1.0 and 3.2.0 as PalmTran has not requested
this land use and re-zoning information. The City will continuously work with
PalmTran to improve and expand the transit system in and around the City.
6. Recommend updating Goal 4.0.0 and related objectives and policies to change Tri-
County Commuter Rail to South Florida Regional Transportation Authority.
7. Delete Policy TRAN. 4.1.1, “The City shall assist the Tri-County Commuter Rail to
relocate its Boca Raton station to the proposed park and ride facility, located at I-95
just north of Clint Moore Road and just south of the C-15 Canal, if it becomes
necessary in the future. The City will, through negotiations with the FDOT and Tri-
Rail committee, help with this relocation.” The relocation of the Tri-Rail station has
been accomplished.
8. Evaluate deleting Objective TRAN 4.2.0 and related policies. “The City of Boca
Raton will coordinate with the State of Florida Transportation Commission (FTC), the
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), and Florida Overland Express (FOX)
to develop a High Speed Rail Station system.” The Florida voters eliminated the
option for a FOX high-speed rail during the last election.
9. Recommend adding the following new policy: “Encourage the development of higher
density, mixed use, transit and pedestrian oriented urban centers in designated
areas within the City as approved by the City Council.”
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Analysis of Housing Element
Element Overview
It is the goal of the City of Boca Raton to achieve balanced growth, while providing
concurrent infrastructure to support the anticipated housing requirements, to maintain
safe and sanitary conditions in the residential housing stock, and to maintain the
aesthetic character of the community as it currently exists.
Element Assessment
OBJECTIVE HO.1.1.0: To guide future development and the maintenance of the
existing housing stock toward adequate and affordable housing for the existing
population, anticipated population and households with special needs.
Monitoring Measure. The measurability was transferred to policies. The following are a
summary of the adopted monitoring measures for this objective:
1. Economic, demographic and statistical information provided within 15 days of
request by Economist Planner for Development Services Department (said
department hereinafter referred to as “DSD”).
2. DSD to prepare study regarding land rents, assessed values, housing costs and
the economic effect of public regulation of land uses on housing affordability.
Study to be done every 30 months for dissemination to public and elected
officials.
3. The City to consider taking a complete inventory of the existing, affordable
housing stock within the framework of HUD income guidelines. Inventory to be
updated annually.
4. The City to investigate a mechanism to tract all affordable housing units that are
constructed/demolished annually.
5. The City to consider adopting a procedure for determining whether or not a
proposed residential development or component thereof, is affordable.
6. The City will review ordinances, codes, regulations and the permitting process
and eliminate/amend same to increase private sector participation in meeting
affordable housing needs, while continuing to ensure the health, safety and
welfare of residents.
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7. The City to adopt a concurrency management fee structure to ensure that all
supporting infrastructure will be provided/budgeted for concurrent with the
impact of new residential development.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City of Boca Raton is unique in its ability to
coordinate planning and projects targeted at low income neighborhoods and citizens,
due to the way the Development Services Department has been organized. i.e., code
enforcement/licensing, planning/zoning, building, CDBG, SHIP and Housing Authority
functions have been housed in one administrative entity. The Housing Authority has
recently (2004) separated from the City to become an independent agency, but still
coordinates with the local government.
The position of the Economist Planner was eliminated with those duties assigned, as
needed, to other division staff members. Thus, while studies of land rents, assessed
values and housing costs were not completed every 30 months, American
METRO/STUDY Corp. prepared a study in October 2000 for the City of Boca Raton
entitled “Greater Boca Raton Area Housing and Employment Analysis” and a Brad-
Hunter Study addressing those issues was completed July 2004. The Boca Raton
Chamber of Commerce also produced a Workforce Housing Study (2004) that they
shared with the City.
The City tracked infill lots purchased with Federal Funds. However, all of those lots
have since been sold and the City has not purchased any additional lots.
The City maintains an inventory of locally owned public lands suitable for affordable
housing. The City also donates land to Habitat for Humanity to build homes. In
addition, the City expedites Rehab permits and waives fees as required under LHAP.
The City, however, did not during this planning period adopt an administrative
procedure for determining whether or not a proposed residential development, or
component thereof, is affordable.
Concurrency for the impact of new residential development (impact fees for roads,
schools, etc.) is handled primarily on the County level; however, the City does assess a
Land Dedication Fee that is a separate park impact fee for multi-family development
(rental, condo or townhouse of 2 units or more). The developer may either donate land
or pay the park impact fee. In 1995, the City passed Resolution No. 10-95, which
included, among many other items, a recommendation to waive the Land Dedication
fee for affordable housing.
OBJECTIVE HO.1.2.0: Substandard housing conditions in Boca Raton shall be
reduced on average 10% per year. This will be measured by the 2000 Census.
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Monitoring Measure. The measurability was the number of substandard housing units.
The following are a summary of the adopted monitoring measures for this objective:
1. City adopts definition of “substandard” currently used by the U.S. Department of
Census. City will continue to perform code enforcement in line with City Code.
2. DSD will continue to pursue housing inspection to identify deterioration of
housing stock as part of code enforcement.
3. Within the time allowed by law for the revision, DSD will continue to review the
housing-related provisions of the Code of Ordinances to provide optimal
protection and preservation of housing stock including affordable housing.
4. DSD will periodically review the City’s housing code with an emphasize on
enforcement.
5. The City shall develop mechanism to track annual reduction in substandard
housing units removed.
6. Housing inspection activities initiated in areas where older structures exist.
7. The City continue to seek federal and state funding for demo and rehab of
substandard housing by participation in the Community Development Block Grant
Program (“CDBG”).
8. The City will assist neighborhood upgrading projects through code enforcement
and technical expertise and report progress to City Manager.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Per the US Census:
In 1990 – 0.97% of occupied housing units lacked complete plumbing or kitchen
facilities and 0.58% of total housing units lacked complete plumbing or kitchen facilities.
In 2000 – 0.77% of occupied units lacked complete plumbing and kitchens and 0.49%
of total housing units lacked complete plumbing and kitchens.
Therefore there has been a 1.5% to 2.0% reduction in substandard housing per year.
While this is below the 10% per year goal, the smaller reduction is largely a function of
the newer overall housing stock that exists in the City. Including recently annexed
areas, about 75% of Boca Raton’s housing units were built since 1970 and, thus, most
are well maintained and in good condition. There are simply not that many substandard
units in the City.
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Because of the lack of substandard units, there are few demolitions related to
deteriorated or substandard structural conditions. In the few substandard structures
that exist, the property owner typically either rectifies the condition or initiates the
demolition themselves.
The City’s Code Enforcement Division has instituted a “Team Housing” program, which
consists of (1) Housing Code Officer and (1) Building Inspector. They systematically
conduct inspections of rental, multi-family residential units. The inspections result in an
inspection report that is provided to the property owner and followed-up on until
compliance is achieved. Additionally, there is a designated Housing Code Officer that
addresses any residential properties that are problematic from a Housing Code
perspective (typically older structures). The Code Enforcement Division has also
assisted with neighborhood clean-ups (both citizen and City initiated) in older areas of
the City.
The City continues to seek federal and state funding for demo and rehab and continues
to participate in the CDBG program. City staff conducts inspections on rehab.
OBJECTIVE HO.1.3.0: Provide increased housing opportunities for extremely low,
very low, low and moderate-income families and persons, and mobile homes.
Monitoring Measure. The following are a summary of the adopted monitoring measures
for this objective:
1. The City shall prepare a report assessing the appropriateness of mixed-use
development in the commercial districts adjacent/between Dixie and Federal
Highways and the need for mixed land use categories generally to further the
Housing Element Goals. Based on results of reports, City shall develop and
amend regulations to encourage the development of affordable housing units in
one or more of 9 categories.
2. The City will consider an ordinance for a density bonus program for affordable
housing.
3. Policy of the City of Boca Raton to oppose illegal and discriminatory housing
policies and practices and to maintain a record of the City’s involvement in such
cases.
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4. The City will continue to participate in the following programs to obtain funds:
Federal
State
Community Development Block Grant
Section 8 Rental Assistance
State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL)
Housing Finance Authority
Low Income Housing Tax Credit
State Housing Initiatives Program (SHIP)
5. The City shall encourage County to pursue a countywide housing assistance
program as evidenced by minutes of meetings and letters to files.
6. The City shall continue to support public and private sector efforts to provide
affordable housing and commitment to specific Housing Element Policies by
passage of an ordinance.
7. The City shall continue to support documentary surtax program.
8. The City shall consider amending its fee schedule to reduce development, impact
and permit fees for affordable housing and establish a low/moderate affordable
housing impact and/or linkage fee.
9. The City shall consider amending its land development regulations to include a
provision for affordable housing
10. The City shall develop a methodology to calculate the level of developer
contribution to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in lieu of providing affordable
housing on site.
11. Passage of resolution to provide technical assistance to non-profit entities and
coordinate/develop rental housing with emphasis on the elderly and
handicapped. Complete affordable housing needs assessment. Provide technical
assistance to non-profit and for profit developers interested in affordable
housing.
12. Mobile home development and incorporation of standards and criteria in land
development regulation by 8/1/99 including permitting mobile homes in all single
family zoning districts.
13. Request from Palm Beach County special designations for Pearl City, Delray
Manors and other qualifying subdivisions as areas eligible for bank and CRA
homebuyer programs.
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14. Permit construction on sub-standard lots of record and infill areas for affordable
housing.
15. Affordable housing should be available close to employment centers.
16. Boca Raton Housing Authority continual maintenance of federally subsidized
Dixie Manor and Boca Islands East Housing projects (146 units) for extremely
low and very low income households.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City continues to participate in the funding
programs indicated and has streamlined reviews for affordable housing and waives
permit fees for same. The City also established an Affordable Housing Trust Fund, an
Advisory Board for the Physically and Mentally Challenged and the Pearl City Blue
Ribbon Committee. Pearl City received a special designation from Palm Beach County as
an area eligible for bank and CRA homebuyer programs.
The City continues to maintain the federally subsidized Dixie Manor and Boca Islands
East Housing Projects that provide 146 units to extremely low and very low-income
households.
There have not been any cases involving illegal or discriminatory housing practices that
the City is aware of.
No mobile home regulations have been implemented and the City Code of Ordinances
has not been changed to address mobile homes. The only mobile home park within the
City limits was located along the North Federal Highway corridor. The mobile homes in
that park were old and in a dilapidated condition. The mobile home park was
purchased by a developer for redevelopment of the land with a townhouse community
and, as such, the mobile homes were demolished.
In December 1998, the City’s Housing Authority answered the need for affordable
retirement housing by opening Banyan Place, a unique and innovative senior
community consisting of 91 units in two buildings with affordable rental rates that
include two meals per day, scheduled transportation, 24-hours a day staff, and home
healthcare on an as-needed basis.
Federal Community Development Block Grants totaling $6.4 million are being used for
improvement of Pearl City (as part of the Pearl City Master Plan) and Lincoln Court.
The first phase is nearing completion in Pearl City including newly paved roads,
sidewalks, landscaping, new power lines and drainage systems. Pearl City has also been
designated as an historic district (see OBJECTIVE 1.6.0).
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The City completed an affordable housing needs assessment and presented it to the
Planning & Zoning Board in July 2000. There were no actions nor were any ordinances
adopted with regard to affordable housing.
However, subsequent to the completion of the needs assessment in 2000, the issue of
¨Workforce Housing” became one of countywide concern. Workforce housing is a
newer term that has been coined in response to households with incomes between
80% and 120-150% of median not being able to find housing they can afford in
proximity to their place of employment. For a family of 4, the income range would be
$50,250 to $75,362 - $94,212 and approximate purchase prices of $150,000, $240,000
and $310,000 respectively. Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners has
determined that Workforce/Affordable Housing is a high priority. As such, the County
has established an Attainable Housing Task Force that includes developers, builders,
realtors, lenders, local municipalities, school board representatives and related
professional and trade associations. County staff has been directed to look
comprehensively at the issue on a countywide basis (including areas within local
municipalities) and find out how county resources could be utilized to produce quality
workforce housing, throughout the county, as quickly as possible. Initiates being
considered by the Board of County Commissioners include:
• Realignment of existing County Housing Assistance programs
• Adoption of a definition for “workforce housing”
• County-Wide Community Land Trust
• Revisions to County Inclusionary Zoning/Density Programs
• Linkage Fee Program
• Housing Needs Study
• Identification of possible revenue sources
City staff has been participating in the Attainable Housing Task Force. Staff is currently
researching initiatives that will expand upon the existing housing programs. Initiatives
being considered include:
• Modifying current homebuyer program policy in light of escalating prices and flat
incomes;
• Working with the Chamber to identify the types of businesses being recruited
and the housing needs/gaps of the target employees;
• Partnering with the Chamber and the County to identify and implement regional
solutions;
• Based on those regional solutions, consider regulatory changes to encourage or
require workforce housing such as inclusionary zoning and density bonuses and
the related comprehensive plan changes, and
• Developing mobility initiatives to link jobs to housing.
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In November 2003, the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, in conjunction with
the City of Boca Raton and area property owners, conducted a charrette of the North
Federal Highway corridor in Boca Raton from Yamato Road to the Delray Beach city line
and including Dixie Highway and the neighborhoods adjacent thereto. One of the
stated goals of the residents / business owners that participated in the charrette, was a
diversity of housing types and affordability and particularly the preservation and
protection of the older, low-income New Pines Neighborhood. Only two new projects in
this corridor – both high-end townhouse communities – have been submitted for
approval since the charrette. However, the redevelopment of this corridor is still in the
very early stages and a true mixed used project at the old Levitz Plaza, is in the offing.
Staff is recommended that a density bonus program be established to allow developers
increases in residential density if they incorporate affordable/workforce housing into the
redevelopment projects within the North Federal Highway study area.
OBJECTIVE HO.1.4.0: Provide continued aesthetic improvement to residential
neighborhood.
Monitoring Measure. The following are a summary of the adopted monitoring measures
for this objective:
1. The City provides periodic bulk trash pickup.
2. The City continues to beautify medians.
3. The City continues to enforce Community Appearance Board standards and
requirements.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The following discussion analyzes the achievement of
each objective, including but not limited to, each of the individual monitoring measures:
The City provides periodic bulk trash pickup as well as accommodating special pickup
requests. As discussed previously, the City also initiates and participates in special
neighborhood cleanups. The City collects voluntary contributions from developers for
median beautification at the time that new commercial, industrial or residential projects
are approved by the City. Such funds are used to landscape and otherwise beautify the
City’s medians. Support is also given to local homeowner’s associations that desire
decorative entryways into their neighborhoods, by allowing the safe and controlled
placement of signs and landscaping in City rights-of-way. The City continues to support
and enforce the Community Appearance Board’s decisions.
OBJECTIVE HO.1.5.0: Group homes and foster care facilities. To provide adequate
sites, public services and facilities within the City to accommodate the need for
community residential homes, group homes and foster care facilities licensed or funded
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y HRS as specified by criteria in the City land development regulations and relevant
State statutes.
Monitoring Measure. The following are a summary of the adopted monitoring measures
for this objective:
1. The City shall continue to maintain non-discriminatory standards and criteria for
the location of group homes and foster care facilities (as defined in 9J-5.003,
Florida Administrative Code) in residential/residential character areas.
2. The City will review Code of Ordinances and consult with HRS to determine if any
provisions hinder Objective 1.5.0.
3. The DSD to initiate discussions with three state departments/divisions to
determine the need for and feasibility of providing City services to the
handicapped, with emphasis on housing and to report to City Manager.
4. Consistent with Florida Statute 419, enforce all regulations related to community
residential homes and location of same in residential/residential character areas.
5. Implementation of rebate of one-half of City tax millage paid on any single-family
residential lot and structure that is licensed by HRS as a therapeutic foster home,
and actually cares for child(ren) in that setting for at least four months in the tax
year.
6. The City will permit construction of publicly subsidized Adult Living Facilities
(ALF).
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City’s affordable senior community and the City’s
Advisory Board for the Physically and Mentally Challenged were already discussed under
OBJECTIVE HO.1.3.0.
In 1991, the City passed Ordinance No. 3917 that established regulations for
community residential homes including the City’s responsibility to respond to an
application for such a home within 60 days of submission. Community residential homes
are allowed in all multi-family zoning districts.
To answer the needs of the New Pines neighborhood (a 12-block residential area with a
diverse population of low-income families) for parental support and children’s activities,
the New Pines Foundation, Inc. was formed. The foundation was a collaborative effort
between various departments of the City, the residents, Florida Atlantic University, Boca
Raton Community Hospital and local businesses, among others. In October 1996, the
City executed a lease agreement with the New Pines Foundation, Inc, for a dollar per
year for the newly constructed New Pines Neighborhood Center located within the City’s
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Sand Pine Park. The center offers after school programs, mentoring, tutoring and
recreational activities. In 2004, the New Pines Foundation, Inc. merged with the Boys
and Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, Inc. and, as such, the City entered into a new
lease, also for one dollar per year, with that organization. The City assumes partial
maintenance and also operates a Community Policing Office in the center.
In conjunction with the Pearl City Master Plan, the City’s Recreation Services
Department surveyed the Pearl City Blue Ribbon Committee to solicit suggestions for
improving Hughes Park, Pearl City’s neighborhood park. In line with those suggestions,
the park was renovated to provide more green area and areas for families to gather.
Further, the park is the home of the 30-year old Florence Fuller Child Development
Center. The City leases the Center’s buildings to them for a dollar per year and recently
assisted the Center in the expansion of their facilities that also required the relocation of
their playground. The funds to accomplish all of the renovation, expansion and
relocation, came from the City’s General Funds. The Florence Fuller Child Development
Center provides subsidized, quality childcare and related activities for low-income
families.
OBJECTIVE HO.1.6.0: The City shall provide for the identification of historically
significant housing, the conservation and rehabilitation of sound housing and the
demolition of substandard or otherwise unsafe housing.
Monitoring Measure. The measurability was the transfer to policies. The following are a
summary of the adopted monitoring measures for this objective:
1. Preservation of historically significant housing consistent with Historic
Preservation Ordinance and adopted portions of the Historic Preservation
Element of the Comprehensive Plan as monitored by Code Enforcement and
DSD.
2. The City shall provide technical assistance for the rehabilitation of historically
significant housing including applying for/utilizing state and federal assistance
funds. Rehabilitation will be consistent with the Historic Preservation Ordinance.
3. Citywide code enforcement program with two housing code inspectors assigned
to determine need for conservation, rehab or demo of existing housing stock.
4. A system in place to track the number of historical properties to which assistance
is given.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The discussion of the demolition of substandard and
unsafe housing is included with the analysis of OBJECTIVE HO.1.2.0.
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The City’s Historic Preservation Board, a citizen advisory board, promotes the
educational, cultural, economic and general welfare of the City through the preservation
and protection of sites and districts of historic interest. The Board also strives to
preserve and protect significant architectural phases of the community. Five of the
members are at-large appointees of the City Council. The other two members consist of
one member of the American Institute of Architects; and the president of the Boca
Raton Historical Society or his/her designee. Additionally, a City Staff Planner serves as
liaison for the board. The board meets monthly with additional meetings on an “asneeded”
basis. The Board is charged with administering the provisions of Article VI
(Historic Preservation) of Chapter 28 (Zoning) of the City Code of Ordinances.
The City has two historically designated areas, Old Floresta and Pearl City. Old Floresta
contains 48 historically significant structures built between the 1920’s and the 1960’s,
with two homes also listed individually on the National Register. Pearl City contains 16
historically significant structures constructed during that same timeframe. The
revitalization of Pearl City was also discussed in detail under OBJECTIVE 1.3.0.
In addition to the structures contained within these two districts, the City has 23 other
identified historic sites and two more neighborhoods, Spanish Village and The Estates,
that are under consideration for future designation (162 and 48 structures,
respectively).
OBJECTIVE HO.1.7.0: Ensure that uniform and equitable treatment for persons and
housing displaced by local government programs will be provided, as warranted, by the
City (measurability transferred to policies).
Monitoring Measure. The following is the summary of the adopted monitoring measure
for this objective:
1. The City assures that relocation assistance is provided to individuals/families
displaced by public action in accordance with all laws. Relocation from Federally
funded housing programs to be pursuant to provisions 49 C.F.R. Part 24.
Objective Achievement Analysis. It is the City’s policy to avoid relocation if at all
possible. Any federally funded displacement would follow the Uniform Relocation
Assistance Act. The City follows all applicable State and Federal Statutes with regard to
the condemnation/purchase of property.
OBJECTIVE HO.1.8.0: Housing implementation programs shall be formulated to
ensure the economical and socially beneficial use of available funding for low and
moderate-income housing (measurability transferred to policies).
Monitoring Measure. The following is the summary of the adopted monitoring measure
for this objective:
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1. Housing implementation programs for available funding for low and moderate
income housing. Housing implementation programs formulated by formation of
committees consisting of private citizens, members of the Housing Authority, and
City staff. All plans reviewed by the Housing Authority.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City provides SHIP homebuyer assistance and
housing rehab. Prior to 2004, the programs were formulated by committees as per the
above-referenced policy; however, the Housing Authority has recently split from the
City and is now acting as an independent agency.
An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
OBJECTIVE HO.1.1.0: To guide future development and the maintenance of the
existing housing stock toward adequate and affordable housing for the existing
population, anticipated population and households with special needs.
OBJECTIVE HO.1.3.0: Provide increased housing opportunities for extremely low,
very low, low and moderate-income families and persons, and mobile homes.
Both of the above cited objectives have been identified as being related to the major
issue. With the establishment of a MMTD, special consideration should be given to
areas with concentrations of students, seniors, low-income families or others that are
more dependent on modes other than the automobile to provide a safe, accessible
environment. Furthermore, MMTD urban design considerations should include the
incorporation of multimodal transit stations in designated areas in the City. A study for
the Federal Transit Administration released in October of 2004, indicated that housing
demographics around the country are shifting to areas near transit. The study
predicted that by 2025 nearly 15 million U.S. households will want to rent or buy near
transit, double today's number. The City of Boca Raton should consider amendments to
the Housing Element to allow mixed use development, including a range of housing
options, in close proximity to potential multimodal transit stations.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Due to the world-class resort image enjoyed by the city, land has always been
expensive in Boca Raton. There has always been a substantial gap in pricing between
Boca Raton and neighboring Delray Beach and Deerfield Beach despite the short
distance between the cities. The high cost of land is driven by a demand that outstrips
supply and is the primary barrier to affordable housing development in Boca Raton.
This, in turn, results in high housing costs. As stated in a housing analysis report
prepared by American METRO/STUDY Corp. (referenced earlier), “...successful cities are
often victims of their own success.” Hundreds of new jobs are created in Boca Raton
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each year, but the City has very little new housing (let alone affordable) to offer these
workers. The report cites the key problem as lack of new housing. New home
construction, even in the higher price ranges, indirectly helps with the supply of
affordable housing by providing a move-up opportunity to people with the means to do
so.
The Florida Growth Management Law adopted in 1985 requires all cities to accept their
“fair share” of low-to-moderate-income housing based upon regional evaluations of
demand. Over the years, a few scattered properties around the city have been
evaluated as possible sites for such housing, but developers have encountered a strong
“NIMBY” (Not In My Back Yard) problem in Boca Raton.
Regulations that may also increase the cost of housing in the City include amenities and
infrastructure, such as sidewalks and landscaping that are required in keeping with the
quality of life and image that the City tries to maintain. A recent Chamber of Commerce
report (referenced earlier) lists the following barriers to affordable housing:
√ High land costs
√ High impact fees
√ High development and construction costs
√ Design and zoning regulation
√ Community opposition/NIMBYism
√ Limited government funding
√ Environmental challenges
The Palm Beach Post published a May 2005 analysis of home prices that showed that in
the greater Boca Raton area (including some areas west of the city line), median singlefamily
home prices increased 93.4% during the past decade to $430,000, and median
condominium prices increased 142.5% to $229,950. With the ability to obtain high end
product pricing / rapid sell-out, and with no incentives to build affordable housing,
developers in Boca Raton are not seeking to build affordable housing.
Rents are also climbing, as the demand for housing has caused developers to covert
well-located rental complexes to condominiums, thereby eliminating those units from
the rental pool. An example of this is the Boca East Apartments that are located near to
the downtown and are being converted to the luxury Eden Condominium. The Palm
Beach County 1 st Quarter Housing Report by Reinhold P. Wolff Economic Research, Inc.
shows that Actual Average Monthly Apartment Rents in the Boca Raton Area, February
2005, were approximately double the maximum affordable rent for extremely low, very
low and low income families as defined by HUD.
On the positive side, the City is conducting studies in an effort to define and address its
affordable housing issues. In addition, staff is considering modifications to the existing
housing programs, such initiatives include:
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• Modifying the current homebuyer program policy in light of escalating prices and
flat incomes;
• Working with the Chamber to identify the types of businesses being recruited
and the housing needs/gaps of the target employees;
• Partnering with the Chamber and the County to identify and implement regional
solutions;
• Based on those regional solutions, consider regulatory changes to encourage or
require workforce housing such as inclusionary zoning and density bonuses and
the related Comp Plan changes, and
• Developing mobility initiatives to link jobs to housing.
A new policy in the Housing Element is recommended that would require the City of
Boca Raton, in cooperation with other participating municipalities, to investigate the
merits of having additional regulatory mechanisms to encourage the construction of
very low, low and moderate income housing, with an emphasis on helping those whose
household incomes are between 80% and 120-150% of median and are not able to find
housing they can afford in proximity to their place of employment. The types of
regulatory items to be considered include but need not be limited to:
1. A mixed use future land use designation and zoning district;
2. Implementation of some type of inclusionary housing;
3. Program which could involve affordable housing set asides as part of
development review and approval;
4. Adoption of “linkage” programs whereby the approval of commercial or office
development is associated with the provision of affordable housing units; and
5. Promotion of transit oriented land use patterns.
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Analysis of Coastal Management Element
Element Overview
Pursuant to Rule 9J-5.012, F.A.C, the goal of the Coastal Management Element is to
restrict development activities that would damage or destroy resources and to protect
human life and limit public expenditures in areas subject to destruction by natural
disasters. This goal is implemented through adherence to the following objectives:
‣ The protection of coastal barriers and resources, wetlands, estuaries, living marine
resources, and wildlife habitats;
‣ The prioritization of shoreline uses;
‣ The limitation of public expenditures that subsidize development permitted in
coastal high-hazard areas, except for restoration or enhancement of natural
resources;
‣ Directing permanent population concentrations away from known or predicted
coastal high-hazard areas;
‣ Coordinating with Palm Beach County in maintaining a hurricane evacuation time of
fifteen (15) hours for a Category III storm;
‣ Directing development activities in a manner which minimizes the danger to life and
property occasioned by hurricane events;
‣ Coordinating with Palm Beach County on an annual basis in order to provide an
immediate response to post hurricane situations;
‣ Coordinating with the American Red Cross, Palm Beach County and all other
regional, State and Federal agencies on an annual basis, or as needed, to provide
for the update of the City's post-disaster redevelopment strategies;
‣ Protection of historic resources on City-owned property and maintaining land
development regulations shall assure that historic resources on private property
shall be protected, preserved, or reused in a manner sensitive to the historic
properties of the site and/or structure;
‣ Maintaining level of service standards, service areas and proposed phasing
stipulated in other elements of the Comprehensive Plan for facilities in the coastal
area;
‣ Maintaining an intergovernmental coordination mechanism in order to manage
coastal resources and assist in implementing appropriate portions of existing multijurisdictional
resource planning and management plans addressing the coastal area.
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OBJECTIVE CM 1.1.0: Protect, conserve, and enhance the natural resources of Boca
Raton by:
a. Preventing potentially adverse impacts of development and redevelopment on
coastal wetlands.
b. Managing the impacts of development on the Intracoastal Waterway, including
estuarine resources such as living marine organisms and mangroves together with
adjacent environmentally sensitive transition areas.
c. Regulating the impacts of development on wildlife habitats.
d. Maintaining public access to the Atlantic Ocean beaches and Intracoastal Waterway
shorelines in order to meet the estimated public demand, pursuant to the provisions
in Policy 2.5.4 of the Recreation and Open Space Element.
e. Establishing construction standards in the land development regulations which
minimize the impacts of manmade structures on beach or dune systems, and to
restore altered beaches or dunes.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Wetlands protection ordinance (initially due August 1, 1997)
2. Ordinance providing protection of Intracoastal Waterway
3. Updates to land development regulations (Estuarine shoreline State criteria, Tidal
Flushing and Circulation requirements, Submerged lands impact criteria, and Living
Marine Resources and Habitat Protection) (initially due August 1, 1997)
4. Updates to City’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan regarding public access to
beaches and shorelines.
5. Implement “Best Management Practices” Program & Street Cleaning Program to
address stormwater runoff into City’s waterways
6. Ongoing implementation of land development regulations regarding development
impacting beach and dune systems
Objective Achievement Analysis. In application, the City has met this objective. Although
specifically referenced ordinances and updates to land development regulations have not
been codified, the intent of the contemplated regulations has been met through the
enforcement of existing land development regulations; for instance, Section 27 of the City
Code prevents development in dune systems. The City has a “Coastal Management
Consistency Checklist” used when reviewing all proposed development in the Coastal area
that ensures development is consistent with every policy objective in the Coastal
Management Element. In addition, through continuous coordination efforts with State,
County and Federal agencies, and the enforcement of State, County and Federal agency
coastal resource protection regulations as part of the City’s development review process,
the City is consistent with this objective.
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OBJECTIVE CM 1.2.0: In developing land use policies for shoreline uses, those uses
receiving first priority for development consideration shall be directed toward:
a. Non-structural shoreline protection uses such as native shoreline revegetation and
beach renourishment programs which restore degraded natural systems and
provide recreational and storm protection benefits to the City; and
b. Approved water-dependent estuarine shoreline uses such as: pervious accessways,
small dock facilities and residential multi-slip dock facilities without commercial fuel
tanks or other commercial facilities. These facilities shall demonstrate during site
plan review compliance with the performance standards stipulated in Policy
1.2.1.(h) in order to prevent adverse impacts to natural features.
Second priority shall be directed toward water-related uses such as:
a. Parking facilities for shoreline access;
b. Residential structures which comply with the coastal construction code for
structures within the coastal building zone; and
c. Recreational facilities, which comply with applicable codes. Tertiary priority shall be
directed toward:
d. Commercial uses which comply with applicable codes.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Shoreline protection ordinance (initially due August 1, 1997).
2. Ongoing land development regulations that have criteria for regulating waterdependent
and water-related shoreline land uses.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Although a Shoreline Protection ordinance and
specifically referenced updates to land development regulations have not been codified,
ongoing enforcement of existing land development regulations and continuous
coordination efforts with State, County and Federal agencies and enforcement of those
agencies coastal resource protection regulations has ensured the implementation of a high
quality protection level of the City’s shorelines. The State and Palm Beach County already
have a Shoreline Protection Plan and the City ensures proposed development is consistent
with regulations in those Plans.
OBJECTIVE CM 1.3.0: The City shall continue to limit public expenditures that subsidize
development permitted in coastal high-hazard areas, as defined in Policy 1.4.1, except for
restoration or enhancement of natural resources.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Capital Improvements Element policies and programming.
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2. No new projects developed in this area during the planning period.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Capital improvements planning has ensured that there
have been no conflicts with this objective. No new projects that would qualify have been
developed during this planning period.
OBJECTIVE CM 1.4.0: The City shall continue to direct permanent population
concentrations away from known or predicted coastal high-hazard areas.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this objective:
1. Land Development regulations that restrict development.
Objective Achievement Analysis. This objective does not imply that permanent population
concentrations in the barrier island, coastal area, should be avoided. Rather, to be
consistent with this objective, based on Staff research of background data in the
Comprehensive Plan, new development in the coastal area has to adhere to the following
criteria: not negatively impact the fifteen (15) hour hurricane evacuation time; not be
located in a high velocity zone as noted on FEMA FIRM maps; not be located in the
Coastal Construction Control Line; not be located in a FEMA flood prone zone; and not
lower adopted level-of-service standards in the Comprehensive Plan. Since the last
planning period, no development has been approved in the coastal area that has conflicted
with this criteria.
OBJECTIVE CM 1.5.0: The City shall continue to coordinate with Palm Beach County in
maintaining a hurricane evacuation time of fifteen (15) hours for a Category III storm.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Results of evacuation times as measured by emergency evacuation studies.
2. Implementation of interlocal agreements, letters of understanding, etc. with Palm
Beach County Emergency Management.
3. Annual filing of Emergency Management Plan with the Development Services
Department and the City Manager’s Office.
4. Programmed and planned road construction.
5. Public education programs.
6. Continual coordination with the American Red Cross and updating of coordination
plans.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City has an Emergency Preparedness Plan
(Emergency Management Plan) that is updated annually and filed with the City Manager’s
Office. The City provides public education programs on hurricane evacuation and
continually coordinates with the American Red Cross on evacuation initiatives. The results
of evacuation times, as measured by emergency evacuation studies, are maintained by
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Palm Beach County. However, the City does comply with the most recent County
evacuation study, through anecdotal record. For example, in 2004, the City did
successfully evacuate the barrier island during Hurricane Frances and Jeanne within the
24-hour (approximate) time frame allowed by the County.
OBJECTIVE CM 1.6.0: The City shall carry out development activities in a manner which
minimizes the danger to life and property occasioned by hurricane events.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Enforcement of existing land development regulations.
2. Annual updates to the Emergency Preparedness Plan.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City has enforced its land development regulations
pertaining to coastal high hazard mitigation and has maintained an Emergency
Preparedness Plan that is updated annually.
OBJECTIVE CM 1.7.0: The City shall continue to coordinate with Palm Beach County on
an annual basis in order to provide an immediate response to post-hurricane situations.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Annual memo to the City Manager confirming continual coordination with other
government entities.
2. Annual revisions to the local Emergency Preparedness Plan.
3. Implementation of a Recovery Task Force team.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City provides copies to the City Manager’s Office
with any letters to various governmental entities involved in post disaster response
initiatives confirming the City’s coordination with those entities. This activity is performed
in lieu of an annual memo to the City Manager of post disaster response initiatives. The
City has an Emergency Management Core Group (now called a Recovery Task Force
Team) that implements post disaster initiatives. The Emergency Management Core Group
is comprised of department heads and supervisors.
OBJECTIVE CM 1.8.0: The City shall continue to coordinate with the American Red
Cross, Palm Beach County and all other regional, State and Federal agencies on an annual
basis, or as needed, to provide for the update of the City's post-disaster redevelopment
strategies.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
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1. Continual coordination with other government entities.
2. Revisions to local Emergency Preparedness Plan.
3. Implementation of activities as directed by the Recovery Task Force team.
4. Building plan review for redevelopment.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City continually coordinates with other government
entities regarding post-disaster redevelopment planning. The City provides annual
updates to its Emergency Preparedness Plan and implements activities as directed by its
Emergency Management Core Group. Since the last Comprehensive Plan update, coastal
natural disasters have provided minimal damage to the coastal area. Therefore, there
have been no building plans to review for redevelopment as a result of any coastal natural
disaster.
OBJECTIVE CM 1.9.0: The City shall assure that there shall be no loss of historic
resources on City-owned property and land development regulations shall assure that
historic resources on private property shall be protected, preserved, or reused in a manner
sensitive to the historic properties of the site and/or structure.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Continual coordination with other governmental entities.
2. Implementation of existing land development regulations.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City continues to coordinate with other government
entities regarding historical preservation. The City has consistently implemented and
enforced its land development regulations pertaining to historic preservation in the coastal
area.
OBJECTIVE CM 1.10.0: The level of service standards, service areas, and proposed
phasing stipulated in other elements of the Comprehensive Plan for facilities in the coastal
area shall be maintained. Facilities shall be available when the impact of development
occurs.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this objective:
1. Continual implementation of concurrency management system.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City adheres to and implements its Concurrency
Management System to ensure development in the coastal areas is not developed
prematurely and that services and infrastructure are in place prior to commencement of a
development.
OBJECTIVE CM 1.11.0: The City shall establish an intergovernmental coordination
mechanism in order to manage coastal resources within the jurisdiction of more than one
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local government or public agency and assist in implementing appropriate portions of
existing multi-jurisdictional resource planning and management plans addressing the
coastal area, including the estuary and other natural systems within the City. The
following policies shall be used to ensure that the City of Boca Raton's management
activities are consistent with those entities having jurisdiction over the coastal resources.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Continual coordination with other governmental entities and participation in forums
and technical review activities.
2. City manager report (initially due August 1, 1997)
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City continuously coordinates with other government
entities and participates in various forums and activities that provide necessary documents
pertaining to the coastal area. The City Manager’s Office is copied with all correspondence
and procedures relating to intergovernmental coordination in the coastal area rather than
through annual reports from various City departments.
An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
There are no objectives that are directly related to the major issue.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The City restricts development activities that would damage or destroy coastal resources.
The City has a consistency checklist that requires adherence to City Coastal Management
objectives whenever new development is proposed. The City also coordinates with other
governmental entities in the protection of coastal natural resources. The City upholds
Federal, State and County regulations pertaining to coastal resource protection and defers
enforcement actions to the appropriate governmental jurisdictions.
The City adheres to and implements its Concurrency Management System to ensure
development in the coastal areas is not developed prematurely and that services and
infrastructure are in place prior to commencement of a development. Since the last
planning period, no development has been approved in the coastal area that has produced
permanent population concentrations in the Coastal High Hazard Area.
The City protects human life and limits public expenditures in coastal areas that could be
subject to natural disasters though its Hurricane Preparation, Response, Evacuation and
Recovery initiatives. The City has an Emergency Preparedness Plan that is updated
annually. The City continually coordinates with other governmental entities; provides
public education programs; and works with other organizations such as the American Red
Cross to implement Hurricane Preparation, Response, Evacuation and Recovery initiatives.
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The City has an Emergency Management Core Group that implements post disaster
initiatives. The City provides copies to the City Manager’s Office with any letters to various
governmental entities involved in coastal area initiatives confirming the City’s coordination
with those entities.
With regard to the protection of private property rights in the Coastal High Hazard Area,
staff recommends components a. and d. be stricken from Policy C.M. 1.4.1 and replaced
with a new policy component. This policy change would allow redevelopment areas, predisaster
redevelopment and post-disaster redevelopment to occur at the density in place
as prescribed by the Comprehensive Plan. These densities have already been deemed
suitable for these areas. This new policy component shall read:
Policy CM 1.4.1: The City shall incorporate appropriate policies in the land development
regulations in order to direct permanent residential population concentrations away from
know or predicted coastal high-hazard areas… The following provisions shall be
incorporated into the revised land development regulations to restrict development within
the coastal high-hazard area:
a. Consistent with Coastal Management Policy 1.2.1, no new uses other than
stipulated water-dependent structures shall be allowed in the coastal high-hazard area and
the location of new habitable structures is expressly prohibited. Infill or redevelopment
densities and intensities in coastal high hazard areas shall be consistent with existing
adjacent development but at densities and intensities no greater than the adopted future
land use designations. Similarly, sewage Sewage treatment plants, industrial holding
ponds and other potentially polluting facilities within the coastal high-hazard area are
prohibited. [9J-5.012(3)(c)7,9]
b. Require any permitted construction within the FEMA V Zones to meet storm and
floodproofing standards required for a 100-year storm.
c. In the event of structural damage in excess of 50% of value of a structure, said
structure may be rebuilt to current construction requirements.
d. All new development and redevelopment in the coastal building zone shall comply
with the requirements of Chapter 161 F.S., and the Coastal Construction Code of the City
of Boca Raton. [9J-5.012(3)(c)(7); SRPP 5.1.1.1., 5.2.1.8, 5.4.1.7, 7.3.1.1.; SCP 9(b)3)
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Analysis of Conservation Element
Element Overview
The City of Boca Raton provides a viable quality of life for the residents through the
protection and conservation of its resources. Boca Raton’s extensive natural habitats,
ecological systems, wildlife habitats and numerous preserves are an essential part of
the City’s valued assets.
Essentially, the Conservation Element addresses the supply and demand for resources
in the City of Boca Raton. The Element consists of three goals:
‣ To conserve, protect, and appropriately use and/or acquire unique natural
habitats and ecological systems.
‣ To restore degraded natural systems to a functional condition.
‣ To conserve, appropriately use and protect fisheries, wildlife, wildlife habitat, and
marine habitat.
Element Assessment
OBJECTIVE CONS.1.1.0: Privately Owned Property. The City will continue to protect,
preserve or acquire and manage a minimum of 25% of the significant upland habitats
within the City.
Monitoring Measure. A bond in 1991 was used to purchase a majority of the available
parcels that were designated as environmentally sensitive lands. See attached an
updated list of the Boca Raton public preserves. The following are the adopted
monitoring measures for this objective:
1. The Environmental Advisory Board (EAB) is continuously developing a preserve
management plan for each private preserve as part of the project approval
process.
2. Environmentally sensitive areas of five acres or more within the City are
identified on maps.
3. The City has established guidelines for the development of a greenway system
that connects natural areas with wildlife corridors within and beyond the City
limits.
4. The City has established a maintenance and tree caliper loss fund.
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Objective Achievement Analysis. The City of Boca Raton shall continue to conserve,
protect, appropriately use and acquire environmentally sensitive lands for the
preservation of ecological systems and wildlife habitats, and the enjoyment and
education of its residents.
OBJECTIVE CONS.1.2.0: Publicly-owned Property. Protect, preserve, and manage
those Natural Areas within the City.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Continued membership in working groups.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The following discussion analyzes the achievement of
each of the individual monitoring measures:
Current analysis indicates that the City has entered into agreements with the County to
manage two environmentally sensitive lands (Pond Hawk and Yamato Scrub), totaling
295.04 acres. The City is also manages the preserve area at Sugar Sand Park, which is
owned by the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District.
In 1996 a Quit Claim was issued by the State, giving a former I-95 DOT site to the City
for public use. Future plans call for a park to be built on this site.
In addition, the City of Boca Raton citizens approved a $12 million dollar bond
referendum to establish an Environmentally Sensitive Lands Acquisition Fund in October
of 1991. Subsequently, five properties were purchased: Serenoa Glade Preserve,
Rosemary Ridge Preserve, Gopher Tortoise Preserve, Cypress Knee Preserve, and
Blazing Star Preserve. Ecological management of these sites has been the responsibility
of the Recreation Services Department since 1998. Management plans are in place for
each site and ongoing management activity is budgeted through the Conservation
Section, Parks Division.
OBJECTIVE CONS.1.3.0: Protect trees and native vegetative cover within the City.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. The City shall continue to review its Tree Preservation Ordinance, to ensure that
it provides for the control and eventual elimination of exotic and invasive
vegetation.
2. The City shall continue to review and amend the existing Tree Preservation
Ordinance to address tree removal, tree replacement, and other vegetation
protection.
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Objective Achievement Analysis. As the City continuously develops, modifying its
ordinances to provide extensive protection of vegetation, addressing tree removal and
tree replacement becomes essential to remaining effective.
OBJECTIVE CONS.1.4.0: Protect species which are listed as Endangered,
Threatened, or Species of Special Concern by the Florida Game & Fresh Water Fish
Commission, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, The Florida Department of Agriculture,
and FCREPA. Protect rare, unique, or significant natural habitats within the City.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Recreation Services continues to conduct a detailed inventory, with population
estimates where possible, of Endangered and Threatened species with the
Natural Areas.
2. City shall require only native dune vegetation to be used in the landscaping of
barrier island dunes.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Pursuant to Ordinance 4680, an updated list of
species of special local concern has been updated, and the Recreation Services
Department maintains the inventory.
OBJECTIVE CONS.1.5.0: Prevent further loss of wetlands within the City.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. City will adopt an ordinance to prohibit the alteration, degradation, or destruction
of all wetlands and deepwater habitats without mitigation to prevent a net loss.
2. Revise the land development regulations to require protection of wetlands and
mitigation techniques.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City of Boca Raton understands the impact of
development on the wetlands and deepwater habitats, therefore, it is establishing
ordinances and regulations to prohibit any destruction and protect the existing
wetlands.
OBJECTIVE CONS 1.6.0: Protect Living Marine Resources and Habitats. The City of
Boca Raton shall continue to work with Federal, State, County and local agencies to
ensure the protection of these resources.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
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1. City shall continue to restrict “development orders” that result in a net loss of
marine resources and habitats without mitigation.
2. Provide support and funding for the sea turtle program.
3. Policies have been established to continue to protect living marine resources and
habitats.
Objective Achievement Analysis. City staff continues to coordinate with other agencies
for protection of its resources.
OBJECTIVE CONS.2.1.0: Prevent further degradation and improve the quality of
water sources and waters that flow into surface water resources.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Continue to participate with Palm Beach County for the protection and
enhancement of source surface and groundwater resources.
2. Require new developments or redevelopments to provide drainage systems
consistent with the water quality level of services set forth in the Drainage
Subelement Policy 5.1.1.
Objective Achievement Analysis. City pursues interlocal agreements with appropriate
agencies to ensure correction of localized stormwater drainage system deficiencies.
The City has adopted ordinances to regulate marina and boating activities to protect
and conserve water quality and marine habitats.
OBJECTIVE CONS.2.2.0: Protect the groundwater recharge areas from pollution.
Monitoring Measure. Policies have been established in the Aquifer recharge Subelement
to protect groundwater recharge areas.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City has implemented programs to slow the
depletion of and increase the recharge of the local groundwater resources.
‣ Since June 1987, the City has operated a pump which diverts as much as 44
mgd of surface water from the Hillsboro Canal into the E-2-E (Turnpike)
Canal (SFWMD WUP No. 50-01568 – W). This recharges the groundwaters of
the E-3 sub-basin.
‣ The City’s reclaimed water program, Project IRIS (In–city Reclamation
Irrigation System), replaces as much as six (6) mgd of raw and treated
freshwater which would be withdrawn and used for irrigation. Most of this
reclaimed water is applied as irrigation and returns to the shallow aquifer.
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OBJECTIVE CONS.2.3.0: Provide adequate potable water quality and quantity for the
City’s present and projected needs.
Monitoring Measure. Policies have been established in the Potable Water Subelement
to provide adequate potable water quality and quantity, and to protect existing wellfield
sites.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The Glades Road lime softening water plant was
constructed in 1973. Like most southeastern Florida water treatment plants,
groundwater was treated and disinfected with chlorine. In the early 1980’s, research
found that chlorine could react with naturally occurring organic matter in certain raw
waters to create unhealthy by products (DBPs), including Trihalomethanes (TTHMs).
In 1983, the City of Boca Raton switched from chlorine to chloramines for disinfection
to reduce THM levels. Unfortunately, that allowed more of the natural color in our
water to pass through the treatment process, creating noticeable levels of color in our
drinking water. It also produced TTHMs in the upper range of allowable concentrations
and the City was aware that USEPA planned to lower the acceptable levels of THMs.
In 1992, the City Council approved exploring other treatment methods. After many
years of studies and pilot testing, a membrane softening plant (MSP) was designed and
construction began in 2001. The initial phase of this plant, the largest of its kind in the
world, was put into service in August 2004. Since that time, the City has seen a
significant reduction of both color and THMs. This water is blended with the limesoftened
water to produce a safe, aesthetically pleasing product.
The City Utility Services laboratory staff routinely monitors water quality from all active
municipal wells, plus a number of monitoring wells. Staff conducts semi annual
standard raw water analyses for compliance purposes. Staff also continues to conduct
supplemental annual wellfield analyses for primary organic contaminants, though this is
no longer required by any regulatory agency.
.
The City works vigorously to install sanitary sewers in areas currently served by
individual septic tanks. The Spanish Village project was completed in 2004. Funds are
identified in the CIP for special assessment projects in Hidden Valley, Boca Raton Hills,
and Area II (commercial area north of Glades Rd). This reduces the possibility of
groundwater contamination due to leaking septic tanks. The City coordinates with FDOH
to require property owners to properly abandon any septic tanks.
OBJECTIVE CONS.2.4.0: Continue to conserve potable water resources.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
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1. Continue to cooperate with SFWM to conserve potable water resources through
programs.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Beginning with public workshops in the summer of
2001 and culminating with the publication of the Water Conservation Initiative (WIC)
Report, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) coordinated a
statewide effort to “identify cost-effective, practical measures to use water more
efficiently”. The report contains over 50 “priority recommendations” addressing issues
including:
• Agricultural irrigation
• Water pricing
• Reuse of reclaimed water
• Landscape irrigation
• Indoor water use
• Industrial/commercial/institutional uses
• Research
• Education and outreach
The City of Boca Raton’s Utility Services staff participated in this effort. Staff
continues to participate in ongoing projects, including an effort to identify
performance measures for water conservation programs. As directed by several
policies adopted in the 1989 Comprehensive Plan and 1996 EAR, the City continues
to implement a number of programs directed towards water efficiency, including:
• The City’s reclaimed water program, Project IRIS (In-city Reclamation
Irrigation System) has been funded since 1990 for an estimated total cost of
about $20 million. There are currently almost 900 customers, including the
Boca Raton Community Hospital, Florida Atlantic University, the Boca Raton
Resort and Club, two golf courses, 46 multi-family residences, 83 businesses,
many acres of City parks and median strips, and over 700 single family
homes. Average daily demand is 5.6 mgd with a maximum day demand of
6.8 mgd. Without Project IRIS, this irrigation water would have been potable
water, or untreated surface or ground waters – all part of our local freshwater
resources. Project IRIS funding is included in the next five (5)-year planned
CIP expenditures. Currently under design is a project to extend reclaimed
water lines to the former T-Rex property, the site of the City’s future
Western/Spanish River library.
• The City continues to use a tiered water rate structure that encourages water
conservation.
• The City continues to enforce the provisions of City Code of Ordinances,
Section 17-57, adopted in 1990, which generally limits irrigation to a
maximum of three (3) times a week during non-daylight hours.
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• The City continues to vigorously enforce the provisions of the SFWMD water
shortage plan when a water shortage is declared.
• The City continues to require rain sensors be installed on new irrigation
systems.
• A number of programs contribute to a low “Unaccounted for Water”
percentage for our system. The difference between what is pumped from the
plant and what is metered is 6.9%, below the industry goal of 10 %. This
means that the City of Boca Raton has a “tight” system, with very little
leakage or “lost” water.
OBJECTIVE CONS 3.1.0: Prevent deterioration of Natural Areas due to soil erosion.
Monitoring Measure. The City shall continue to support and obtain funding for such
programs as beach renourishment.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City Staff continues to provide inspections and
replanting on an as needed basis.
OBJECTIVE CONS.3.2.0: Control beach erosion through Best Management Practices
or other appropriate practices.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Continue to support and obtain funding for a beach re-nourishment program.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City offers a beach renourishment program
through Municipal Services. For beach renourishment purposes, the beach area in Boca
Raton is divided into three areas, the north, central and inlet/south areas. The
Municipal Services Department conducts annual monitoring of the entire beach area
and submits their report to the state. The north and central beach areas undergo
beach renourishment every eight (8) years, while beach renourishment is conducted
every five (5) for the inlet/south beach area.
OBJECTIVE CONS.4.1.0: Monitor the use and storage of hazardous material within
the City.
Monitoring Measure. Continued inspection of facilities.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Facilities that operate with the use of listed hazardous
materials are required to report through the Federal material reporting system. The
City’s Fire Services Department is responsible for the ongoing inspections of those
facilities
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The City continues to provide adequate funding to the Hazardous Material Team. There
are two Hazardous Materials teams in the County, one north Team and one south
Team. The Solid Waste Authority provides the majority of the funding with the local
governments contribution consisting of equipment and personnel
OBJECTIVE CONS.4.2.0: Continue to assist Florida Department of Environmental
Protection (FDEP) and Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Regulation
(DERM) in the regulation of underground storage tanks.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Compliance with FDEP and DERM regulations.
2. Continue to review site development plans of underground storage tanks for
compliance.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City continues to cooperate and assist the County
Department of Environmental Regulation, which is the regulating authority on all new or
existing tanks in the City of Boca Raton.
OBJECTIVE CONS.4.3.0: Continue to prevent hazardous substances from being
improperly disposed of within the City.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
The City shall adopt a policy for the City’s Environmental Officers to respond to
hazardous materials incidents with the Fire/Rescue Services Department Hazardous
Materials Team to evaluate and document any environmental impacts.
All City employees shall be instructed to be on the alert for illegal trash dumping, and to
report such incidents to the City Manager or his/her designee.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City’s Code Enforcement Division is responsible
for reporting and siting any illegal dumping of hazardous materials. There has not been
a policy created to train Environmental Officers in this area.
OBJECTIVE CONS.5.1.0: Continue to comply with State and Federal standards for air
quality.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
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1. The City shall continue to support the Air Pollution guidelines of the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection and the Palm Beach County Health
Department pertinent to the permitting of new stationary sources, and the
effective controls for mobile sources within the City.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City continues to support the guidelines
established by the Department of Environmental Protection and the local Health
Department.
OBJECTIVE CONS.5.2.0: Continue to prevent any new point source emissions within
the City.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. The City shall continue to require all new or modified businesses operating with
the City to provide a complete list of volatile organic compounds, hazardous or
toxic solvents, acids, or bases, or potentially hazardous toxic substances
expected to be on their premises to the City of Boca Raton Fire Services
Department.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The hazardous materials listing and reporting has
continued to be required by all businesses operating with regulated substances.
Monitoring is successfully handled by the Fire Services Department.
OBJECTIVE CONS.5.3.0: Monitor and control mobile source emissions within the
City.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. The City's Downtown Redevelopment Plan will continue to emphasize pedestrian
traffic as a principal source of mobility within the Downtown, so as to reduce the
mobile source pollution from vehicle traffic.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Since the 1996 EAR, the downtown has seen
tremendous growth. All of the projects in the downtown are required to comply with
the Transportation Demand Management Program that requires existing and new
development to comply with the following:
Existing development in the downtown is required to:
‣ Provide facilities for the posting of TDM program information, which is readily
visible to employees;
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‣ Provide on-site availability of public transit tickets for one or more of the existing
public transit provides;
‣ Ensure the availability of meaningful incentives to the employees who make work
trips by modes of transportation other than the automobile;
‣ Provide a TDM plan to the City describing in detail the TDM program which has
been implemented; and
‣ Designate an individual to act as the TDM program coordinator to act as the
contact person with the City and to monitor all TDM program activities for the
site.
New development is required to do all of the above, in addition to:
‣ Design driveways and parking areas to accommodate the use of vans and shuttle
buses;
‣ Provide a bus shelter or transit/bus pickup facility if the development has
frontage on any transit route unless a suitable facility is already available;
‣ Reserve priority employee parking spaces for qualifying multiple occupant
vehicles; Provide facilities for the posting of TDM program information that is
readily visible to employees; and
‣ Provide sheltered, secure facilities for storage of bicycles.
Design guidelines in the downtown further support the pedestrian and transit user by
requiring pedestrian arcades, wide sidewalks and ground level retail.
An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
As the major issue for the City emphasizes the pedestrian and transit user, Objective
CONS.5.3.0 will further be met by a reduction in automobile emissions on a Citywide
basis.
Conclusions and Recommendations
All of the remaining objectives have continued to be met. Therefore, there are no
recommended changes.
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Analysis of Recreation and Open Space
Element
Element Overview
The City of Boca Raton enjoys a level of parks development and recreational amenities
not typical of many communities in South Florida. Boca Raton’s extensive natural beach
parks and numerous well-designed district, community and neighborhood parks are the
City’s most valued assets.
The City’s Recreation and Open Space Element is a long-range planning tool used to
guide future decision-making with regard to parks planning and development.
Essentially, the Recreation and Open Space Element addresses the supply and demand
for recreation in the City of Boca Raton. The Element consists of three goals:
‣ To provide a well-rounded, functional, and aesthetic park and recreation system
to satisfy the health, safety, and welfare needs of citizens and visitors of the city.
‣ To increase the efficiency of use and reduce the overall cost of development of
recreation facilities.
‣ To provide a functional and aesthetic open space system to satisfy the health,
safety, and welfare needs of the community.
Element Assessment
OBJECTIVE REC 1.1.0: Level of Service (LOS) standards referring to park acreages
in the Recreation Element shall be met by 2000 and maintained through the year 2010.
1995 2000 2010
District Parks 2.12 ac/1000 2.12 ac/1000 2.12 ac/1000
Community Parks 1.35 ac/1000 1.94 ac/1000 2.40 ac/1000
Neighborhood 1.04 ac/1000 1.14 ac/1000 1.34 ac/1000
Parks
Nature Parks 3.11 ac/1000 3.19 ac/1000 3.37 ac/1000
These park acreages will be provided for the provision of recreational uses and
amenities identified in the Data and Analysis section of this element. Private and public
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ecreational acreages will be reviewed annually to ensure coordination to meet City LOS
park standards.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Acreage per capita, as determined by annual infrastructure reports.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Current analysis indicates that we have met the level
of service requirement in 2000 and have exceeded the requirement in 2005.
Furthermore, the LOS will be maintained through 2010.
District Parks
Community Parks
Neighborhood Parks
Nature Parks
2005
2.16 ac/1000
1.95 ac/1000
1.18 ac/1000
3.12 ac/1000
OBJECTIVE REC 1.2.0: To maximize the enjoyment, functionality, and future use
levels of neighborhood and community parks through improved design, renovation,
accessibility, placement of facilities, maintenance, and activity programming.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Review each park, yearly, as part of the Capital Improvement Program and
Strategic Plan process. The estimated costs of the identified improvements that
will require redesign, renovation, or correction will be included in the Recreation
Services capital improvements budget and incorporated into the Capital
Improvements Element (CIE) for implementation.
2. Parks and Recreation Board; holding of public hearings according to schedules;
filing of transcripts.
3. Holding of public hearings; filing of transcripts.
4. Establishment of new parks and recreation facilities. Upgrading existing facilities.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The Parks and Recreation Board, Greater Boca Raton
Beach and Park District Commissioners and Recreation Services staff conducts a
thorough review of the parks each year and renovations, improved designs, and
programming are addressed in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and Strategic Plans.
OBJECTIVE REC 1.3.0: In conjunction with the review of the Comprehensive Plan
and the Strategic Plan, the Recreation Services Department shall continue to evaluate
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the overall park system to ensure that a well-rounded operations and delivery system,
with a broad range of experiences, is available to all Boca Raton residents.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Public input at Parks and Recreation Board, Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park
District (BPD), and City Council meetings; filing of transcripts.
2. Filing of survey results.
3. Filing of the appropriate reports and initiation of programs.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Public hearings are held by the Parks and Recreation
Board and the BPD Commissioners. Public input surveys are conducted as part of the
park planning process. Surveys were conducted most recently with the planning for
Hillsboro El Rio Park, the carousel at Sugar Sand Park, and the Dog Park. Hughes Park
was rededicated on February 24, 2005. The community’s Blue Ribbon Committee and
the City worked together to redesign this park to meet the needs of the community.
OBJECTIVE REC 1.4.0: Assure public access to and within recreation sites, including
beaches and shores including freshwater, through the provisions of parking, boat
ramps, multi-use trails, and handicap accommodations.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Adherence to handicapped design standards for all new park planning.
2. Development of multi-use trails in conjunction with the Municipal Services
Department.
3. Site plan design.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Staff works with Municipal Services on the pedestrian
linkages, as this responsibility has been moved to that department. Adherence to
handicap design is given our utmost attention throughout the year (i.e., access ramp to
South Beach near the pavilion).
OBJECTIVE REC 1.5.0: Integrate pedestrian walkways and bikeways, greenways and
trails, within the traffic circulation and open space linkage system, as an alternative to
automotive transportation and to optimize the comfort and safety of pedestrians and
bicyclists.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
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1. Development of stated system.
2. Adherence to Florida Department of Transportation design standards and
American with Disabilities Act standards for all new or modified roadway
projects.
3. System development in State and County roadway projects.
4. Generation of interlocal agreements, grants or letters of understanding
5. Amendment of code of ordinances. Site plan approval process.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City of Boca Raton developed an updated bicycle,
pedestrian, greenways and trails master plan that developed a fine grained network of
pedestrian walkways and bikeways between residential areas, schools, employment
areas, retail centers, recreational areas, natural areas and other public facilities utilizing
roadway, utility, canal and railroad corridors on October 29, 1996.
The City continues to coordinate with other City departments to incorporate bicycle and
pedestrian facilities on all local, collector, and arterial roads under the City’s jurisdiction
where right-of-way is available emphasizing sidewalks, wide curb lanes, bike lanes, and
/or paved shoulders as the desired facility type. The Municipal Services Department is
responsible for coordinating and implementing the planning, design, and construction of
both off-road and on-road bicycle and pedestrian systems. In addition, the Municipal
Services Department is responsible for the maintenance of the on-road system and
Recreation Services Department is responsible for the maintenance of the off-road
system. The bicycle and pedestrian system continues to be coordinated and
incorporated with other public street improvement projects, including: road widening,
bridge construction, street tree planting, resurfacing projects, etc. where right-of-way is
not a constraint. The City continues to cooperate with adjacent communities and Palm
Beach County to establish and equitably finance an interconnected bicycle, pedestrian,
greenways and trails network system.
All new mixed-use commercial and residential development or redevelopment,
residential, multi-use family and non-residential proposals provide safe and convenient
bicycle and pedestrian facilities as a means of travel within and between adjacent uses
and provide adequate bicycle parking facilities in accordance with City Code Section 28-
1653.
The City provides an alternative to automotive transportation that optimizes the comfort
and safety of bicyclists by implementing bicycle transportation in the work place by
requiring certain new non-residential developments through Developments of Regional
Impact to provide shower and locker requirements for projects that are more than
12,500 square feet. In addition, the City does require all new non-residential
developments and additions to non-residential developments, based on square footage
calculations, to include bicycle amenities (example; secure bike lockers, well placed bike
racks, shower and locker facilities).
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OBJECTIVE REC 2.1.0: Continue to make use of City-owned land, where possible
without degradation of natural and physical resources, as recreation space.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Park acreage inventory.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The Parks and Recreation Board established a list of
City-owned property that could be used as pocket parks. Seven completed pocket
parks have recently been added to the parks inventory list.
OBJECTIVE REC 2.2.0: Coordinate with other public, semi-public, and private
resources to meet area-wide recreation demands.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Adoption of Interlocal Agreements
2. Joint meetings between the Parks and Recreation Board and the BPD
Commissioners, filing of agendas.
3. Completion of study by the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City continues to coordinate with other public,
semi-public, and private resources to meet area-wide recreation demands. One
example of this are the interlocal agreements established between the School Board,
BPD, and the City to maintain school athletic fields.
OBJECTIVE REC 2.3.0: Assure that new private development fully mitigates the
impacts on, and demand for, parks and recreation facilities.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. City land development regulations.
2. Receipt of land dedication.
3. Completion of appropriate studies, interlocal agreements, letters of
understanding, etc.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Land dedication fees are required for all residential
projects and they are collected throughout the year. Minutes of Parks and Recreation
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Board meetings maintain the review of private development and the corresponding fees
that are collected.
OBJECTIVE REC 2.4.0: Continue to update and expand City recreation user fees to
equitably distribute the costs of facilities and programs among the users to better
reflect the cost of the service.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Amendment of user fee resolution as necessary.
2. Fee resolution must be compatible with this objective.
Objective Achievement Analysis. User fees are reviewed yearly.
OBJECTIVE REC 2.5.0: Continue to acquire and manage park sites to achieve
adopted LOS standards and maintain or improve those standards thereafter, consistent
with Objective 1.1.0 of this element.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. The recreation suitability/capability of the site to meet the recreation needs of
the service area (Planning Area, Community, District).
2. Financing and acquisition feasibility.
3. Environmental significance of the site, including vegetation, soils, wildlife, water
conservation, etc.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Land has been acquired using the above as a
guideline (i.e. Countess de Hoernle Park, Library property, and Hillsboro plat).
OBJECTIVE REC 2.6.0: Effectively preserve the sensitive environmental areas within
the City’s parkland and consistency to the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council’s
Strategic Regional Policy Plan.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Platting of environmentally sensitive/preservation areas.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Preserve areas are required to be platted for park
master plans and for areas dedicated for preservation within residential Planned Unit
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Developments. An example of this is the Boardwalk at South Beach Pavilion approved
by DEP.
OBJECTIVE REC 2.7.0: Continue to assure availability of culture-oriented activities as
an integral element of the City’s recreation program.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Budgeted funding for programs and hours of services provided by City staff.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Programs are listed in the City’s budget and the
Recreation Services Department’s magazine called the RECREATOR, including programs
at the Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park.
OBJECTIVE REC 3.1.0: Designate, acquire, or otherwise preserve a system of open
space that:
1. Provides visual relief from urban development.
2. Preserves the natural physical features of the community (dunes, coastal ridge,
etc.)
3. Provides attractive gateways at entry points to the City of Boca Raton Preserves
unique, or rare environmental conditions (rare vegetation or animal habitats).
4. Preserves environmental features that are important to the health, safety, and
welfare of the community (flood areas, coastal dune, aquifer recharge, etc.).
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Continue the identification and legal protection of environmentally sensitive
areas.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Interlocal agreements are in place for Pond Hawk
Preserve and Yamato Scrub Preserve, representing 295 acres.
An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
There are no objectives that are directly related to the major issue.
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Conclusions and Recommendations
1. Objective REC 1.5.0, which refers to the integration of pedestrian walkways,
bikeways, greenways and trails into a traffic circulation and open space linkage
system as a means of creating an alternative to automotive transportation is no
longer under the authority of the Parks and Recreation Department. The
transportation planning staff within the Municipal Services Department have
been delegated the responsibility. As such, this objective should be transferred
to the Transportation Element with the following amendments.
2. Move OBJECTIVE REC.1.5.0 to incorporate with Objective Tran 1.4.0: Revised
Tran 1.4.0 would read: Integration of All Modes of Transportation. Integrate
pedestrian walkways and bikeways, greenways and trails, within the traffic
circulation and open space linkage system, as an alternative to automotive
transportation and to optimize the comfort and safety of pedestrians and
bicyclists. By 2015, the traffic circulation system shall be an integrated network
providing rail, transit, pedestrian walkways and bikeway as alternative modes of
travel.
3. Move and amend Policy REC.1.5.1 to new TRAN 1.4.12: Develop an updated
bicycle, pedestrian, greenways & trails master plan which will develop a fine
grained network of pedestrian walkways and bikeways between residential areas,
schools, employment areas, retail centers, recreational areas, natural areas and
other public facilities utilizing roadway, utility, canal and railroad corridors to
include the annexed areas.
4. Move Policy REC.1.5.2 to replace TRAN 1.4.1: Coordinate with other City
departments to incorporate bicycle and pedestrian facilities on all local, collector,
and arterial roads under the City’s jurisdiction where right-of-way is available
emphasizing sidewalks, wide curb lanes, bike lanes, and /or paved shoulders as
the desired facility type. (SRPP, Regional Transportation 7.1.2.2)
5. Move and amend Policy REC.1.5.3 to new TRAN 1.4.13: The Recreation
Municipal Services Department will be responsible for the coordination of
planning, design, and construction of both off-road and on-road bicycle and
pedestrian systems. The Utility Municipal Services Department shall be
responsible for implementing the planning, design and construction of both offroad
and on-road bicycle and pedestrian systems. The Municipal Services
Department will be responsible for the maintenance of the on-road system and
Recreation Services Department shall be responsible for the maintenance of the
off-road system.
6. Move Policy REC.1.5.4 to new TRAN 1.4.14: The bicycle and pedestrian system
shall continue to be coordinated and incorporated with other public street
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improvement projects, including: road widening, bridge construction, street tree
planting, resurfacing projects, etc. where right-of-way is not a constraint.
7. Move Policy REC.1.5.5 to new TRAN 1.4.15: The City will continue to cooperate
with adjacent communities and Palm Beach County to establish and equitably
finance an interconnected bicycle, pedestrian, greenways and trails network
system.
8. Move and amend Policy REC.1.5.6 to replace TRAN 1.4.3: All new mixed-use
commercial and residential development or redevelopment, residential, multi-use
family and non residential proposals shall continue to provide safe and
convenient bicycle and pedestrian facilities as a means of travel within and
between adjacent uses.
9. Move and amend Policy REC.1.5.7 to new TRAN 1.4.16: All new mixed-use
commercial and residential developments or redevelopment, multi-family and
non-residential proposals shall continue to provide adequate bicycle parking
facilities.
10. Move and amend Policy REC.1.5.8 to new TRAN 1.4.17: The City shall continue
to provide an alternative to automotive transportation that optimizes the comfort
and safety of bicyclists by implementing bicycle transportation in the work place
by requiring new non-residential developments and additions to non-residential
developments, based on square footage calculation, to include bicycle amenities
(example; secure bike lockers, well placed bike racks, shower and locker
facilities).
11. Pursuant to Section 163.3177(5)(a), the level of service tables will be updated to
include both five-year and ten–year planning horizons.
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Analysis of General Sewer, Solid Waste, Drainage, Potable
Water and Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Element
Element Overview- Sanitary Sewer Subelement
The City owns and operates facilities to collect, treat and dispose of wastewater. The
service area of 35 square miles includes some areas of contiguous unincorporated Palm
Beach County development. Residential, commercial, hotel/motel and institutional
users are served. An average of 14.35 million gallons a day (mgd) of influent from a
service area population of 119,400 is collected and treated. The conventional activated
sludge (secondary level) wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is rated at 17.5 mgd.
Treated effluent is directed to either an ocean outfall or to the reclaimed water system
for further treatment and use for irrigation. The ocean outfall has a capacity of 26
mgd. The reclaimed system, Project IRIS (In–City Reclaimed Irrigation System) has a
treatment capacity of 10 mgd, 6 million gallons (MG) of storage, and 35 miles of
transmission and distribution piping. Treated biosolids are applied to agricultural lands.
There are over 106 miles of force mains and 340 miles of gravity lines. The City
currently operates and maintains 234 wastewater pump stations. There are some
pockets in the eastern portion of the service area which are still served by individual
septic tanks. The City has an aggressive program of special assessments to fund
extension of the sanitary sewer system into these areas. The City’s Community
Improvement Authority is proposing a program to use State Housing Incentive Program
(SHIP) funds to assist low and moderate-income homeowners to pay for assessments,
impact fees and plumbing charges when the sanitary sewer system is extended into
residential neighborhoods.
The regulatory framework includes:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
• Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
• Palm Beach County Department of Health (DOH)
• Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management
(ERM)
Element Assessment
OBJECTIVE GSSSS.3.1.0: The City will install/construct sanitary sewer facilities to
meet projected demands, and maintain sanitary sewer service infrastructure concurrent
with the impacts of development.
Monitoring Measure: The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
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• Concurrency management system
• Annual review of Capital Improvements Element
• Absence of code violations
Objective Achievement Analysis. Infrastructure improvements are funded by a
combination of private developer funds and City-budgeted Operating or Capital
Improvements Program (CIP) funds. Required improvements are identified by staff or
consulting engineers.
Table 1 lists the value of sanitary sewer facilities constructed by private developers
that were accepted by the City during the last four fiscal years:
Table 1
Fiscal Year
2000/2001 $458,018
2001/2002 $236,039
2002/2003 $126,057
2003/2004 $ 52,724
City-funded improvements are prioritized by staff and elected officials as part of the
budget process. A 1997 Capacity Analysis Update Report projected average day
influent flows of 15.53 mgd in year 2007. Although current facilities are sufficient to
meet projected demands, improvements continue to be designed and constructed.
Examples can be found in the 5-year schedule of planned CIP expenditures, including:
Replacement Projects:
• Replacement of a significant portion of equipment installed at the WWTP during
plant construction in 1988
• Conversion of can-type wastewater pump stations to the safer & more efficient
submersible pump type stations
Expansion Projects:
• Design and construction of sanitary sewer systems and abandonment of septic
tanks in Spanish Village (Phase II), Hidden Valley, Boca Raton Hills, Area II and
Esterly. These areas are either under construction or design at this time, or are
scheduled for design/construction through fiscal year 07/08. These projects will
provide sanitary sewer service to approximately 514 single family homes and
11.6 acres of commercial properties.
• Construction of reclaimed water system components. Almost $2 million is
budgeted for design for and installation of 7,000 linear feet of reclaimed water
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main from just north of the Utility Services complex along Airport Road and
under I-95 to the Boca Technology Center property. It is estimated that as much
as 0.87 MGD will be used for irrigation at this site (2003 Master Plan Update).
New facilities:
• Over $5.6 million is planned for the City’s portion of the construction of a
regional facility for the treatment and disposal of wastewater biosolids. This is a
cooperative undertaking, including neighboring utilities and the Solid Waste
Authority. The WWTP produces over 2,000 dry tons of biosolids annually. This
is currently hauled to agricultural land in central Florida and applied as a soil
conditioner. Future regulations may further restrict where and in what manner
biosolids may be applied. The regional facility will produce a pelletized product
from the biosolids, suitable for blending with commercial grade fertilizer.
• $660,000 has been included for the design & construction of parallel force mains
under the Intracoastal Waterway (ICWW). There are two force mains which
transport wastewater from the barrier islands to the mainland which ultimately
discharge to the WWTP. Both of these mains have been inspected by the City’s
consultant and found to be in good condition. Damage to either of these force
mains, however could result in a substantial release of raw sewage into the
ICWW. The City has received a $500,000 grant from the State for this project.
OBJECTIVE GSSSS.3.2.0: The City will correct existing sanitary sewer facilities
deficiencies, to continue to provide the following levels of service:
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
• Capacity divided by annual equivalent population
• Capital facilities annual review
• Continuation of (special assessment) program
• Absence of code violations
• Actual construction (if required)
• Actual supply of I.Q. (reclaimed) water
• Continuation of secondary level treatment process
Objective Achievement Analysis
I. Collection system – force mains, gravity sewers, manholes and lift stations
The original wastewater collection system was installed in the early 1940s to serve the
20,000 personnel of the large military base known as the Boca Raton Army Airfield. The
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late 1960’s and early 1970’s saw rapid population and non-residential (e.g., FAU and
IBM) growth.
The City currently operates 234 wastewater pump stations. The City has 100 of the old
”can” stations, and 134 of the newer submersible pump type stations. Each year, $1
million is budgeted to replace a number of can stations with submersible style stations.
Staff identifies and prioritizes the stations to be replaced each year.
We maintain approximately 34 portable generators to power selected wastewater pump
stations in the event of a Florida Power and Light (FPL) failure. During the hurricanes
of Fall 2004, we were able to minimize sewer overflows due to loss of electricity to any
of these stations. Utility Services employees worked around the clock to position the
generators in the most effective manner. Based upon this experience, we are currently
making hardware and software changes to increase our ability to monitor and manage
the generators deployed in the field
Due to pipeline or pump station malfunction or failure, we do experience periodic
wastewater overflows. In some cases, City crews need outside assistance and/or
equipment to expedite repairs. The City now has a standing authorized emergency work
order with a local contractor to shorten response and repair times.
As noted above, the City has budgeted for construction of parallel force mains under
the ICWW, to provide redundancy for the transmission of raw wastewater from the
barrier islands to the WWTP.
Inflow/Infiltration (I/I) is a measure of the “tightness” of a wastewater collection
system. Infiltration refers to stormwater and/or groundwater getting into the sanitary
sewer system. This is typically due to broken pipes or defective pipe joints. Inflow
occurs where surface or stormwater enters the sanitary sewer system through manhole
covers and unauthorized connections to the sanitary sewer system. These are typically
parking lot drains, damaged clean out pipes, and roof drains. Inflow is generally
greatest during periods of heavy rainfall.
A 1988 field study estimated the City’s I/I at 0.78 mgd above the “allowable” (nonexcessive)
amount. This amount is defined by USEPA at certain levels of gallons of
influent per capita per day (gpcpd). Non-excessive infiltration is defined as an average
day flow of less than 120 gpcpd. Fiscal Year 2003/2004 average day flow was 14.35
mgd. Average day flow divided by an equivalent service area population of 119,400
equals 120.2 gpcpd. Non-excessive inflow is defined as daily flow during a period of
significant rain of less than 275 gpcpd. The maximum flow day during Fiscal Year 2003-
2004 was 19.31 million gallons on September 27, 2004 (following Hurricanes Frances
and Jeanne). Maximum day flow divided by the population of 119,400 equals 162
gpcpd. These I/I rates describe a well maintained sanitary sewer collection system.
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The City has budgeted $1.2 million annually for rehabilitation of components of the
wastewater collection system. This includes proactive lining of wastewater pipelines,
manhole repairs and pipeline replacements. These activities minimize conditions that
can cause backups and overflows, can reduce the I/I into the system and generally
extend the life of the collection system. Staff identifies and prioritizes those areas to be
rehabilitated each year.
Prior to any discharge into the City’s wastewater collection system, all wastes must
comply with the City’s Pretreatment Ordinance (Sections 17-101 through 17-160). The
provisions of this ordinance prohibit discharges, which may cause harm to the operation
of the WWTP, to the receiving waters or to the WWTP employees. In general, certain
non-residential customers must prove that their wastewater meets certain regulatory
parameters. This program includes permits, inspections, monitoring, and annual
reporting to FDEP. There have been no Significant (SIU) or Categorical (CIU) industrial
users within the City’s service area since 2002 and there is no indication we will be
getting any new SIU’s or CIU”s in the future. The City’s protocols for pretreatment of
potentially anthrax-contaminated decontamination water from the old American Media
Building have been used as models in the development of “A Utility Planning Tool:
Managing Decontamination Wastewater”, funded by the USEPA.
II.
Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)
This is a 17.5 mgd permitted capacity, annual average day flow (AADF) conventional
activated sludge domestic wastewater treatment plant. The plant consists of influent
screening, grit removal, primary sedimentation, aeration, secondary clarification,
chemical feed, filtration, coagulation, chlorination, anaerobic digesters, gravity belt
thickener and sludge belt filter press dewatering.
As noted above, the current adopted 5-yr schedule of planned CIP expenditures
includes replacement of WWTP equipment. A total of $8.395 million has been identified
as needed for engineering and construction during the current and next fiscal year.
The original WWTP construction occurred in 1988, and this project has been assigned a
priority ranking of #1 among all Utility Services capital projects.
As part of the design of the new Membrane Softening Water Treatment Plant, the City
was required to investigate options for disposal of the concentrate. We were able to
demonstrate to regulatory agencies that this could be blended safely with treated
wastewater effluent and disposed of through the ocean outfall. NPDES Permit No.
FL0026344 was revised in March 2003 by FDEP to allow for this additional liquid waste
disposal.
FDEP staff conducted a compliance evaluation inspection at the WWTP in August 2004.
No problems or deficiencies were observed in any of the eleven areas.
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Recent WWTP awards include:
• Florida Water Environment Association (FWEA) recognition as an Outstanding
Safety Facility for 1997 and 2002.
• 2 nd place in the State for the Large Facility Division for our safety record in 2003.
• Peak Performance Gold Award from the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage
Agencies (AMSA) for having 100% compliance with our National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the 2003 calendar year.
• Recognition by the Florida Pollution Control Operators Association (FPCOA) as
the best operated plant of its class in Region VI for 2003.
III.
Disposal of liquid and solid waste products
The liquid wastes are treated physically, biologically and chemically to produce effluent
which is acceptable for ocean outfall disposal. Some of that is diverted, filtered and
treated to high-level disinfection standards to produce reclaimed water which is
acceptable for irrigation uses in public access areas.
The ocean outfall pipeline is a permitted discharge to the Atlantic Ocean (Class III
marine waters) at a location which is approximately 5,166 feet off shore at Palmetto
Park Road and discharges at a depth of approximately 90 feet. It has been in service
for 30 years. In 2002, the City contracted for a condition assessment of the ocean
outfall. Based on the results, “… the ocean outfall pipeline can continue to remain in
service under operating conditions similar to those in effect at this (2002) time.” The
condition of those sections of pipeline most at risk of corrosion should be assessed at
least every ten years. The current permitted capacity of the effluent pump station is 26
mgd, which will meet the projected demand through the year 2010 (build out). Based
on the current FDEP permit, dechlorination of the effluent is not required. Consulting
engineers Hazen and Sawyer are currently under contract to perform inspections and
recommend any required remedial activities on the outfall pipeline.
Part of the WWTP is a 10.0 mgd maximum day flow (MDF), high level disinfection
facility for public access reuse irrigation at various off-site locations. The City’s water
reclamation system, Project IRIS (In–City Reclamation Irrigation System) serves as our
alternate water source for withdrawals from the Biscayne Aquifer. It is currently used
only for irrigation purposes, but FDEP and SFWMD are studying the effects of diversion
of reclaimed water into local canals, which in turn, can recharge local aquifers.
This system serves the supplemental irrigation needs of 224 acres of golf course, 125
acres of residential properties and 40 acres of other public access areas. Customers
served include: two golf courses, five public parks, one hospital, one school, one
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church, one hotel, 83 businesses, 44 other municipal uses, 46 multi-family structures
and 702 single family residences. Average daily demand is 5.6 mgd, with a maximum
day demand of 6.8 mgd. Not only does this program reduce our dependence on the
Biscayne Aquifer for treated or untreated irrigation water, but also it lessens the volume
of freshwater temporarily removed from the hydrologic cycle, by not being discharged
to the ocean. An October 2003 Reclaimed Water Master Plan Update projected that
year 2012 demands could reach 7.3 mgd for an average day and 9.8 mgd on a
maximum day. The City’s reclaimed water is consistently in compliance with our FDEP
permit (per F.A.C. 62-610). Project IRIS is administered by City Code, Sections 17-200
through 17-250. Project IRIS was named the 2003 Florida Water Environment
Association (FWEA) David York Water Reuse Award winner in the large system
category.
The solids treatment process includes anaerobic digestion and dewatering, with disposal
at agricultural sites in central Florida. Biosolids generated by WWTPs in Palm Beach
County are currently being disposed of by land application, as permitted by FDEP.
Recent concerns relating to the phosphorous loadings in the drainage basin of Lake
Okeechobee and the Indian River Lagoon have prompted WWTPs to seek alternatives
to the land spreading of biosolids. In addition to reducing nonpoint source pollutants,
the WWTPs also have been looking to secure a long term solution for the beneficial use
of biosolids. Also, disposal fees for the City are rising – from $275,511 actual expenses
in 2002 to an anticipated expenditure of $676,200 in 2005. The Solid Waste Authority
of Palm Beach County (SWA) is working with several area WWTP entities to provide for
the long term management of the biosolids produced by the project participants. The
SWA has entered into a contract with the New England Fertilizer Company (NEFCO) to
construct and operate a 520 wet tons per day (wtpd) facility for processing the biosolids
to a Class AA pelletized product, and marketing this product. This facility will be sited
on a parcel owned by the SWA at the North County Resource Recovery Facility, where
landfill gas is available at no cost, as an energy (heat) source for processing. The City
has been dedicating funding for our share of this regional facility since 2003.
IV.
Sanitary Sewer Improvements to Unsewered Areas
In 1989 there were eight unsewered areas within the City’s wastewater service area.
By 1996 that was reduced to seven areas, as the “Okey Estates” area was connected to
the sanitary sewer system. Since 1996, these seven areas have been divided into 14
phases due to the uniqueness of each area. For example, assessments of the entire
cost of the wastewater improvements to the benefited properties may not be feasible
for all 14 phases. These phases include approximately 715 single family homes and
approximately 50 acres of commercial properties using septic tank systems.
The construction of the sanitary sewer in Spanish Village, Phase I was completed this
year. Approximately 35 single family homes and 37 acres of commercial properties will
be connected to the sanitary sewer system as part of this project. Construction of the
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Area II sanitary sewer project is scheduled to begin this year. Approximately 11.6 acres
of commercial properties will be connected to the sanitary sewer system upon
completion of this phase.
During the summer of 2005, City Council will be asked to consider approval of a Utility
Assistance Program. This would be directed towards low and moderate income
homeowners in areas where sanitary sewer improvements are scheduled to be
constructed. Eligibility requirements would be developed. State Housing Incentive
Program (SHIP) funds would be used to offset costs to the homeowner which include
assessments for the cost of the wastewater improvements, impact fees and plumbers’
charges for disconnection/connection.
V. Management
The entire Utility Services organization received an Excellence in Management Honor
from Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA) for 2003. This recognizes
our “…successful initiatives addressing the range of management challenges facing
public wastewater utilities today”.
An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
There are no objectives that are directly related to the major issue.
Conclusions and Recommendations
1. Complete WWTP equipment replacement;
2. Continue sanitary sewer improvements of unsewered areas program;
3. Continue to replace/rehabilitate can-type pump stations with submersibles;
4. Continue proactive lining of sewer pipes, manholes and service lines;
5. Complete expansion of IRIS to Boca Technology Center area;
6. Identify and fund future IRIS expansions;
7. Continue to participate in regional biosolids facility project;
8. Construct Intracoastal Waterway parallel force mains; and
9. Continue to maintain emergency work order contracts for pipeline or pump
station repairs.
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Analysis of General Sewer, Solid Waste, Drainage, Potable
Water and Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Element
Element Overview – Solid Waste Subelement
The goal of the City of Boca Raton with regard to solid waste management is to
maintain a level-of-service of 7.13 pounds per capita per day, which is consistent with
the needs of the City’s continually expanding citizen population. In doing so, the City
strives to continue to create measures which will reduce the amount of solid waste
generated within the planning area of the City as mandated by the state legislation in
the most cost effective means available.
Element Assessment
OBJECTIVE GSSSW.4A.1.0: Maintain the level of service of solid waste transport and
disposal while protecting and enhancing the quality of life, and maintain the absence of
environmental degradation which could be traced to the City of Boca Raton's Sanitation
operation within the city.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. The City continuously maintains a superior level of service as indicated in the
policies as described in this document.
Objective Achievement Analysis. On a daily bases the city provides our citizens with
solid waste collection and transport. The solid waste collected equates to 7.13 lbs per
capita per day therefore no change is necessary.
OBJECTIVE GSSSW.4A.2.0: Continue analysis of collection and disposal techniques
to provide quality service at the lowest possible cost.
Monitoring Measure. The following ia the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Generation of ongoing studies.
Objective Achievement Analysis. This objective is constantly being evaluated through
the daily collection of solid waste. Weekly the routes are adjusted to ensure that all the
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solid waste put out is collected. Every year with the budget submittal the Sanitation
Section is analyzed to determine if the City goals are met. Currently the City is
developing a bid in an effort to provide these services in the most cost effective
manner.
OBJECTIVE GSSSW.4A.3.0: Provide service within areas where necessary urban
services and facilities exist or will exist concurrent with the impact of development
where new urban development is permitted.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Provision of services.
Objective Achievement Analysis. This objective is an on going continuous effort. The
Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County (SWA), which is the agency that is
responsible for disposal in the county, determines available solid waste processing and
dump capacity at their facilities. This is combined with census data and estimated
growth rates. On an annual basis the City receives a compliance letter from the Solid
Waste Authority of Palm Beach County (SWA) indicating the disposal capacity through
2025.
OBJECTIVE GSSSW.4A.4.0: The City shall require the registration of all private
haulers that collect solid waste within the City. This record will be maintained by the
Municipal Services Department.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Implementation of the program.
Objective Achievement Analysis. This program was implemented in 1990, however it
was not been successful. When the program was initiated, staff from the Sanitation
Division reviewed developer proposed projects through the City’s plan review process
and the information was then submitted to the Development Services Department,
which is responsible for permitting. Unfortunately the paper trail of information was not
properly distributed to the Development Services Department. Municipal Services
recommends the deletion of this objective.
OBJECTIVE GSSSW.4A.5.0: The City, through the yearly sanitation brochure and the
City's cable access channel, will inform the City residents of the Solid Waste Authority of
Palm Beach County's facility, which is available for disposal of household and small
quantity generator hazardous materials.
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Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Publication of the City brochure and cable channel notification.
Objective Achievement Analysis. This annual publication and periodic notifications are
being accomplished.
OBJECTIVE GSSSW.4A.6.0: After adoption of this Comprehensive Plan, the City will
not issue "development orders" unless the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County
has available, or will have available, adequate solid waste disposal facility capacity to
serve development.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Concurrency Management System.
Objective Achievement Analysis. This objective is an on going continuous effort. The
Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County (SWA), which is the agency that is
responsible for disposal in Palm Beach County, determines available solid waste
processing and dump capacity at their facilities. This information is combined with
census data and estimated growth rates. On an annual basis, the City receives a
compliance letter from the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County indicating the
disposal capacity through 2025.
OBJECTIVE GSSSW.4A.7.0: The City establishes for residential and nonresidential
development within the City the following level of service (LOS) for solid waste
collection and disposal facilities: 7.13 lbs./capita/day (as formulated by the SWA of
Palm Beach County). This level of service shall be adjusted periodically to address the
proposed reduction of solid waste through recycling programs.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Monitoring collection services.
Objective Achievement Analysis. As part of the City’s daily operation supervisors are
continuously monitoring collection every day. This material is delivered to a SWA
transfer station several times a day where it is weighed. This information is used by
the SWA to determine the LOS. No change necessary, as noted below this objective is
being achieved.
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OBJECTIVE GSSSW.4A.8.0: Provide an efficient and environmentally sound means of
the removal of 30% recyclable from the solid waste stream within the city limits.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Tonnage measurements.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The residents of the City are provided with a recycling
material collection on a weekly basis. No change is necessary as this objective is being
achieved.
OBJECTIVE GSSSW.4A.9.0: Provide an efficient and environmentally sound means of
the removal of 30% recyclable from the solid waste stream within the city limits.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Tonnage measurements.
Objective Achievement Analysis. No change is necessary as this objective is being
achieved.
OBJECTIVE GSSSW.4A.10.0: Implement recycling programs to promote public
awareness and participation in recycling programs to remove 30% recyclables from the
solid waste stream.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Actual implementation of programs.
Objective Achievement Analysis. To better serve our residents all of the municipalities
within Palm Beach County agreed that this would be more successful as a county wide
public awareness campaign. This campaign consists of, but is not limited to, television,
radio and newspaper press releases and appearances at various community functions.
No change is necessary as this objective is being achieved.
An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
There are no objectives that are directly related to the major issue.
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Conclusions and Recommendations
The Municipal Services Department recommends the deletion of the Objective
GSSSW.4A.4.0: The City shall require the registration of all private haulers that collect
solid waste within the City. This record will be maintained by the Municipal Services
Department. As this monitoring has not been successful and has not had a negative
impact on the Goal of this Solid Waste Sub element.
148

Analysis of General Sewer, Solid Waste, Drainage, Potable
Water and Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Element
Element Overview – Drainage Subelement
All the backbone drainage facilities within the City of Boca Raton are in the public
domain. The LWDD (LWDD) operates and maintains the E-3 and E-4 Canals that were
major north/south equalizing canals within the city limits. In addition the district
operates and maintains 12 lateral canals or ditches routing runoff east or west to the E-
3 Canal or E-4 Canal depending on the natural drainage features and/or controlled
stage elevations. The LWDD also permitted and inspected all projects adjacent to or
discharging into the above facilities.
The SFWMD maintains and operates the Hillsboro Canal and the C-15 Canal. In
addition the SFWMD reviewed and permitted all works within the city limits which has a
minimum of 10 acres of land area or projects which the impervious surface equaled or
exceeded 2 acres under the provisions of Chapter 40E of the Florida Administrative
Code.
The Army Corps of Engineers has permitting jurisdiction over the Intracoastal Waterway
with their main concern being maintenance of navigation. The former known as
Department of Environmental Regulation (DER), currently known as the Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) also reviewed permit applications to ensure water
quality requirements put forth by that agency were maintained. The DEP has
jurisdiction over all waters of the state as defined by the F.A.C. and delegated its
authority to the SFWMD in this district.
The City of Boca Raton has jurisdiction over the tidal finger canals off the Intracoastal
Waterway and various site specific canals and lake features. These canals and lakes
were specifically maintained for area drainage. Within the City limits these areas were
fully developed with very few vacant lots remaining.
The Hillsboro Canal Basin was generally assumed to include all the lands within the city
limits north to Yamato Road. This basin also serviced areas of northwestern Broward
County and southwestern Palm Beach County. The extent of the basin outside the city
limits was not addressed in the data and analysis; however, a predominate portion of
the runoff generated westward of the city limits was agrarian in nature. Within the City
limits there was no agricultural runoff, but residential and commercial/industrial runoff.
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For the most part, the City does not provide a drainage system for development. The
drainage systems owned and operated by the City primarily serve the street and rightof-ways.
The City does insure that development and redevelopment meet water quality
and quantity standards established by the applicable agency having jurisdiction through
the development and inspection process.
Element Assessment
OBJECTIVE DRAIN.5.1.0: The City of Boca Raton shall adopt levels of service for
specific land use facilities. The level of protection provided will be consistent with the
potential threat to the health, safety and welfare of its residents. These established
levels of service will provide a runoff rate which can safely be conveyed by the receiving
waters.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Prerequisites to the Issuance of Certificate of Occupancy.
2. Final Inspections.
3. Dry and wet weather testing for pollutant loads on secondary and primary
drainage systems.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The adopted levels of services are established by the
governmental agency having jurisdiction over the development. The City ensures
through it’s development procedures that the appropriate permits are obtained prior to
development and that the construction has been approved and accepted the permitting
agency before final acceptance by the City.
OBJECTIVE DRAIN.5.2.0: To institute policies for review to insure that stormwater
runoff shall be sufficiently retained/detained through natural drainage features,
impoundments, lakes, swales and other methods to reduce to a minimum the amount
of non-point source pollutants associated with new development, and to retain volumes
sufficient to meet Objective 5.1.0. Water quality of runoff from existing development
will be addressed through the City’s NPDES permit conditions
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Prerequisites to the Issuance of Certificate of Occupancy.
2. Final Inspections.
3. Dry and wet weather testing for pollutant loads on secondary and primary
drainage systems.
4. Issuance of Development Orders.
5. Issuance of Public Works and Engineering permits.
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Objective Achievement Analysis. All existing or new stormwater drainage facilities
(retention ponds) are being maintained by the property owner or property owner
associations. The City has required lake maintenance agreements for the construction
of surface water management facilities to allow the City to perform all maintenance
functions should the property owner or association fail to adequately maintain the
drainage facility.
Water quality and quantity requirements for stormwater runoff for new or redeveloped
projects are being required to provide retention/detention and discharge volumes as
specified by the South Florida Water Management District and the agency having
jurisdiction over the receiving waters at the point of discharge.
Existing land development regulations require new development to not impact the
existing development with any off-site drainage
State of Florida, Department of Environmental Resources, and the City’s Environmental
Protection Agency National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit conditions
have been revised to address projects of one acre or more.
OBJECTIVE DRAIN.5.3.0: The City will remedy drainage deficiencies, and add new
drainage facilities, in an orderly fashion.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Completion of Scheduled Capital Improvements and compliance with National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit conditions.
2. Compliance with established drainage levels of service.
3. Annual Infrastructure Report.
4. Compliance of NPDES permit.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Drainage facility improvements, necessary to achieve
or maintain the adopted Levels of Service and comply with the City’s National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System permit conditions are being prioritized as in Capital
Improvements Element.
New drainage features are being designed to maximize retention capability, subject to
flood control constraints.
In June 1994 the City established a Stormwater Utility to provide funding for the
operations and maintenance of city owned drainage facilities and to fund drainage
system improvements that enhance the level of service.
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The City, as part of its permit application for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System permit, conducted dry and wet weather sampling of its MS4 system. The
NPDES permit conditions require periodic testing throughout the life of the permit to
identify and correct deficiencies.
OBJECTIVE DRAIN.5.4.0: By October 1998 or as conditioned by the City’s National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, the City will ensure that a Master
Drainage Plan, which will have determined the existing level of service and the design
capacity of the secondary and primary drainage facility, will be adopted. The Drainage
Plan and the Future Land Use Plan will be coordinated so that development is
consistent with drainage facility capacity and adopted level of service standards. This
will be accomplished through a cooperative effort between the city, County, and local
drainage districts, and the South Florida Water Management District.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Compliance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit
conditions.
2. Development of a Drainage Plan.
3. Evaluations of facilities report prepared by the local drainage districts and
SFWMD and pursue interlocal agreements.
4. Issuance of Development Orders.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Reports are not yet available from the local drainage
districts and the South Florida Water Management District therefore the existing LOS
remains in affect.
Until adoption of the Master Drainage Plan, the site performance standards for drainage
presented in Policy 5.1.1 and in Chapter 40E-4, 40E-40, and/or 40E-41, F.A.C., shall be
applied to all proposed development
An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
There are no objectives that are directly related to the major issue.
Conclusions and Recommendations
For the most part, the City does not provide a drainage system for development. The
drainage systems owned and operated by the city primarily serve the street and rightof-ways.
The systems that are available are provided by other agency and have
permitting requirements for connection to their respective facilities.
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The City should continue insure that development and redevelopment meet water
quality and quantity standards established by the applicable agency having jurisdiction
through the development and inspection process.
The City, until capacity analysis is available from those agency having jurisdiction of the
primary and secondary drainage facilities, shall require development, through the
development order process, to comply with the those agencies water quality and
quantity criteria.
The City should proceed with a Master Stormwater Management study to identify area
wide drainage problems, develop policies for prioritizing drainage improvements and
identify alternative funding source to implement the Capital improvements.
The Study should investigate NPDES permit requirement and how development or
redevelopment could impact the City’s ability to comply with those requirements.
Amendments to the City’s development regulation and land use plan are to be
anticipated.
153

Analysis of General Sewer, Solid Waste, Drainage, Potable
Water and Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Element
Element Overview – Potable Water Subelement
The City of Boca Raton owns and operates facilities to withdraw, treat, store and
distribute potable water. The service area consists of 35 square miles and includes
residential, commercial, hotel/motel and institutional uses, as well as some contiguous
areas within unincorporated Palm Beach County. An average of 42 million gallons a day
(mgd) is distributed to this service area, which has an equivalent population of
approximately 119,400 (352 gallons per capita per day). The City’s larger potable
water users include: Boca Raton Community Hospital, Boca Raton Resort and Club,
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Technology Center and Town Center Mall.
The sole source of the raw water is the Biscayne Aquifer. The aquifer is recharged by
local rainfall and supplemented by water diversions controlled by the South Florida
Water Management District (SFWMD), including Lake Okeechobee, Water Conservation
Area No. 1, Hillsboro Canal and Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) canals E-2-E, E-3
and E-4 and various lateral canals. Fifty-six wells withdraw water from depths of 110 to
120 feet. The water is transmitted to the Boca Raton treatment plant located on Glades
Road just east of Interstate-95. The water is treated in either the lime softening plant
or the recently constructed membrane softening plant. The water is blended before
being pumped into the water treatment system. This system includes over 25 million
gallons (MG) of storage, 526 miles of pipe, 5,000 fire hydrants and 35,000 water
meters.
The regulatory framework includes:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
• Palm Beach County Department Of Health (PBCoDOH)
• Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management (PBCo
ERM)
• SFWMD
• LWDD
The City is committed to meeting all existing and future customer demands for water
quality and quantity, in an economical and efficient manner.
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Element Assessment
OBJECTIVE GSSPW 2.1.0: The City will install/construct potable water facilities to
meet projected demands, and maintain potable water service infrastructure concurrent
with the impacts of development.
OBJECTIVE GSSPW.2.2.0: The City will correct existing potable water facilities'
deficiencies, to continue to provide the following levels of service (LOS):
Monitoring measure: The following are the adopted monitoring measures for these
objectives:
1. Annual Infrastructure Report
2. Annual review of Capital Improvements Element
3. Concurrency Management System
4. Improvements required
5. Fees received
6. Average day demand divided by annual equivalent population (gallons per capita
per day, used to project future water demands)
Objective Achievement Analysis. Infrastructure improvements are funded by a
combination of private developer funds and City-budgeted Operating or Capital
Improvement Program (CIP) funds. Required improvements are identified by staff or
consulting engineers.
Table 1 lists the value of water facilities constructed by private developers that were
accepted by the City during the last four fiscal years:
Table 1
FY
2000/2001 $903,780
2001/2002 $771,385
2002/2003 $145,710
2003/2004 $256,363
City funded improvements are prioritized by staff and elected officials as part of the
budget process.
Legislation passed by the State in 2002 requires local governments to prepare a 10-year
Water Supply Facilities Work Plan. The Plan must project water facilities needs for at
least a 10-year period and identify any deficiencies. This Plan must be submitted to the
State by December 2006.
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A draft of the 10-year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan was reviewed and
recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Board in June 2004. The draft
report concluded “… no new facilities are required to maintain service for the period
spanning 2005 through 2015”. It also stated, “In 2015, the City will require an average
daily raw water demand of 44.93 mgd to produce 40.85 mgd of potable water. The
City’s wellfields will have a surplus raw water production capacity of 42.07 mgd and the
Water Treatment Plant (WTP) will have a surplus finished water capacity of 39.15 mgd.
The City’s storage, distribution and treatment systems are sufficient to meet the
projected 2015 demand”. The draft Plan recommended that the Potable Water
SubElement and the Conservation Element of the Comprehensive Plan be amended to
conform to the 10-year Water Supply Facilities Plan.
Although current facilities are sufficient to meet demands through 2015, improvements
continue to be designed and constructed. Examples can be found in the 5-year
schedule of planned CIP expenditures, including:
• Installation of devices and measures to prevent, detect and respond to
intentional introduction of contamination into the water system.
• Ongoing rehabilitation of raw water wells to restore, maintain or increase
wellfield capacities and raw water quality.
• Rehabilitation of the components of the old lime-softening plant, now that these
units can be taken off line while the new membrane-softening plant handles
water demands.
• Abandonment of two raw water wells. Well 5E is an old well (1960) in the path
of a redevelopment project. Well 23E is an old well (1967) on a site which does
not easily lend itself to rehabilitation.
• Construction of three new raw water wells. SFWMD water use permit (WUP) No.
50-00367-W was renewed in April 2001 and included three proposed wells.
These will be constructed on City property on Banyan Trail.
OBJECTIVE GSSPW.2.3.0: The City shall establish programs to protect and conserve
potable water resources.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Construction of (reclaimed water) facilities
2. Continuation of (water conservation) program and number of people contacted
3. (Water) Rate restructuring
4. Compliance with (water shortage) emergency regulations
5. Absence of (SFWMD permit) violations
6. Actual siting of new (raw water) wells
7. Siting of new (raw water) wells, chlorosity
8. Absence of (wellfield protection ordinance) violations, Chlorosity testing
156

Objective Achievement Analysis.
1. Groundwater Quantity
The availability of sufficient quantities of groundwater is a concern on a regional and
statewide level. A central goal of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project
(CERP) is the reservation of freshwater resources for the natural environment. This
complicates the existing competition for water among public water supply entities,
and agricultural and commercial interests. Existing and new water users are being
encouraged to find and use “alternate water supplies”, including Aquifer Storage &
Recovery (ASR), the Floridan Aquifer, and reclaimed water. The City has chosen
reclaimed water as our alternate freshwater source.
As part of a CERP update, the SFWMD’s Lower East Coast Regional Supply Plan
(LECRSP) is being revised, and will ultimately “allocate” the water resources of Palm
Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties through the year 2025. A fairly
recent adjustment to projected raw water demands is being made in response to
new water treatment methods. Conventional lime softening treatment yields
approximately 100 gallons of treated water for each 100 gallons of raw water
processed. Membrane softening yields an average of 85 gallons of treated water for
each 100 gallons of raw water. The SFWMD is assuming that most utilities will
convert to membrane softening by 2010 and will therefore need larger allocations.
This assumption applies to our new Membrane Softening Plant (MSP).
The City’s draft 10-year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan referenced above has
projected that the City will have a surplus wellfield capacity of 37.58 mgd in the year
2015, under 1-in-10-year drought conditions. That plan does not include the three
proposed wells authorized in our most recent SFWMD water use permit (WUP)
renewal. Those three two (2) mgd wells will more than offset the two (2) mgd total
capacity, which will be lost when wells 5E and 23E are abandoned.
The City also has implemented programs to slow the depletion of and increase the
recharge of the local groundwater resources. Since June 1987, the City has
operated a pump, which diverts as much as 44 mgd of surface water from the
Hillsboro Canal into the E-2-E (Turnpike) Canal. This recharges the groundwater of
the E-3 basin. In addition, the City’s reclaimed water program, Project IRIS,
replaces as much as six (6) mgd of raw and treated freshwater which would be
withdrawn and used for irrigation with reclaimed wastewater. Most of this reclaimed
water returns to the shallow aquifer.
2. Groundwater Quality
Three (3) programs maintain or improve local groundwater quality.
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• The City works vigorously to install sanitary sewers in areas currently served
by individual septic tanks. The Spanish Village neighborhood project was
completed in 2004. Funds have been identified in the CIP for special
assessment projects in Spanish Village neighborhood Phase II, Hidden Valley,
Boca Raton Hills, and Area II (commercial area north of Glades Road). These
conversion projects reduce the possibility of groundwater contamination due
to leaking septic tanks.
• The City participates in the Palm Beach County Wellfield Protection Program.
Under this program, proposed new well sites are reviewed and approved by
Program staff, new well sites are designed to meet the parameters of the
Program, and certain activities are prohibited or regulated within existing
zones of wellfield protection.
• Through the cooperative program with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS),
the City and USGS have entered into annual joint funding agreements for
more than four (4) decades. These agreements are to maintain a network of
monitoring wells, which measure groundwater quality and quantity, with an
emphasis on salinity levels.
3. Potable Water Quantity
Beginning with public workshops in the summer of 2001 and culminating with the
publication of the Water Conservation Initiative (WIC) Report, the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) coordinated a statewide effort to
“identify cost-effective, practical measures to use water more efficiently”. The
report contains over 50 “priority recommendations” addressing issues including:
• Agricultural irrigation
• Water pricing
• Reuse of reclaimed water
• Landscape irrigation
• Indoor water use
• Industrial/commercial/institutional uses
• Research
• Education and outreach
The City of Boca Raton’s Utility Services staff participated in this effort. Staff
continues to participate in ongoing projects, including an effort to identify
performance measures for water conservation programs. As directed by several
policies adopted in the 1989 Comprehensive Plan and 1996 EAR, the City continues
to implement a number of programs directed towards water efficiency, including:
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• The City’s reclaimed water program, Project IRIS (In-city Reclamation
Irrigation System) has been funded since 1990 for an estimated total cost of
about $20 million. There are currently almost 900 customers, including the
Boca Raton Community Hospital, Florida Atlantic University, the Boca Raton
Resort and Club, two golf courses, 46 multi-family residences, 83 businesses,
many acres of City parks and median strips, and over 700 single family
homes. Average daily demand is 5.6 mgd with a maximum day demand of
6.8 mgd. Without Project IRIS, this irrigation water would have been potable
water, or untreated surface or ground waters – all part of our local freshwater
resources. Project IRIS funding is included in the next five (5)-year planned
CIP expenditures. Currently under design is a project to extend reclaimed
water lines to the former T-Rex property, the site of the City’s future
Western/Spanish River library.
• The City continues to use a tiered water rate structure that encourages water
conservation.
• The City continues to enforce the provisions of City Code of Ordinances,
Section 17-57, adopted in 1990, which generally limits irrigation to a
maximum of three (3) times a week during non-daylight hours.
• The City continues to vigorously enforce the provisions of the SFWMD water
shortage plan when a water shortage is declared.
• The City continues to require rain sensors be installed on new irrigation
systems.
• A number of programs contribute to a low “Unaccounted for Water”
percentage for our system. The difference between what is pumped from the
plant and what is metered is 6.9%, below the industry goal of 10 %. This
means that the City of Boca Raton has a “tight” system, with very little
leakage or “lost” water.
The popular measure of water conservation/efficiency is gallons per capita per day
(gpcpd), which is the daily water demand divided by the service area population,
e.g., 42 mgd /119,346 = 352 gpcpd. The use of gpcpd to measure a community’s
water conservation efforts may not be an accurate or meaningful measure, for the
following reasons:
• The gpcpd measurement only measures use of treated water, i.e. that water
being produced by a water plant. It does not include fresh water used
directly from canals, lakes or private wells. As such, it is not an accurate
measure of total fresh water consumed by a community.
• It could be argued that most water “Used” for irrigation remains in the
freshwater cycle, i.e., it eventually returns to a surface or groundwater
source. On the other hand, in southeast Florida, most water “consumed” and
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treated at a wastewater plant is discharged to the ocean or injected into a
deep well and cannot be reused.
• The gpcpd does not take into account the water used by non-residents, e.g.,
visitors, employees, students, patients, etc, as they are not included in
population calculations. As noted earlier, our largest water users include
FAU, Boca Raton Resort and Club, Boca Technology Center, Boca Raton
Community Hospital and Palm Beach County School Board. These users are
considered by the U.S. Census as having no residential populations. The City
is truly a regional tourist, educational, employment, retail and institutional
center.
• This measure is too “volatile” to be meaningful, at least not in the short term.
For example, the City’s per capita ranged from 316 to 445 within a single
month (July 2004).
FDEP and SFWMD recognize the shortcomings of this measure and are currently
conducting statewide surveys to identify more meaningful performance measures.
4. Potable Water Quality
The Glades Road lime softening water plant was constructed in 1973. Like most
southeastern Florida water treatment plants, groundwater was treated and
disinfected with chlorine. In the early 1980’s, research found that chlorine could
react with naturally occurring organic matter in certain raw waters to create
unhealthy by products (DBPs), including Trihalomethanes (TTHMs).
In 1983, the City of Boca Raton switched from chlorine to chloramines for
disinfection to reduce THM levels. Unfortunately, that allowed more of the natural
color in our water to pass through the treatment process, creating noticeable levels
of color in our drinking water. It also produced TTHMs in the upper range of
allowable concentrations and the City was aware that USEPA planned to lower the
acceptable levels of THMs.
In 1992, the City Council approved exploring other treatment methods. After many
years of studies and pilot testing, a membrane softening plant (MSP) was designed
and construction began in 2001. The initial phase of this plant, the largest of its
kind in the world, was put into service in August 2004. Since that time, the City has
seen a significant reduction of both color and THMs. This water is blended with the
lime-softened water to produce a safe, aesthetically pleasing product.
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An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
There are no objectives that are directly related to the major issue.
Conclusions and Recommendations
1. Continue current processes for developing and adopting annual Operating and
CIP budgets and five (5)-year schedule of expected capital expenditures ;
2. Continue project review processes by which required developer-funded
improvements are identified;
3. Continue to charge and collect impact fees;
4. Continue to have outside (consulting engineers) review of water system facilities,
including recommended improvements, scheduling and funding;
5. Continue involvement with CERP and LECWSP;
6. Begin WUP renewal process;
7. Abandon two (2) wells, construct three (3) wells;
8. Continue expansion of project IRIS;
9. Continue sanitary sewer assessment projects;
10. Continue participation in PBCo Wellfield Protection Program;
11. Continue annual joint funding agreement with USGS;
12. Continue participation in WCI efforts, including identification of water
conservation performance measures; and
13. Complete MSP installation.
161

Analysis of General Sewer, Solid Waste, Drainage, Potable
Water and Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Element
Element Overview – Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Subelement
The City of Boca Raton owns and operates a series of wellfields from which
groundwater is withdrawn from a Surficial Aquifer System (SAS) and transmitted to the
Glades Road Water Treatment Plant (WTP). The wells are 90 to 140 feet deep. The
Biscayne Aquifer is the most productive part of the SAS in Palm Beach County and is
the primary source of drinking water for all of Dade and Broward counties and the
southern portion of Palm Beach County.
The Biscayne Aquifer consists of highly permeable limestone and less permeable sand
and sandstone. In most places the aquifer water levels rise rapidly in response to
rainfall. Water in the Biscayne Aquifer is unconfined and generally flows towards the
Atlantic Ocean and the extensive system of canals in south Florida. Natural
groundwater aquifer recharge is by local rainfall and surface water bodies (canals and
lakes) whose water levels are higher than the local water table. During extended dry
weather patterns, our wellfields are recharged by seepage from freshwater canals that
extend north and south (E-2E, E-3 and E-4) and east and west (L-40 through L-50).
The levels of these canals are controlled by the South Florida Water Management
District (SFWMD) and the Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD). The Hillsboro and C-
15 canals can be filled with water from Water Conservation Area 1 (Loxahatchee
National Wildlife Refuge). The Water Conservation Area can be recharged with water
from Lake Okeechobee by releases through the L-8, L-10, L-15 and L-13 canals. Lake
Okeechobee’s level is a function of direct rainfall and contributions from the Kissimmee
River and its basin.
The City is permitted by the SFWMD Water Use Permit (WUP) #50-00367-W to
withdraw a maximum of 64.65 million gallons a day (mgd), and 17,743 million gallons
annually.
The regulatory/cooperative framework includes:
• U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
• U. S. Geological Survey (Department of Interior) (USGS)
• Florida Department of Health (FDOH)
• Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
• SFWMD
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• Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM)
• LWDD
Element Assessment
OBJECTIVE GSSAR.1.1.0: The City shall protect all wellfields and water supplies from
degradation.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Aquifer water quality and quantity
2. Compliance with SFWMD (permit) limiting conditions
3. Location of new wellfields
4. Code violations
5. Saline water intrusion monitoring program continuation
Objective Achievement Analysis.
I. Groundwater Quality
Federal Programs
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Superfund Program
was established in 1980 to locate, investigate and cleanup hazardous waste sites.
In March 2002, the City was contacted by a consulting engineering firm under
contract to Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to classify some
sites near municipal wellfields in Florida. Data was supplied on the locations,
construction features and operational status of our production wells. City wellfields
were found to be outside the radius of concern for two National Priorities List (NPL)
sites. These sites are in Pompano Beach. Since the Biscayne Aquifer is underneath
both sites and is also the sole source of the City’s drinking water, Boca Raton
wellfields were included in the classification study. Both sites were proposed for
inclusion on the NPL in 1988. USEPA determined that one site did not pose a threat,
and no action was required except for one (1) year of groundwater monitoring.
That site was deleted from the NPL in 1995. The second site required some cleanup
actions and was deleted from the NPL in 2000.
State Programs
FDEP administers the Drycleaning Solvent Cleanup Program. This is a state-funded
program to clean up properties that are contaminated, usually with
perchlorethylene, as a result of the operations of a current or former drycleaning
facility or wholesale supply facility. Since 1999, four (4) sites within a mile or less of
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a potable water well in the City’s water service area have received Site Rehabilitation
Completion Orders. This certifies that soil and groundwater contamination are
below Soil Cleanup Target Levels or Groundwater Cleanup Target Levels either
without or following site rehabilitation.
An FDEP October 2004 Priority Ranking List (PRL) of all registered currently or
formerly operating drycleaning facilities in the State shows 86 sites as having been
issued a Site Rehabilitation Completion Order (SRCO), 184 sites as having been
tasked (T) to a State Contractor for assessment and/or cleanup, and 1152 sites as
ranked for action.
Sites in the Boca Raton water service area are classified as:
• SRCO- 4
• T-6
• 9 ranked sites – 81, 272, 332, 369, 382, 452, 689, 762 and 835 of 1152
sites
The two sites of concern (wellfields zone 3 or 4) in the 2001 GFA Regional Study are
the Pelican French Cleaner at 2901 Clint Moore Road and Boca Raton Maytag
Highlander Cleaners at 1900 NW 2 nd Avenue. The assessment and cleanup of
Pelican French Cleaner has been tasked to a State Contractor. The Boca Raton
Maytag Highlander Cleaner is ranked 332nd of 1152 sites.
Another FDEP program is the Petroleum Storage Tank Program. Since Florida relies
on groundwater for approximately 92% of its drinking water needs, FDEP has a very
active petroleum contamination prevention and cleanup program and some of the
most stringent rules in the country. New and replacement tanks must have
secondary containment, and existing tanks have deadlines for the same. Palm Beach
ERM staff performs annual inspections of every tank, inspect the installation &
removal of all storage tanks, and investigate any discharges.
In conjunction with FDEP, ERM maintains a database of all sites on which a
petroleum or diesel spill has occurred, and the status of any remediation program.
City staff are periodically contacted with updates on petroleum-contaminated sites
that are close to City wells. Well 1E was voluntarily taken out of service on
5/31/1996 due to significant fuel (gasoline) leak at the corner of Federal Highway
and Palmetto Park Rd. It remains out of service until we are advised by ERM that
the contamination has been remediated to levels that comply with FDEP regulations
A February 2005 listing of petroleum cleanup sites in Boca Raton’s water service
area shows 36 sites where cleanup is completed, 22 inactive sites (clean up is not
complete, but no cleanup activities are currently in progress), 6 sites for which no
cleanup is required (a discharge was reported, but contamination was minimal) 20
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sites with on-going cleanup activities and two sites which are state funded cleanup
sites that have been temporarily suspended due to funding limitations.
The two petroleum sites of concern (proximate to a City wellfield) discussed in the
2001 GFA Regional Study were the College Shell gas station at 198 NW 20 th St and
Lynn University at 3601 Military Trail. Cleanup is complete at Lynn University and
ongoing at the College Shell.
The FDEP is undertaking a statewide water assessment. The SWAPP (Source Water
Assessment and Protection Program) was created through amendments to the
federal Safe Drinking Water Act in 1996. All states must complete assessments of
the sources of their drinking water – lakes, rivers, streams and aquifers. In Florida,
the four key steps that will be taken to assess public water systems are:
• Delineate the drinking water source protection area
• Inventory known or potential sources of contamination
• Determine the susceptibility of the water supply to the contaminants
• Notify the public about potential threats to their water supply.
The City of Boca Raton system has not been evaluated under SWAPP.
County Programs
By implementing and enforcing the provisions of the Palm Beach County Wellfield
Protection Program, (Palm Beach County Land Development Code, Article 14.B,
adopted March 1988) the City protects the groundwater directly beneath existing
and future potable water wells. The ordinance regulates and prohibits the “….use,
handling, production and storage of certain deleterious substances which may impair
present and future public potable water supply wells and wellfields.”
There are four regulation zones around each wellfield, based on groundwater travel
time contours. In general, Zone 1 is a zone of prohibition. Zone 2 is a zone of
secondary containment and groundwater monitoring. Zone 3 is a zone of secondary
containment and Zone 4 is a zone of daily monitoring of regulated substances.
Existing and proposed wellfields are protected by requiring any new business within
a protection zone to be reviewed and approved by DERM.
If a specific site within a wellfield protection zone has a spill of a regulated
substance, or detects contamination within a monitoring well, or detects a leak in a
product storage line or tank, immediate notification of ERM is required, and ERM
notifies the City.
These maps are periodically revised and property owners are notified of any
changes to the status of their property. The City and County are currently working
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on such an update to reflect current wellfield status. The three new wells to be
constructed on City property on Banyan Trail will be added to the protection maps
as soon as the sites are identified. ERM staff will perform groundwater modeling and
inform the City if there are any inappropriate land uses existing in the future zones
of protection.
City Programs
The City Utility Services laboratory staff routinely monitors water quality from all
active municipal wells, plus a number of monitoring wells. Staff conducts semi
annual standard raw water analyses for compliance purposes. Staff also continues to
conduct supplemental annual wellfield analyses for primary organic contaminants,
though this is no longer required by any regulatory agency.
.
The City works vigorously to install sanitary sewers in areas currently served by
individual septic tanks. The Spanish Village project was completed in 2004. Funds
are identified in the CIP for special assessment projects in Hidden Valley, Boca
Raton Hills, and Area II (commercial area north of Glades Rd). This reduces the
possibility of groundwater contamination due to leaking septic tanks. The City
coordinates with FDOH to require property owners to properly abandon any septic
tanks.
As noted in the Element Overview above, some local recharge features are not
within the City’s jurisdiction. That would include the waters of the canals operated
by the SFWMD and LWDD, and recharge areas, which fall outside municipal
boundaries, e.g. Water Conservation Area 1. Policy GSSAR 1.1.1 explicitly addresses
this: “…the City can assume responsibility for environmental conditions only to the
degree that they are impacted by land uses within the City of Boca Raton, and the
City will make no attempt to regulate activities outside of its municipal boundaries.”
II. Groundwater Quantity
Federal Programs
The City has a cooperative program with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The
City and USGS have entered into annual joint funding agreements for more than
four decades. These agreements are to maintain a network of monitoring wells
which measure groundwater quality and quantity, with an emphasis on salinity
levels.
These wells monitor groundwater levels and salinities. Salinity is not considered a
contaminant, but rather is a measure of any loss of the freshwater aquifer to
saltwater intrusion. Monitoring data do not indicate any saltwater intrusion
threatening any production wells.
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During the prolonged dry period of summer 2004, the USGS sent out a warning to
their Cooperators listing monitoring wells in the South Florida region which were at
or below historical minimum levels. They have since recovered to normal levels.
Regional Programs
The availability of sufficient quantities of groundwater is a concern on a regional and
statewide level. A central goal of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project
(CERP) is the reservation of freshwater resources for the natural environment. This
complicates the existing competition for water among public water supply entities,
and agricultural and commercial interests. Existing and new water users are being
encouraged to find and use “alternate water supplies”, including Aquifer Storage &
Recovery (ASR), the Floridan Aquifer, and reclaimed water. The City has chosen
reclaimed water as our alternate freshwater source.
As part of a CERP update, the SFWMD’s Lower East Coast Regional Supply Plan
(LECRSP) is being revised, and will ultimately “allocate” the water resources of Palm
Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties through the year 2025. A fairly
recent adjustment to projected raw water demands is being made in response to
new water treatment methods. Conventional lime softening treatment yields
approximately 100 gallons of treated water for each 100 gallons of raw water
processed. Membrane softening yields an average of 85 gallons of treated water for
each 100 gallons of raw water. The SFWMD is assuming that most utilities will
convert to membrane softening by 2010 and will therefore need larger allocations.
This assumption applies to our new Membrane Softening Plant (MSP).
Legislation passed by the State in 2002 requires local governments to prepare a 10-
year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan (Plan). The intent of the legislation is to
strengthen the coordination of land use and water supply planning with the goal of
ensuring adequate regional water supply for the long term. The Plan must project
water facilities needs for at least a ten (10)-year period and identify any deficiencies.
This Plan must be submitted to the State by December of 2006. A draft of the Plan
was reviewed and recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Board in
June of 2004.
The draft Plan concluded that no new facilities were required to maintain service for
the period spanning 2005 through 2015. It also stated, “In 2015, the City will
require an average daily raw water demand of 44.93 mgd to produce 40.85 mgd of
potable water”. The City’s wellfields will have a surplus raw water production
capacity of 42.07 mgd and the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) will have a surplus
finished water capacity of 39.15 mgd. The City’s storage, distribution and treatment
systems are sufficient to meet the projected 2015 demand.
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The City’s draft 10-year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan projected that the City will
have a surplus wellfield capacity of 37.58 mgd in the year 2015, under 1-in-10-year
drought conditions. That projection does not include the three (3) proposed wells
authorized in our most recent SFWMD water use permit (WUP) renewal.
The draft 10-year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan recommended that the
Comprehensive Plan Potable Water Sub-element be amended to include the Water
Supply Facilities Workplan and that the Conservation Element be amended to
conform to the Workplan. Once adopted by the City Council, the Workplan will be
incorporated into the Data and Analysis documents that serve as technical support
for the Comprehensive Plan.
As was discussed in the Element Overview, the City has very little control over the
recharging of the local aquifer. Recharge occurs as a result of rainfall on and to the
west of the Boca Raton area. In general, regional water managers, LWDD &
SFWMD, are responsible for diverting water from the Lake Okeechobee area and the
Water Conservation Areas into the canal networks. The City continues to maintain
open and accurate channels of communication with these agencies.
City Programs
The City has implemented programs to slow the depletion of and increase the
recharge of the local groundwater resources.
• Since June 1987, the City has operated a pump which diverts as much as 44
mgd of surface water from the Hillsboro Canal into the E-2-E (Turnpike)
Canal (SFWMD WUP No. 50-01568 – W). This recharges the groundwaters of
the E-3 sub-basin.
• The City’s reclaimed water program, Project IRIS (In–city Reclamation Irrigation
System), replaces as much as six (6) mgd of raw and treated freshwater which
would be withdrawn and used for irrigation. Most of this reclaimed water is
applied as irrigation and returns to the shallow aquifer.
OBJECTIVE GSSAR.1.2.0: The City shall conserve potable water resources.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Surface water (canal) levels
2. Total withdrawals from the aquifer
3. Siting of new wellfields
4. Continuation of water conservation programs
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5. Compliance with (water shortage) emergency plans
Objective Achievement Analysis.
Surface Water Levels
The City continues to work with LWDD to maintain adequate surface water levels for
the necessary aquifer recharge. The City also continues to operate the Hillsboro
recharge pump based on maintaining a 9.3 ft level on the E-3 canal at Glades Road and
Butts Rd. In December 2004, new software was programmed to reestablish flow
calculations and pump runtimes for the pump station. This allows for more accurate
monitoring of the operation of this station.
Total withdrawals from the aquifer
The City continues to meet all limiting conditions of both SFWMD WUPs. The maximum
day withdrawal from the aquifer was 54.03 MG on June 2, 2004. This was below our
maximum day allocation of 64.65 mgd. As much as 6 mgd of IRIS water replaces
irrigation needs which would have been met by raw or treated surface or groundwaters.
Siting of new wellfields
The City has been permitted to construct three new 2 mgd wells. These will be sited on
City property on Banyan Blvd, northwest of the intersection of I-95 and Glades Road.
This is within the boundaries of the City’s water service area, and is westerly of any
areas of concern of saltwater intrusion.
Continuation of water conservation programs
As directed by several policies adopted in the 1989 Comprehensive Plan and 1996 EAR,
the City continues a number of programs directed toward water efficiency:
• The City’s reclaimed water program, Project IRIS (In-city Reclamation Irrigation
System) has been funded since 1990 for an estimated total cost of about $20
million. There are currently almost 900 customers, including the Boca Raton
Community Hospital, Florida Atlantic University, the Boca Raton Resort and Club,
two golf courses, 46 multi-family residences, 83 businesses, many acres of City
parks and median strips, and over 700 single family homes. Average daily
demand is 5.6 mgd with a maximum day demand of 6.8 mgd. Without Project
IRIS, this irrigation water would have been potable water, or untreated surface
or ground waters – all part of our local freshwater resources. Project IRIS
funding is included in the next 5 - year planned CIP expenditures. Currently
under design is a project to extend reclaimed water lines to the former T-Rex
property, the site of the City’s future Western/Spanish River library.
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• The City continues to use a tiered water rate structure which encourages water
conservation.
• The City continues to enforce the provisions of City Code of Ordinances, Section
17-57, adopted in 1990, which generally limits irrigation to a maximum of three
times a week during non-daylight hours.
• The City continues to vigorously enforce the provisions of the SFWMD water
shortage plan when a water shortage is declared.
• The City continues to require rain sensors be installed on new irrigation systems
• A number of programs contribute to a low “Unaccounted for Water” percentage
for our system. The difference between what is pumped from the plant and what
is metered is 6.9%, below the industry goal of 10 %. This means that we have a
“tight” system, with very little leakage or “lost” water
The popular measure of water conservation/efficiency is gallons per capita per day
(gpcpd), which is the daily water demand divided by the service area population, e g,
42 mgd /119,346 = 352 gpcpd. The use of gpcpd to measure a community’s water
conservation efforts may not be an accurate or meaningful measure.
• This only measures use of treated water, i.e. that water being produced by a
water plant. It does not include fresh water used directly from canals, lakes or
private wells. It is not an accurate measure of fresh water consumed by a
community.
• It could be argued that most water “used” for irrigation remains in the
freshwater cycle, i.e., eventually returns to a surface or groundwater source. On
the other hand, in southeast Florida, most water “consumed” and treated by a
wastewater plant is discharged to the ocean or injected into a deep well and
cannot be reused.
• This does not take into account the water used by non-residents, e.g., visitors,
employees, students, patients, etc, as they are not included in population
calculations. As noted earlier, our largest water users include FAU, Boca Raton
Resort and Club, Boca Technology Center, Boca Raton Community Hospital and
Palm Beach County School Board. These users are considered by the U.S. Census
as having no residential populations. The City is truly a regional tourist,
educational, employment, retail and institutional center.
• This measure is too “volatile” to be meaningful, at least not in the short term.
For example, the City’s per capita ranged from 316 to 445 within a single month
(July 2004). FDEP and SFWMD recognize the shortcomings of this measure and
are currently conducting statewide surveys to identify more meaningful
performance measures.
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Compliance with water shortage emergency plans
In December 2000, a Phase I Water Shortage Emergency was declared by the SFWMD.
The emergency was elevated to Phase II in January 2001 and to Modified Phase II in
April 2001. All emergency declarations were suspended in October 2001. City Code of
Ordinances Section 17-56 adopts chapter 40-E, Florida Administrative Code which
addresses Water Shortage Emergencies. City staff were vigilant in educating our citizens
and staff issued notice of violations when appropriate.
Over 1,100 cases/calls were investigated and Code Compliance and Police Services
personnel issued over 200 notices of violation. The City of Boca Raton’s Utility Services
field personnel were trained to be the “Eyes and Ears for Water Restrictions
Enforcement”. Employees witnessing apparent violations completed Affidavits of
Inspection, which were forwarded to Code Compliance for processing.
A significant City success ironically presented a challenge to enforcement personnel.
Originally, reclaimed water users were also exempt from the City’s Section 17-57 year–
round landscape irrigation restrictions, basically no daytime irrigation, and irrigation on
a maximum of three days per week (odd/even addresses). In 1999 the City Council
recognized two concerns: (1) reclaimed water is an important resource and should be
used wisely, and (2) Police Services and Code Compliance staff would sometimes
respond to citizen calls claiming violations of irrigation restrictions by (exempt) IRIS
customers. Ordinance No. 4476 revised Section 17-57 to allow residential users of
reclaimed water to irrigate each day of the week, but only between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00
a.m.
SFWMD rules specifically exempt users of reclaimed water from any landscape irrigation
restrictions during a declared water shortage. When SFWMD declared the Phase I
Water Shortage, the City adopted a policy that IRIS customers should still be held to
the ban on irrigation during daylight hours, but would continue to be permitted daily
irrigation. Police Services and Code Compliance staff again found themselves
responding to many citizen calls mistakenly alleging violations of the Water Shortage
restrictions, only to find they were residential IRIS customers and were not in violation.
City staff worked diligently to update enforcement personnel of the addresses of IRIS
customers, but the information was not always complete or correct, and resulted in
some frustration on the part of enforcement personnel. This would be a challenge
during future water shortages, as individual IRIS customers are not required to be
identifiable by the casual observer, and IRIS and non–IRIS customers are often nextdoor
neighbors. In spite of this situation, City staff and water customers worked
together successfully. In May 2001, the City Manager announced that the City has
achieved a 22% reduction in water usage, compared to last year.
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An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
There are no objectives that are directly related to the major issue.
Conclusions and Recommendations
1. Continue involvement with SFWMD’s Comprehensive Everglades Restoration
Program and Lower East Coast Water Supply Plan;
2. Begin SFWMD Water Use Permit renewal process;
3. Abandon two wells, construct three wells;
4. Continue expansion of project IRIS;
5. Continue sanitary sewer assessment projects;
6. Continue participation in Palm Beach County Wellfield Protection Program;
7. Continue annual joint funding agreement with U.S. Geological Survey; and
8. Continue participation in FDEP Water Conservation Initiative efforts, including
identification of water conservation performance measures.
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Analysis of Historic Preservation Element
Element Overview
The City of Boca Raton enjoys a level of cultural heritage that is established through the
preservation of its historical sites and districts. Boca Raton’s historic sites and unique
districts are valued assets to the City.
The City’s Historic Preservation Element is a planning tool used to guide future decisionmaking
with regard to promoting the educational, cultural, economic, and general
welfare of the City through the protection of the City’s historic sites and districts.
Essentially, the Historic Preservation Element addresses the awareness and demand for
historic preservation in the City of Boca Raton. The Element consists of three goals:
‣ To identify, document, and preserve its prehistoric and historic resources.
‣ To educate and increase public awareness of the City of Boca Raton’s lustrous
heritage.
‣ To ensure that the historic sites and districts remain vital parts of the
community, and places where economic development can be fostered.
Element Assessment
Objective HP 1.1.0: The City shall continue to implement the historic
preservation plan and program.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. A staff liaison has been assigned to the Historic Preservation Board to provide
support.
2. Pursuit of the Certified Local Government status is being sought by 2006.
3. Investigate the feasibility of providing incentives for preservation such as relief
from building codes, zoning ordinances, land development regulations, and
taxes, and adopt incentives as deemed appropriate.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The Historic Preservation Board, Boca Raton
Historical Society, and Development Services staff continues to identify, document, and
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preserve historic resources through establishing design guidelines, and promoting public
awareness through community forums, historic tours, and brochures.
Objective HP 1.2.0: Historic Preservation measures shall be implemented through
the Boca Raton City Code regulations.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Revisions to sections of the city’s zoning code and ordinances are continuously
being reviewed and amended to comply with current trends.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City of Boca Raton is currently reviewing the
zoning code and ordinances along with a consultant to amend the code and
ordinances.0
Objective HP 1.3.0: The City shall undertake to identify and evaluate the historic
resources within its environs.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. The update and completion of a historic resources inventory should funding
become available.
2. The protection and identification of all known significant archaeological sites
located on publicly owned land.
3. Filing of the appropriate reports for nomination of sites, buildings and districts to
National Register.
4. The mapping and public recording of historically designated properties.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The Historic Preservation Board, Boca Raton
Historical Society, and the Development Service staff liaison continue to encourage the
nomination of eligible historic sites. The Development Services Department and the
GIS Department are continuously updating city maps with the location of designated
historic resources and background information.
Objective HP 1.4.0: The City, though the auspices of the Historic Preservation Board
and designated department of municipal government, shall cooperate with the Boca
Raton Historical Society, the Historic Palm Beach Preservation Board, and the Junior
League in programs designed to enhance neighborhood and civic pride and instill
greater awareness throughout the community of its historically and culturally significant
sites.
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Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Provide plaques marking historically significant properties, and the usage of
signage for designations.
2. Develop partnerships with outside agencies.
3. Enhance public awareness.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The Historic Preservation Board continues to
award plaques marking historically significant properties, and use signs to identify
historically designated areas. Development Services with the assistance of the Boca
Raton Historical Society is developing a website that provides information regarding
how to designate a structure or property, the review process for obtaining a certificate
of appropriateness, etc. The Historic Board, and Historical Society offer tours of Old
Floresta, the train depot, and workshops throughout the year to increase public
awareness.
OBJECTIVE HP 1.5.0: The City shall continue to implement the Historic Preservation
Ordinance as well as continue to promote awareness among residents of its advisability
and requirements.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Establish procedures mandated by the Historic Preservation Ordinance for
designating historic resources, including the application process for certificate
of appropriateness.
2. Develop design guidelines by the year 2000.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The procedures for designating historic resources
has been codified and implemented. A certificate of appropriateness has been
developed and is currently being used to record activity on historic structures and
historic districts. Tentatively design guidelines have been created for Old Floresta and
Pearl City, but as of this date have not been adopted.
OBJECTIVE HP 1.6.0: The City shall promote the preservation and enhancement of
historic resources and scenic roads, parks, and by-ways that are under its jurisdiction.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. This objective has been transferred to policies.
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Objective Achievement Analysis. Policies have been established to allow the
Historic Preservation Board to consider placing names attributed by the City to streets
or physical locations for well-known historic personages associated with Boca Raton’s
past or the original plats for example Ruby Street in the Pearl City historic district.
An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
There are no objectives that are directly related to the major issue.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Primarily historic preservation is continuously evolving and striving to meet the
objectives established. The recommended changes are that policies be modified to
comply with current practice and offer more innovative opportunities to enhance public
awareness and take a proactive approach to preserve the City’s rich heritage. The
following are policies that should be reviewed and amended:
Policy H.P.1.1.2: The City shall pursue acceptance in the Certified Local Government
program, by the year 2000, as a means to obtain information about historic
preservation programs and financial support for the City’s own program.
Policy H.P. 1.2.2: By the Year 2000, Section 28-1688 (2) of the City Zoning Code
regarding the intent of Planned Developments, should be amended by adding
paragraph (h) providing that the intent of the article also be to preserve the historic
resources of the City of Boca Raton.
Policy H.P.1.5.3: By the Year 2000, specific guidelines shall be adopted for use by
the Historic Preservation Board in determining the appropriateness of requests for
alteration to designated properties.
Policy H.P.1.6.1: By the year 2000, the Historic Preservation Board shall consider
adoption of the guidelines for designating scenic roads, parks, and by-ways as historic
sites subject to review authority.
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Analysis of Public School Facilities Element
Element Overview
The Public School Facilities Element (PSFE) contains Goals, Objectives and Policies that
ensure space is planned for students and existing deficiencies are corrected, as well as
ensure that financially feasible capital improvements are planned adequately to achieve
and maintain the adopted Level of Service standard (LOS). The PSFE directs public
school siting to be coordinated with public facilities and infrastructure through a
coordinated review of development proposals. The proposed amendments are intended
to address the criteria for establishing school concurrency set forth in Rule 9J-5.025,
Florida Administrative Code. These requirements include the following:
Provide for adequate school capacity through a graduated (tiered) level of service for
each type of public school, which includes elementary, middle and high schools, until
such time as a standard LOS of 110% as determined by the Florida Inventory of School
Houses (FISH) is achieved and maintained;
Establish school Concurrency Service Areas (CSA) and/or ensuring adequate capacity
in adjoining CSAs;
Assure school facility requirements are met through a financially feasible 5-Year Work
Plan;
Establish mitigation measures for development proposals in order to ensure the
adopted LOS is maintained;
Provide intergovernmental coordination for siting schools to serve as focal points of
residential development; the collocation of schools with other public facilities; and
planning population projections;
Coordinate emergency preparedness issues;
Establish future conditions maps depicting existing school sites, areas of anticipated
future school sites, ancillary facilities and CSAs; and
Provide definitions of public school terms.
The goals of the PSFE provide for the future availability of public school facilities
consistent with the adopted LOS standard established under school concurrency and to
maintain and enhance the joint planning processes and procedures for coordination of
public education facilities.
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Element Assessment
OBJECTIVE PSFE.1.1.0 The City shall ensure that the capacity of schools is sufficient
to support student growth at the adopted level of service standard for each year of the
five-year planning period and through the long term planning period.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. The LOS standard for all schools of each type within the School District is 110
percent utilization, measured as the average for all schools of each type within
each Concurrency Service Area. No individual school shall be allowed to operate
in excess of 110% utilization, unless the school is the subject of a School
Capacity Study (SCS) which determines that the school can operate in excess of
110% utilization. As a result of an SCS, an individual school may operate at up
to 120% utilization.
2. If, as a result of a SCS, a determination is made that a school will exceed 120%
utilization or cannot operate in excess of 110% utilization, then the School
District shall correct the failure of that school to be operating within the adopted
LOS standard through 1) program adjustments 2) attendance boundary
adjustments or 3) modifications to the Capital Facilities Program to add
additional capacity. If, as a result of the SCS a determination is made that the
school will exceed 110% and can operate within adopted guidelines, the
identified school may operate at up to 120% utilization
3. The SCS shall determine if the growth rate within an area, causing the
enrollment to exceed 110 percent of capacity, is temporary or reflects an
ongoing trend affecting the LOS for the 5 year planning period.
4. The adopted LOS standard shall become applicable to the entire County at the
beginning of the 2004/05 school year, by which time the School District has
achieved the countywide adopted level of service for all schools of each school
type.
5. CSAs shall be established on a less than district-wide basis. Consistent with
s.163.3180(13)(c)2., F.S., changes to the CSA boundaries shall be made only by
amendment to the PSFE and shall be exempt from the limitation on the
frequency of plan amendments.
6. The City of Boca Raton shall consider as committed and existing the public
school capacity which is projected to be in place or under construction in the first
three years of the School District’s most recently adopted Five Year Plan.
7. The City of Boca Raton shall amend Table 1: the School District of Palm Beach
County Six Year Capital Improvement Schedule of the Capital Improvement
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Element when committed facility capacity is eliminated, deferred or delayed, to
ensure consistency with the School District Five Year Plan.
8. The permitting of a single-family residence on an existing single-family lot of
record shall not be subject to school concurrency.
9. The City of Boca Raton shall suspend or terminate its application of School
concurrency upon the occurrence and for the duration of the following
conditions:
‣ The occurrence of an “Act of God”;
‣ The School Board does not adopt an update to its Capital Facilities Plan by
September 15th of each year;
‣ The School District’s adopted update to its Capital Facilities Program Plan
does not add enough FISH capacity to meet projected growth in demand for
permanent student stations at the adopted level of service standard for each
CSA and ensures that no school of any type exceeds the maximum utilization
standard in any CSA; the School District Capital Facilities Plan is determined
to be financially infeasible, or if concurrency is suspended in one-third or
more of the CSAs
School Concurrency shall be suspended within a particular CSA upon the
occurrence and for the duration for the following conditions:
‣ Where an individual school in a particular CSA is twelve or more months
behind the schedule set forth in the School District Capital Facilities Plan,
concurrency will be suspended within that CSA and the adjacent CSAs for that
type of school;
‣ the School District does not maximize utilization of school capacity by
allowing a particular CSA or an individual school to exceed the adopted LOS
standard;
‣ the School Board materially amends the first 3 years of the Capital Facilities
Plan and that amendment causes the LOS to be exceeded for that type of
school within a CSA, concurrency will be suspended within that CSA and the
adjacent CSAs only for that type of school.
Objective Achievement Analysis: The Level of Service (LOS) standard was established
for all schools of each type within Palm Beach County School District as 110 percent
utilization, measured as the average for all schools of each type within each
Concurrency Service Area. Under the requirements for countywide school concurrency,
no individual school in Palm Beach County can operate in excess of 110% utilization,
unless the school is the subject of a School Capacity Study (SCS) undertaken by the
School District, working with the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), which determines
that the school can operate in excess of 110% utilization. The SCS is required if a
school in the first student count of the second semester reaches 108% or higher
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capacity. As a result of an SCS, an individual school may operate at up to 120%
utilization.
Pursuant to Rule 9J-5.025(3)(c)7., F.A.C. and Chapter 163.3180(13)(b)3., Florida
Statutes, the adopted LOS standard became applicable to the entire County at the
beginning of the 2004/05 school year. At that time, the School District achieved the
countywide adopted level of service for all schools of each school type.
The City of Boca Raton, working with the School District, ensures compliance with the
School District’s most recently adopted Five Year Plan, as reflected in Table 1 the
School District of Palm Beach County Six Year Capital Improvement Schedule of the
Capital Improvement Element of the Boca Raton Comprehensive Plan, by analyzing the
availability of school capacity and making level of service compliance determinations
with each residential development proposal. Further, the City of Boca Raton amends
Table 1: the School District of Palm Beach County Six Year Capital Improvement
Schedule of the Capital Improvement Element, each year following the School Board’s
adoption of the Five Year Plan.
OBJECTIVE PSFE.1.2.0: To allow for the School District of Palm Beach to provide for
mitigation alternatives which are financially feasible and will achieve and maintain the
adopted LOS standard in each year of the five-year planning period.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Mitigation shall be allowed for those development proposals that cannot meet
the adopted LOS standard.
2. LOS standards shall be met within the CSA for which a development is proposed,
or by using capacity from adjacent CSAs; otherwise, mitigation measures shall be
required for development order approval.
Objective Achievement Analysis: Pursuant to the Interlocal Agreement to establish
countywide school concurrency, mitigation is allowed for those development proposals
that cannot meet the adopted LOS standard. Mitigation options include options listed
below for which the School District assumes the operational responsibility and which will
maintain the adopted LOS standard for each year of the five-year planning period.
1. Donation of buildings for use as a primary or alternative learning facility; or
2. Renovation of existing buildings for use as public school facilities; or
3. Construction of permanent student stations or core capacity.
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The LOS standards for public schools have continued to be met for each proposed
development within the City of Boca Raton. Mitigation measures have never been
required with a proposed development.
OBJECTIVE PSFE.1.3.0: To ensure existing deficiencies and future needs are
addressed consistent with the adopted level of service standard.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. The City of Boca Raton, in coordination with the School District and other local
governments, shall annually amend the CIE (School District of Palm Beach
County Six-Year Capital Improvement Schedule), to maintain consistency with
the School Board’s adopted Five Year Plan and to maintain a financially feasible
capital improvements program and ensure that level of service standards will
continue to be achieved and maintained in each year of the five year planning
period.
Objective Achievement Analysis: The City of Boca Raton, in coordination with the School
District and other local governments, annually amends the CIE (School District of Palm
Beach County Six-Year Capital Improvement Schedule), to maintain consistency with
the School Board’s adopted Five Year Plan and to maintain a financially feasible capital
improvements program and ensure that level of service standards will continue to be
achieved and maintained in each year of the five year planning period.
Further, a referendum was approved by the residents of Palm Beach County in
November of 2004, to increase the sales tax by ½ cent to provide an additional $560
million in revenue to the School District to build new classrooms. This revenue will
have a significant impact on the District’s ability to maintain a financially feasible plan.
OBJECTIVE PSFE.2.1.0: To establish a process of coordination and collaboration
among the County, local governments, and the School District regarding the planning
and siting of public school facilities in coordination with planned infrastructure and
public facilities.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. The City shall coordinate and provide for expedited review of development
proposals with the School District during the development review process to
ensure compatibility of public school facilities with surrounding land uses.
2. The siting of public educational facilities shall comply with the City of Boca Raton
Code of Ordinances and the Comprehensive Plan.
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3. The proposed site shall be suitable or adaptable for development in accordance
with applicable water management standards, and shall not be in conflict with
the adopted or officially accepted plans of the South Florida Water Management
District, or any applicable Stormwater Utility or Drainage District.
4. The proposed location shall comply with the provisions of the Coastal Zone
Management Element of the comprehensive plan, if applicable to the site.
5. The City shall encourage the location of schools proximate to urban residential
areas.
6. The City shall coordinate with the School District for the collocation of public
facilities.
Objective Achievement Analysis: The City coordinates and provides for expedited
review of development proposals with the School District during the development
review process to ensure compatibility of public school facilities with surrounding land
uses. In addition, through the development review process, the City of Boca Raton
ensures that the siting of public educational facilities is in compliance with the City of
Boca Raton Code of Ordinances and the Comprehensive Plan and that the proposed site
is suitable or adaptable for development in accordance with applicable water
management standards, and does not conflict with the adopted or officially accepted
plans of the South Florida Water Management District, or any applicable Stormwater
Utility or Drainage District.
The City encourages the location of schools proximate to urban residential areas by:
1. Assisting the School District in identifying funding and/or construction
opportunities including developer participation for sidewalks, traffic
signalization, access, water, sewer, drainage and other infrastructure
improvements;
2. Providing for the review for all school sites; and,
3. Allowing schools as a permitted use within all urban residential land use
categories.
Further, the City continues to coordinate with the School District for the collocation of
public facilities, such as parks, libraries, and community centers with schools, to the
extent possible, as sites for these public facilities and schools are chosen and
development plans prepared.
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OBJECTIVE PSFE.2.2.0: To establish and maintain a cooperative relationship with
the School District and municipalities in coordinating land use planning with
development of public school facilities which are proximate to existing or proposed
residential areas they will serve and which serve as community focal points.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. The City shall abide by the “Palm Beach County Interlocal Agreement with
Municipalities of Palm Beach County and the School District of Palm Beach
County to establish Public School Concurrency”.
2. A Technical Advisory Group (TAG) shall be established by the County,
participating local governments, and the School District.
3. The City shall provide the School District with annual information needed to
maintain school concurrency.
4. The City shall provide the School District with its Comprehensive Plan, along with
the five-year Land Use and population projections, to facilitate development of
school enrollment projections, and shall annually update this information.
5. The City shall advise the School District of a proposed public school site’s
consistency with the City’s Comprehensive Plan and land development
regulations.
6. The City shall provide opportunity for the School District to comment on
comprehensive plan amendments, rezonings, and other land-use decisions which
may be projected to impact on the public schools facilities plan.
7. The City shall coordinate with local governments and the School District on
emergency preparedness issues.
Objective Achievement Analysis: The City annually provides the School District with
information needed to maintain school concurrency. In addition, the City abides by the
“Palm Beach County Interlocal Agreement with Municipalities of Palm Beach County and
the School District of Palm Beach County to establish Public School Concurrency”, which
was fully executed by the parties involved and recorded with the Clerk of the Circuit
Court of Palm Beach County on January 25, 2001, consistent with Chapter
163.3177(6)(h)1. and 2. F.S. and Chapter 163.3180 F.S. However, the original
Interlocal Agreement was amended by the School Board of Palm Beach County on
February 17, 2003, and the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners on April
1, 2003. As such, some minor adjustments need to be addressed within the City of
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Boca Raton’s Public School Facilities Element. These amendments are discussed in
detail in the recommendations section.
OBJECTIVE PSFE.2.3.0: To establish a joint process of coordination and
collaboration between the City of Boca Raton, Palm Beach County and the School
District in the planning and decision making on population projections.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. The City shall provide updated Land Use maps to the County.
2. The City commits to working with the School District and Palm Beach County to
improve this population forecasting methodology and enhance coordination with
the plans of the School District and local governments.
Objective Achievement Analysis: The City has continued to cooperate with the School
District to ensure that the School District maintains population projections. These
projections are shown in Exhibit E of the Interlocal Agreement as “Projected Units
Table” which are amended annually and provided to the School District.
Through the Intergovernmental Plan Amendment Review Committee (IPARC), the City
of Boca Raton works with the School District and Palm Beach County to improve this
methodology and enhance coordination with the plans of the School District and local
governments.
An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
There are no objectives that are directly related to the major issue.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Where necessary, policies in the City’s Public School Facilities Element will need to be
amended to make the Element consistent with the First Amendment to the School
Concurrency Interlocal Agreement. Proposed amendments include:
1) The addition of a definition for “First FTE Student County,” that would read:
First FTE Student Count – A first semester count of all “full time equivalent”
students. The date of the first FTE count is determined by the Florida Department of
Education each school year, pursuant to Chapter 1011.62, Florida Statutes.
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2) A change to Policy 1.1.1, which is provided below, to add language to the effect
that if a school is planned and under contract, in order to relieve capacity of an existing
school, that the existing school be allowed to exceed the 120% maximum utilization for
a limited period of time.
Policy PSFE.1.1.1: The LOS standard is the school’s utilization, which is defined
as the enrollment as a percentage of school student capacity based upon the Florida
Inventory of School Houses (FISH). The level of service (LOS) standard shall be
established for all schools of each type within the School District as 110 percent
utilization, measured as the average for all schools of each type within each
Concurrency Service Area. No individual school shall be allowed to operate in excess of
110% utilization, unless the school is the subject of a School Capacity Study (SCS)
undertaken by the School District, working with the Technical Advisory Group (TAG)
which determines that the school can operate in excess of 110% utilization. The SCS
shall be required if a school in the first FTE student count of the second semester
reaches 108% or higher capacity. As a result of an SCS, an individual school may
operate at up to 120% utilization. Upon determination by TAG, if a school is planned
and under contract or construction which will relieve capacity of an existing school, the
existing school shall be allowed to exceed the 120% maximum utilization for a period
not to exceed 2 years. The former is intended to prevent the movement of students
more than once.
3) A change to Policy PSFE.1.3.1, that concerns Chapter 163.2180, F.S. This
regulation states that the public school capital facilities program must be incorporated
into local government comprehensive plans on an annual basis. The School District has
proposed language (provided below) that would allow municipalities to either adopt the
Six Year Capital Improvement Schedule in their own Comprehensive Plans by reference
or agree to default to the table of capital facilities improvements that are included in the
annual updates in the County’s Capital Improvements Element.
Policy PSFE.1.3.1: The Municipality, in coordination with the County and the
School District, shall annually adopt the updated Table 17 of the Capital Improvement
Element (School District of Palm Beach County Six-Year Capital Improvement Schedule)
by reference, or follow other procedures consistent with Rule 9J-5, Florida
Administrative Code. This provision is intended to maintain consistency with the School
Board’s adopted Five-Year Plan and to maintain a financially feasible capital
improvements program and ensure that level of service standards will continue to be
achieved and maintained in each year of the five-year planning period.
4) An amendment to the Map Series to add a footnote that clarifies that the
Concurrency Service Area Maps do not need to be amended annually but rather on a
need be basis.
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4) An amendment to the Map Series to add a footnote that clarifies that the
Concurrency Service Area Maps do not need to be amended annually but rather on a
need be basis.
The Concurrency Service Area Map, # PS 3.1, will be amended if there are future
changes to the boundaries of the Service Areas. Maps 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 will be updated
from time to time as they become obsolete, as determined by the Interlocal Plan
Amendment Review Committee.
The Interlocal Agreement has a five-year term that ends in January 2006. If the
Agreement were to terminate, it could have an impact on the ability to maintain the
adopted LOS. However, as long as the parties want the Agreement to continue, it will
automatically be renewed for another five (5) years.
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Analysis of Intergovernmental Coordination
Element
Element Overview
The purpose of the Intergovernmental Coordination Element (ICE) is to develop a
comprehensive, cooperative process among all governmental entities having a bearing
on city policy and practice in order to resolve intergovernmental issues. In compliance
with 9J-5.015, F.S., the City of Boca Raton's ICE inventories all local government, quasigovernmental,
and other entities that are involved in city development, public facilities
and service delivery, policy, and practice. The ICE documents current procedures for
the review, discussion and resolution of intergovernmental issues among these entities,
and provides for improvement or new procedures where warranted.
The Intergovernmental Coordination Element of the City's Comprehensive Plan was
conscientiously prepared to meet and satisfy the goals and requirements set out in 9J-
5.015, F.S. The ICE, as adopted, provides for intergovernmental processes among
adjacent municipalities, the County, and counties adjacent to the City of Boca Raton.
The Intergovernmental Coordination Element is based on the following required
data 9J-5.015(1)(a) and (b):
• An inventory of all adjacent governments, school boards and other
local government units providing services, other than land use
regulation; independent special districts, water management
districts, regional planning agencies, and state agencies with which
the City coordinates; state and/or regional agencies which regulate
land use or the environment; other entities which provide services
to the City.
• A description of existing coordination mechanisms, and the
person/office responsible for these in each of the above entities.
ELEMENT ASSESSMENT
OBJECTIVE ICE.1.1.0: A communication mechanism shall be established or
enhanced for the review and analysis of comprehensive planning issues for the purpose
of coordinating the Boca Raton Comprehensive Plan with the plans of school boards,
adjacent municipalities, the county, adjacent counties, and other units of local
government providing services but not having regulatory authority over the use of land.
In addition, a process of coordination and collaboration shall be established among the
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County, local governments, and the School District regarding the planning and siting of
public school facilities in coordination with planned infrastructure and public facilities. –
Public School Facilities Element, Objective 2.1.0
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
‣ Distribution of the city's comprehensive plan, describing present and future
planning activities within the City, to the entities listed in ICE.1.1.0.
‣ The exchange of comprehensive plans, and notification to public entities of
comprehensive plan amendments.
‣ On an ongoing basis, review and compare proposed development in adjacent
jurisdiction with proposed development in the Boca Raton Comprehensive plan
for consistencies and conflicts between elements and plans. Respond at public
hearings, in writing, and/or through TCRPCs mediation process.
‣ The City will identify staff in the Development Services Department as liaisons
with the County, TCRPC, DCA, and DHRS; with the Florida Game and Fresh
Water Fish Commission, and DEP, responsible to be the city contact to monitor,
review and coordinate development information and policy decisions affecting
the coordination of planning activities.
‣ The City shall identify staff in the Municipal Services Department to serve as
liaison with the Federal Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), with responsibilities described in
ICE1.1.3.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City has continued to be a member of the
countywide Intergovernmental Plan Amendment Review Committee (IPARC), which is a
body comprised of staff from County and municipal planning departments, Treasure
Coast Regional Planning Council and the School District. This committee reviews
comprehensive plan amendments, school district relating issues and countywide
projects. In addition, City staff continues to serve as staff liaisons to City and county
boards.
OBJECTIVE ICE.1.2.0: Ensure through coordination mechanisms that the local
government addresses the impacts of development proposed in the city's
comprehensive plan, upon development in adjacent local governments, the region, and
the state. Furthermore, the City shall participate in intergovernmental coordination
processes to insure full consideration is given to the impacts of proposed
comprehensive plan amendments and future developments on the ability of the City
and adjacent local governments to implement their comprehensive plans and to address
area wide land use needs and data and analysis in support of proposed amendments.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
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‣ By request, the City shall review comprehensive plans of adjacent governments
to evaluate the impact of proposed development in Boca Raton to development
in the area of concern.
‣ The City shall resolve conflicts through TCRPC's mediation process.
‣ The City shall negotiate an interlocal agreement with Palm Beach County
requiring all developments proposed for the unincorporated area of Palm Beach
County inside the "water and sewer service area" be presented to the City's
Public Utilities and Development Services Departments prior to final action on the
proposed development. The City Manager shall, based on criteria in the
agreement, make a finding as to whether that development may hook up to
water and sewer services provided by the city.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City has implemented all the above measures
with good results, and continues to utilize them.
OBJECTIVE ICE.1.3.0: Maintain existing coordination mechanisms which are
effective, enhance, or revise existing mechanisms which are ineffective, or establish
new mechanisms; i.e., initiating an ad-hoc staff committee to ensure the coordination
of establishing, implementing, and modifying level of service standards for public
facilities with any state, regional, or local entity having operational and maintenance
responsibilities for such facilities.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
‣ Toward the end of achieving consistent LOS standards, participate in
intergovernmental activities with all entities that provide services monitored for
LOS.
‣ In future annexations, the City will adhere to and follow these portions of the
Palm Beach County Interim Annexation Policy: thoroughfare ROW protection;
fire-rescue service; LOS to be established in newly annexed areas; public
facilities meeting service needs of proposed annexation areas; "service delivery
enclaves"; cooperative mapping with adjacent jurisdictions; the requirements of
Chapter 171, FS; and interlocal agreements to rectify deficiencies/address
facilities to be provided by another jurisdiction. In the event of disputes,
mediation assistance will be sought through TCRPC.
‣ A Mutual Aid Agreement between the City and PBC was to have been completed
in 1997 to formalize emergency preparedness coordination.
‣ Within the limits of Policy ICE1.3.4, the city is to participate in TCRPC conflict
resolution session to mediate conflicts with other local governments.
‣ The City Manager will designate a primary coordinating City department for new
governmental entities corresponding to categories in the Data and Analysis
Section of this element. (9J-5.015(3)(c)(3); SRPP Coordination Outline).
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Objective Achievement Analysis. The City has implemented all the above measures
with good results, and continues to utilize them.
OBJECTIVE ICE.1.4.0: This Comprehensive Plan shall be consistent with the
Comprehensive Plans of adjacent municipalities, Palm Beach County, the Treasure
Coast Regional Policy Plan, and the State Comprehensive Plan. Additionally, the City
will adhere to Policies 1.4.1.1 to 1.4.8.14 to facilitate coordination with the County,
adjacent municipalities, regional authorities, and state agency functional plans.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
‣ Policies 1.4.1.1 through 1.4.9.12 refer to provision of services covered in other
Comprehensive Plan elements; measurability for these policies is discussed in the
corresponding elements (listed below):
Objective Achievement Analysis: Policies 1.4.1.1 through 1.4.9.12 refer to provision of
services covered in other Comprehensive Plan elements; measurability for these policies
is discussed in the corresponding elements (listed below):
• Potable Water: Policies 2.3.4; 2.3.5; 2.3.8; 2.3.9;
• Aquifer Recharge: Policies 1.1.2; 1.1.4; 1.1.5; 1.2.5;
• Drainage: Policy 5.2.4;
• Housing: Policies 1.2.7; 1.3.2; 1.3.3; 1.3.4; 1.5.2; 1.5.3; 1.5.4; 1.5.5; 1.6.3; 1.7.1
• Coastal Management Element: Policies 1.1.2; 1.2.1(a), (a)(ii),(b); 1.3.1(a);1.5.0;
1.5.2; 1.5.3; 1.5.5; 1.6.2; 1.7.1; 1.8.0; 1.9.1;
• Recreation and Open Space: Policies 2.2.1; 2.2.2; 2.2.3; 2.2.4; 2.2.5
• Historic Preservation: Policy 1.2.5
• Future Land Use: Policy1.5.3
• Transportation: Policies.3.1; 1.3.3; 1.3.4
• Public School Facilities: Policies 1.3.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.3, 2.1.6, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 2.2.4,
2.2.5, 2.2.6, 2.2.7, 2.3.2
An Assessment of Plan Objectives as They Relate to the Major Issue
[163.3191(2)(g)]
There are no objectives that are directly related to the major issue.
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Conclusions and Recommendations
The Element appears to meet the original requirements of Chapter 163 and 9J-5 and is
functioning as intended under the coordination procedures and mechanisms that were
put in place under the 1989 adopted Plan. However, the following policies are out of
date and should be revised for the following basis:
‣ Policies ICE.1.4.8.13 and 14 regarding High Speed Rail are not necessary since
the state constitutional provision to build this system was repealed; however, the
Florida High Speed Rail Authority still exists and continues to work on the
initiative.
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Analysis of Capital Improvement Element
Element Overview
Chapter 163,3177, F.S., requires that each local government's comprehensive plan
contain a capital improvement element to that consider the need for and location of
public facilities. A specific provision of the legislation requires that the public facilities
included in the Capital Improvement Element be based on standards to ensure the
availability of public facilities and the adequacy of those facilities including acceptable
levels of service. The administrative regulation that implements the statutes defines
"level of service" as "...an indicator of the extent or degree of service provided by a
facility based on and related to the operational characteristics of the facility. Level of
service shall indicate the capacity per unit of demand for each public facility."
The Capital Improvement Element (CIE) for the City of Boca Raton evaluates public
facility requirements for the City, and identifies specific public facilities standards as
they relate to municipal services. Furthermore, the CIE prioritizes the implementation of
capital improvements projects based on public facility requirements, and provides the
funding necessary for implementation.
Element Assessment
OBJECTIVE CIE. 1.1.0: To Define types of public facilities, establish standards for
levels of service for each type of public facility, and determine what capital
improvements are needed in order to achieve and maintain the adopted standards for
levels of service.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Established Level of Service Standards for each element of the
comprehensive plan.
2. Annual Infrastructure Report/Concurrency Management System.
3. Amendments to the Capital Improvement Element to include capital
improvements necessary to achieve and maintain the adopted standards of
service.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City of Boca Raton established level of service
standards for Transportation, Potable Water, Sanitary Sewer, Recreation and Open
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Space, Historic Preservation, Coastal Management and Sanitation as part of the original
adoption of the Comprehensive Plan. Subsequently, the City of Boca Raton also
adopted level of service standards for Public Schools. Annually, the City adopts an
amended Capital Improvement Element, which provides for the capital improvements
necessary to maintain or achieve the adopted standards of service. Each department is
responsible for preparing the Annual Infrastructure Report as part of the Concurrency
Management System that demonstrates that each element has complied with the
adopted standards of service.
OBJECTIVE CIE.1.2.0: To ensure the Schedule of Capital Improvements is financially
feasible.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Adoption by City Council of a fully funded Capital Improvements Plan, which
incorporates the requirements of the Capital Improvement Element.
2. Adoption of the Annual Budget.
3. Adoption of Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Policies.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City of Boca Raton prepares a Six-Year Capital
Improvement Plan on an annual basis and all projects necessary to maintain and
achieve the adopted level of service standard in the Capital Improvement Element of
the Comprehensive Plan are included in the CIP. As part of the development of the CIP
each project is reviewed and evaluated prior to inclusion in the CIP. The CIP also
includes the determination of the funding for each project over the six-year time frame.
The sources of funding for the CIP include general fund revenues, bonds, grants,
developer contributions, utility rates, user fees and various other funding sources which
are available to the City. The City Council by resolution formally adopts the City’s Six-
Year Capital Improvement Plan on an annual basis. The approved Budget also includes
CIP Policies which are updated annually.
OBJECTIVE CIE.1.3.0: To provide financial guidelines for the funding of capital
improvements and to schedule the funding and construction of improvements in a
manner necessary to ensure that capital improvements to meet the needs of future
development and redevelopment caused by previously issued and new development
orders will be provided to meet the level of service standards adopted in the plan.
Monitoring Measure. The following are the adopted monitoring measures for this
objective:
1. Adoption by City Council of a fully funded Capital Improvements Plan, which
incorporates the requirements of the Capital Improvement Element.
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2. Adoption of the Annual Budget.
3. Adoption of Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Policies.
Objective Achievement Analysis. The City of Boca Raton prepares a Six-Year Capital
Improvement Plan on an annual basis and all projects necessary to maintain and
achieve the adopted level of service standard in the Capital Improvement Element of
the Comprehensive Plan are included in the CIP. As part of the development of the CIP
each project is reviewed and evaluated prior to inclusion in the CIP. The CIP also
includes the determination of the funding for each project over the six-year time frame.
The sources of funding for the CIP include general fund revenues, bonds, grants,
developer contributions, utility rates, user fees and various other funding sources which
are available to the City. The City Council by resolution formally adopts the City’s Six-
Year Capital Improvement Plan on an annual basis. The approved Budget also includes
CIP Policies which are updated annually.
OBJECTIVE CIE.1.4.0: To manage the land development process to insure that all
development receives public facility levels of service equal to, or greater than the
standards adopted in Policy 1.1.2 of this Element based on the City’s adopted
Concurrency Management System.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Annual Infrastructure Report/Concurrency Management System.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Annually, the City adopts an amended Capital
Improvement Element, which provides for the capital improvements necessary to
maintain or achieve the adopted standards of service. Each department is responsible
for preparing the Annual Infrastructure Report as part of the Concurrency Management
System that demonstrates that each element has complied with the adopted standards
of service.
OBJECTIVE CIE.1.5.0: The City shall protect the coastline and avoid loss of life and
property in coastal areas by minimizing land development and public facilities in coastal
high hazard areas as defined by Coastal Management Policy 1.4.1.
Monitoring Measure. The following is the adopted monitoring measure for this
objective:
1. Annual Infrastructure Report/Concurrency Management System.
Objective Achievement Analysis. Each department is responsible for preparing the
Annual Infrastructure Report as part of the Concurrency Management System that
demonstrates that each element has complied with the adopted standards of service.
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Conclusions And Recommendations
The Annual Infrastructure Report prepared by each department for each element of the
Comprehensive Plan and submitted annually to the City Manager as part of the
Concurrency Management System should be provided to the Office of Management and
Budget annually as part of the amendment to the Capital Improvement Element.
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Chapter 5
Conclusions and
Recommendations

Conclusions and Recommendations
This portion of the EAR provides the recommended amendments to the City’s
comprehensive plan. The recommendations are based upon the staff review and
analysis of each of the elements of the Comprehensive Plan, provided in Chapter 4 of
the EAR and the legislative changes to Chapter 163, F.S. and Rule 9J-5, F.A.C.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO ELEMENTS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Future Land Use Element
The comprehensive plan currently does not establish intensity standards for the
Institutional (PI), Recreation (PR), or Conservation and Open Space (N) land use
designations. The comprehensive plan states that the intensity standards for these land
uses be established by the land development regulations. In order to comply with state
law, intensity standards for these land uses shall be established and stated in the
comprehensive plan.
In addition, since the last planning period, a total of 1,394.75 acres was annexed into
the City from Palm Beach County. The Future Land Use designations for the land area
have not been changed from County to City designations. Plan amendments to City
land use designations will be conducted during the EAR-based plan amendment
process.
With regard to the major issue, there is no clear policy direction in the Future Land Use
Element that addresses pedestrian, bicycle and transit-oriented development or the
relationship between transportation and land use planning. Based upon the proposed
feasibility study to establish a Multimodal Transportation District (MMTD), it is
anticipated that new goals, objectives and policies will be prepared to support the
designation of a MMTD.
Since transportation mobility is the major issue of the City of Boca Raton 2005 EAR and
continued development and redevelopment in Downtown will significantly impact the
transportation and mobility in the City, it is important that any amendment to the 1992
DDRI Development Order be consistent with and re-enforces the 2005 EAR. Currently,
staff intends to accomplish this by making any amendment to the 1992 DDRI
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Development Order subject to any new initiatives with respect to multimodal
transportation systems, mass transit and transportation management brought about by
the 2005 EAR process and subsequent Comprehensive Plan Amendments to the extent
that these requirements are in excess of those contained in the amendment to the 1992
DDRI Development Order.
Legislative required amendments to the Future Land Use Element include:
Pursuant to Rule 9J-5.006(6), F.S, if a multimodal transportation district is established
the City of Boca Raton will be required to establish design standards for such a district.
Transportation Element
The City now recognizes that capacity is also added to the transportation network
through alternative modes of transportation, which is not currently recognized in the
traditional roadway level of service assessment. The City is looking for alternative ways
to achieve its goals through the use of TDM, transit, bikeways, sidewalks, potential land
use changes and ultimately a Multimodal Transportation District.
1. Develop appropriate Goals, Policies and Objectives to support the establishment and
operation of a multimodal transportation district. The City’s transportation focus will
become more holistic, raising the priority of the transit user, cyclist and pedestrian.
2. Provide for consistency with the County’s Comprehensive plan as the County has
made amendments to their Comprehensive Plan that have not been implemented by
the City, such as Corridor Master Plans. Corridor Master Plans were initiated to
address corridors where the adopted level of service may not be achieved in the 20-
year plan.
3. Provide policies relating to the pedestrian, bicycle, greenway and trail facilities will
be transferred from the Recreation and Open Space Element and placed in
Objective Tran 1.4.0 Integration of All Modes of Transportation. All
transferred policies will be reviewed to ensure no duplications exist.
4. Recommend Objective 2.1.0 and 2.3.0 relating to Airport development be
transferred to Land Use Element. Objective 2.1.0 concerns compatible land use
planning with the Airport. Objective 2.3.0 concerns coordination with other agencies
for airport development.
5. Recommend updating Objectives 3.1.0 and 3.2.0 as PalmTran has not requested
this land use and re-zoning information. The City will continuously work with
PalmTran to improve and expand the transit system in and around the City.
197

6. Recommend updating Goal 4.0.0 and related objectives and policies to change Tri-
County Commuter Rail to South Florida Regional Transportation Authority.
7. Delete Policy TRAN. 4.1.1, “The City shall assist the Tri-County Commuter Rail to
relocate its Boca Raton station to the proposed park and ride facility, located at I-95
just north of Clint Moore Road and just south of the C-15 Canal, if it becomes
necessary in the future. The City will, through negotiations with the FDOT and Tri-
Rail committee, help with this relocation.” The relocation of the Tri-Rail station has
been accomplished.
8. Evaluate deleting Objective TRAN 4.2.0 and related policies. “The City of Boca
Raton will work coordinate with the State of Florida Transportation Commission
(FTC), the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), and Florida Overland
Express (FOX) to develop a High Speed Rail Station system.” The Florida voters
eliminated the option for a FOX high-speed rail during the last election.
9. Recommend adding the following new policy: “Encourage the development of higher
density, mixed use, transit and pedestrian oriented urban centers in designated
areas within the City as approved by the City Council.”
Legislative required amendments to the Transportation Element include:
• Define public transit, general lanes and port facility consistent with Rule 9J-
5.003, F.A.C.
• Pursuant to 9J-5.019(4)(c), F.A.C.:
1. Provide for safe and convenient on-site traffic flow;
2. Establish measures for the acquisition and preservation of public transit
rights-of-way and corridors;
3. Promote ports, airports and related facilities development and expansion;
4. Mitigate adverse structural and non-structural impacts from ports, airports
and related facilities;
5. Protect and conserve natural resources within ports, airports and related
facilities;
6. Coordinate intermodal management of surface and water transportation
within ports, airports and related facilities; and
7. Protect ports, airports and related facilities from encroachment of
incompatible land uses.
• Pursuant to Rule 9J-5.0055(8), F.A.C., provide amendments that direct public
transit facilities to not be subject to concurrency requirements.
198

• Pursuant to Rule 9J-5.019(4)(c), F.A.C., establish level of service standards for
general lanes of the Florida Intrastate Highway System within urbanized areas,
with the concurrence of the Department of Transportation.
• Pursuant to Rule 9J-5.0055(2)(b), (3), (3)(c), (4) F.A.C., should a MMTD be
established, the following amendments will be required:
1. Multimodal transportation level of service standards;
2. Requirements for a multimodal transportation district;
3. The data and analysis to demonstrate that community design elements will
reduce vehicle miles of travel and support an integrated, multimodal
transportation system;
4. Objectives to address provision of a safe, comfortable and attractive
pedestrian environment with convenient access to public transportation.
• Pursuant to Chapter 163.3180(1)(a), policies shall be established that require
transportation facilities to be subject to concurrency.
• Pursuant to 163.3180(1)(b), F.S., professionally accepted techniques for
measuring level of service for cars, trucks, transit, bikes and pedestrians must be
established.
Housing Element
It is recommended that a new policy be created that would require the City of Boca
Raton, in cooperation with other participating municipalities, to investigate the merits of
having additional regulatory mechanisms to encourage the construction of very low, low
and moderate income housing, with an emphasis on helping those whose household
incomes are between 80% and 120-150% of median and are not able to find housing
they can afford in proximity to their place of employment. The types of regulatory
items to be considered include but need not be limited to:
1. A mixed use future land use designation and zoning district;
2. Implementation of some type of inclusionary housing;
3. Program which could involve affordable housing set asides as part of
development review and approval;
4. Adoption of “linkage” programs whereby the approval of commercial or office
development is associated with the provision of affordable housing units; and
5. Promotion of transit-oriented land use patterns.
Legislative required amendments to the Housing Element include:
• Pursuant to 9J-5.010(1)(c), F.A.C., include a description of substandard dwelling
units.
199

Coastal Management Element
It is recommended that components of Policy C.M. 1.4.1 be revised to better balance
redevelopment needs with private property rights. The following changes are
suggested:
Policy CM 1.4.1: Restrict Development in Coastal High-Hazard Areas. The
City shall incorporate appropriate policies in the land development regulations in
order to direct permanent residential population concentrations away from
knownor predicted coastal high-hazard areas (i.e., areas located within the high
velocity hurricane zone as denoted on the Federal Emergency Management
Agency [FEMA] Flood Insurance Rate Maps [FIRM] for the City of Boca Raton,
areas that are scientifically predicted to experience damage, areas that have
historically experienced destruction or severe storm-related damage, areas
seaward of the coastal construction line, and inlets which are not structurally
controlled). The following provisions shall be incorporated into the revised land
development regulations to restrict development within the coastal high-hazard
area:
a. Consistent with Coastal Management Policy 1.2.1, no new uses other than
stipulated water-dependent structures shall be allowed in the coastal highhazard
area and the location of new habitable structures is expressly
prohibited. Infill or redevelopment densities and intensities in coastal high
hazard areas shall be consistent with existing adjacent development but at
densities and intensities no greater than the adopted future land use
designations. Similarly, sewage Sewage treatment plants, industrial
holding ponds and other potentially polluting facilities within the coastal
high-hazard area are prohibited. [9J-5.012(3)(c)7,9]
b. Require any permitted construction within the FEMA V Zones to meet
storm and floodproofing standards required for a 100-year storm.
c. In the event of structural damage in excess of 50% of value of a
structure, said structure may be rebuilt to current construction
requirements.
d. All new development and redevelopment in the coastal building zone shall
comply with the requirements of Chapter 161 F.S., and the Coastal
Construction Code of the City of Boca Raton. [9J-5.012(3)(c)(7); SRPP
5.1.1.1., 5.2.1.8, 5.4.1.7, 7.3.1.1.; SCP 9(b)3)
200

Conservation Element
All of the objectives have continued to be met. Therefore, there are no recommended
changes.
Recreation and Open Space Element
Objective REC 1.5.0, which refers to the integration of pedestrian walkways,
bikeways, greenways and trails into a traffic circulation and open space linkage system
as a means of creating an alternative to automotive transportation is no longer under
the authority of the Parks and Recreation Department. The transportation planning
staff within the Municipal Services Department has been delegated the responsibility.
As such, this objective should be transferred to the Transportation Element with the
following amendments.
Move OBJECTIVE REC.1.5.0 to incorporate with Objective Tran 1.4.0: Revised Tran
1.4.0 would read: Integration of All Modes of Transportation. Integrate pedestrian
walkways and bikeways, greenways and trails, within the traffic circulation and open
space linkage system, as an alternative to automotive transportation and to optimize
the comfort and safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. By 2015, the traffic circulation
system shall be an integrated network providing rail, transit, pedestrian walkways and
bikeways as alternative modes of travel.
Move and amend Policy REC.1.5.1 to new TRAN 1.4.12: Develop an updated
bicycle, pedestrian, greenways & trails master plan which will develop a fine grained
network of pedestrian walkways and bikeways between residential areas, schools,
employment areas, retail centers, recreational areas, natural areas and other public
facilities utilizing roadway, utility, canal and railroad corridors to include the annexed
areas.
Move Policy REC.1.5.2 to replace TRAN 1.4.1: Coordinate with other City
departments to incorporate bicycle and pedestrian facilities on all local, collector and
arterial roads under the City’s jurisdiction where right-of-way is available emphasizing
sidewalks, wide curb lanes, bike lanes, and /or paved shoulders as the desired facility
type. (SRPP, Regional Transportation 7.1.2.2)
Move and amend Policy REC.1.5.3 to new TRAN 1.4.13: The Recreation Municipal
Services Department will be responsible for the coordination of planning, design, and
construction of both off-road and on-road bicycle and pedestrian systems. The Utility
Municipal Services Department shall be responsible for implementing the planning,
design and construction of both off-road and on-road bicycle and pedestrian systems.
The Municipal Services Department will be responsible for the maintenance of the onroad
system and Recreation Services Department shall be responsible for the
maintenance of the off-road system.
201

Move Policy REC.1.5.4 to new TRAN 1.4.14: The bicycle and pedestrian system
shall continue to be coordinated, and incorporated with other public street improvement
projects, including: road widening, bridge construction, street tree planting, resurfacing
projects where right-of-way is not a constraint.
Move Policy REC.1.5.5 to new TRAN 1.4.15: The City will continue to cooperate
with adjacent communities and Palm Beach County to establish and equitably finance
an interconnected bicycle, pedestrian, greenways and trails network system.
Move and amend Policy REC.1.5.6 to replace TRAN 1.4.3: All new mixed-use
commercial and residential development or redevelopment, residential, multi-use family
and non residential proposals shall continue to provide safe and convenient bicycle and
pedestrian facilities as a means of travel within and between adjacent uses.
Move and amend Policy REC.1.5.7 to new TRAN 1.4.16: All new mixed-use
commercial and residential developments or redevelopment, multi-family and nonresidential
proposals shall continue to provide adequate bicycle parking facilities.
Move and amend Policy REC.1.5.8 to new TRAN 1.4.17: The City shall continue to
provide an alternative to automotive transportation that optimizes the comfort and
safety of bicyclists by implementing bicycle transportation in the work place by requiring
new non-residential developments and additions to non-residential developments,
based on square footage calculation, to include bicycle amenities (example; secure bike
lockers, well placed bike racks, shower and locker facilities).
Legislative required amendments to the Recreation and Open Space Element include:
• Pursuant to Section 163.3177(5)(a), the level of service tables will be updated to
include both five-year and ten–year planning horizons.
General Sewer, Solid Waste, Drainage, Potable Water and Natural
Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Element
Sewer Subelement
New policies are recommended that address the following:
1. Complete WWTP equipment replacement;
2. Continue sanitary sewer improvements of unsewered areas program;
3. Continue to replace/rehabilitate can-type pump stations with submersibles;
4. Continue proactive lining of sewer pipes, manholes and service lines;
5. Complete expansion of IRIS to Boca Technology Center area;
6. Identify and fund future IRIS expansions;
202

7. Continue to participate in regional biosolids facility project;
8. Construct Intracoastal Waterway parallel force mains; and
9. Continue to maintain emergency work order contracts for pipeline or pump
station repairs
Solid Waste Subelement
The Solid Waste Subelement should be amended to delete Objective GSSSW.4A.4.0:
In addition, a policy should be established to require the registration of all private
haulers that collect solid waste within the City. This record will be maintained by the
Municipal Services Department.
Drainage Subelement
Policies should be established that direct the City to proceed with a Master Stormwater
Management study to:
1. Identify area wide drainage problems;
2. Develop policies for prioritizing drainage improvements;
3. Identify alternative funding source to implement the Capital improvements; and
4. Investigate NPDES permit requirement and how development or redevelopment
could impact the City’s ability to comply with those requirements.
Potable Water Subelement
New policies are recommended that address the following:
1. Continue current processes for developing and adopting annual Operating and
CIP budgets and five (5)-year schedule of expected capital expenditures;
2. Continue project review processes by which required developer-funded
improvements are identified;
3. Continue to charge and collect impact fees;
4. Continue to have outside (consulting engineers) review of water system facilities,
including recommended improvements, scheduling and funding;
5. Continue involvement with CERP and LECWSP;
6. Begin WUP renewal process;
7. Abandon two (2) wells, construct three (3) wells;
8. Continue expansion of project IRIS;
9. Continue sanitary sewer assessment projects;
10. Continue participation in Palm Beach County Wellfield Protection Program;
11. Continue annual joint funding agreement with USGS;
12. Continue participation in WCI efforts, including identification of water
conservation performance measures; and
13. Complete MSP installation.
203

Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge Subelement
New policies are recommended that address the following:
1. Continue involvement with SFWMD’s Comprehensive Everglades Restoration
Program and Lower East Coast Water Supply Plan;
2. Begin SFWMD Water Use Permit renewal process;
3. Abandon two wells, construct three wells;
4. Continue expansion of project IRIS;
5. Continue sanitary sewer assessment projects;
6. Continue participation in Palm Beach County Wellfield Protection Program;
7. Continue annual joint funding agreement with U.S. Geological Survey; and
8. Continue participation in FDEP Water Conservation Initiative efforts, including
identification of water conservation performance measures.
Historic Preservation Element
It is recommended that the following policies should be reviewed and amended to
comply with current practice and offer more innovative opportunities to enhance public
awareness and take a proactive approach to preserve the City’s rich heritage:
Policy H.P.1.1.2: The City shall pursue acceptance in the Certified Local Government
program, by the year 2000, as a means to obtain information about historic
preservation programs and financial support for the City’s own program.
Policy H.P. 1.2.2: By the Year 2000, Section 28-1688 (2) of the City Zoning Code
regarding the intent of Planned Developments should be amended by adding paragraph
(h) providing that the intent of the article also be to preserve the historic resources of
the City of Boca Raton.
Policy H.P.1.5.3: By the Year 2000, specific guidelines shall be adopted for use by
the Historic Preservation Board in determining the appropriateness of requests for
alteration to designated properties.
Policy H.P.1.6.1: By the year 2000, the Historic Preservation Board shall consider
adoption of the guidelines for designating scenic roads, parks and by-ways as historic
sites subject to review authority.
204

Public School Facilities Element
Where necessary, policies in the City’s Public School Facilities Element will need to be
amended to make the Element consistent with the First Amendment to the School
Concurrency Interlocal Agreement. Proposed amendments include:
1. The addition of a definition for “First FTE Student County,” that would read:
First FTE Student Count – A first semester count of all “full time equivalent”
students. The date of the first FTE count is determined by the Florida Department of
Education each school year, pursuant to Chapter 1011.62, Florida Statutes.
2. A change to Policy 1.1.1, which is provided below, to add language to the
effect that if a school is planned and under contract, in order to relieve capacity
of an existing school, that the existing school be allowed to exceed the 120%
maximum utilization for a limited period of time.
Policy PSFE.1.1.1: The LOS standard is the school’s utilization, which is defined
as the enrollment as a percentage of school student capacity based upon the Florida
Inventory of School Houses (FISH). The level of service (LOS) standard shall be
established for all schools of each type within the School District as 110 percent
utilization, measured as the average for all schools of each type within each
Concurrency Service Area. No individual school shall be allowed to operate in excess
of 110% utilization, unless the school is the subject of a School Capacity Study
(SCS) undertaken by the School District, working with the Technical Advisory Group
(TAG) which determines that the school can operate in excess of 110% utilization.
The SCS shall be required if a school in the first FTE student count of the second
semester reaches 108% or higher capacity. As a result of an SCS, an individual
school may operate at up to 120% utilization. Upon determination by TAG, if a
school is planned and under contract or construction which will relieve capacity of an
existing school, the existing school shall be allowed to exceed the 120% maximum
utilization for a period not to exceed 2 years. The former is intended to prevent the
movement of students more than once.
3. A change to Policy PSFE.1.3.1, that concerns Chapter 163.2180, F.S. This
regulation states that the public school capital facilities program must be
incorporated into local government comprehensive plans on an annual basis.
The School District has proposed language (provided below) that would allow
municipalities to either adopt the Six Year Capital Improvement Schedule in their
own Comprehensive Plans by reference or agree to default to the table of capital
facilities improvements that are included in the annual updates in the County’s
Capital Improvements Element.
205

Policy PSFE.1.3.1: The Municipality, in coordination with the County and the
School District, shall annually adopt the updated Table 17 of the Capital
Improvement Element (School District of Palm Beach County Six-Year Capital
Improvement Schedule) by reference, or follow other procedures consistent with
Rule 9J-5, Florida Administrative Code. This provision is intended to maintain
consistency with the School Board’s adopted Five-Year Plan and to maintain a
financially feasible capital improvements program and ensure that level of service
standards will continue to be achieved and maintained in each year of the five-year
planning period.
4. An amendment to the Map Series to add a footnote that clarifies that the
Concurrency Service Area Maps do not need to be amended annually but rather
on a need be basis.
The Concurrency Service Area Map, # PS 3.1, will be amended if there are future
changes to the boundaries of the Service Areas. Maps 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 will be
updated from time to time as they become obsolete, as determined by the Interlocal
Plan Amendment Review Committee.
The Interlocal Agreement has a five-year term that ends in January 2006. If the
Agreement were to terminate, it could have an impact on the ability to maintain the
adopted LOS. However, as long as the parties want the Agreement to continue, it will
automatically be renewed for another five (5) years.
Intergovernmental Coordination Element
The following policies should be deleted or amended:
Policies ICE.1.4.8.13 and 14 regarding High Speed Rail – The state constitutional
provision to build this system was repealed; however, the Florida High Speed Rail
Authority still exists and continues to work on the initiative.
Legislative required amendments to the Intergovernmental Coordination Element
include:
• Pursuant to 163.3177(4)(a), policy language that provides coordination of local
comprehensive plan with the regional water supply plan.
Capital Improvements Element
The Annual Infrastructure Report prepared by each department for each element of the
Comprehensive Plan and submitted annually to the City Manager as part of the
Concurrency Management System should be provided to the Office of Management and
Budget annually as part of the amendment to the Capital Improvement Element.
206

Legislative required amendments to the Intergovernmental Coordination Element
include:
Pursuant to Chapter 163.3177(3)(a)4., F.S., the capital improvements element shall be
amended to set forth standards for the management of debt.
Map Series
In the last planning period, the City was divided into Planning Areas for the purpose of
evaluating the extent of vacant land. Aside from this function, these boundaries are not
used for any other planning purpose. In addition, as the boundaries of the City have
expanded since the adoption of the 1996 EAR, which would require added additional
Planning Areas and/or amending the boundaries of the existing ones, the City has
instead opted to discontinue with the Planning Area concept. For this reason, the Map
Series will be amended to reflect this change.
Amendments to the Future Land Use Map, the Environmentally Sensitive Lands, and
Parks and Open Space Areas will be required to reflect the changes due to annexation
and public land acquisition for City parks and preserves that have been acquired since
the time of adoption of the previous EAR.
Legislative required amendments to the Map Series include:
Pursuant to Rule 9J-5.006(4), F.S., amend the Future Land Use Map to show
multimodal transportation district boundaries, if established.
207

Appendix A

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
Amended the definition of de minimis impact
as it pertains to concurrency requirements.
Established that no plan or plan amendment
in an area of critical state concern is effective
until found in compliance by a final order.
Amended the criteria for the annual effect of
Duval County small scale amendments to a
maximum of 120 acres.
Prohibited amendments in areas of critical
state concern from becoming effective if not
in compliance.
1997
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
163.3180(6) No amendment needed
163.3184(14) No amendment needed
163.3187(1)(c)1.a
.III
N/A
163.3189(2)(b) No amendment needed
1998
Exempted brownfield area amendments from 163.3187(1)(g) No amendment needed
the twice-a-year limitation.
Required that the capital improvements 163.3177(3)(a)4. Amendment needed
element set forth standards for the
management of debt.
Required inclusion of at least two planning 163.3177(5)(a) No amendment needed
periods – at least 5 years and at least 10
years.
Allowed multiple individual plan amendments 163.3184(3)(d) No amendment needed
to be considered together as one amendment
cycle.
Defined optional sector plan and created 163.3164(31) and
No amendment needed
section 163.3245 allowing local governments
to address DRI issues within certain identified
geographic areas.
163.3245
Established the requirements for a public 163.3177(12) Goal PSFE.1.0.0/Goal
208

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
school facilities element.
PSFE.2.0.0
Established the minimum requirements for
imposing school concurrency.
Required DCA adopt minimum criteria for the
compliance determination of a public school
facilities element imposing school
concurrency.
Required that evaluation and appraisal
reports address coordination of the comp
plan with existing public schools and the
school district’s 5-year work program.
Amended the definition of “in compliance” to
includes consistency with Sections 163.3180
and 163.3245.
Required DCA to maintain a file with all
documents received or generated by DCA
relating to plan amendments and identify;
limited DCA’s review of proposed plan
amendments to written comments, and
required DCA to identify and list all written
communications received within 30 days after
transmittal of a proposed plan amendment.
Allowed a local government to amend its plan
for a period of up to one year after the initial
determination of sufficiency of an adopted
EAR even if the EAR is insufficient.
Substantially reworded Section 163.3191,
F.S., related to evaluation and appraisal
163.3180(12),
(now Section
(13))
163.3180(13),
(now Section14))
163.3191(2)(i)
Now:
163.3191(2)(k)
163.3184(1)(b)
163.3184(2), (4),
and (6)
209
Goal PSFE.1.0.0/Goal
PSFE.2.0.0
Policies CIE.1.3.3(A)(4),
and CIE. 1.4.3;
Objectives PSFE.1.3.0,
PSFE.1.3.0, PSFE.2.1.0,
PSFE.2.2.0, PSFE.2.3.0
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
No amendment needed
No amendment needed
No amendment needed
163.3187(6)(b) No amendment needed
163.3191 No amendment needed

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
reports.
Changed the population requirements for
municipalities and counties which are
required to submit otherwise optional
elements.
Required that ports and local governments in
the coastal area, which has spoil disposal
responsibilities, identify dredge disposal sites
in the comp plan.
Exempted from the twice-per-year limitation
certain port related amendments for port
transportation facilities and projects eligible
for funding by the Florida Seaport
Transportation and Economic Development
Council.
Required rural counties to base their future
land use plans and the amount of land
designated industrial on data regarding the
need for job creation, capital investment, and
economic development and the need to
strengthen and diversity local economies.
Added the Growth Policy Act to Ch. 163, Part
II to promote urban infill and redevelopment.
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
163.3177(6)(i) No amendment needed
1999
163.3178(7) No amendment needed
163.3187(1)(h) No amendment needed
163.3177(6)(a) No amendment needed
163.2511,163.25,
14,163.2517,163.
2520,163.2523,16
3.2526
163.3177(6)(a)
No amendment needed
Required that all comp plans comply with the
school siting requirements by October 1,
1999.
Objective LU.1.12.0,
Policies LU1.12.1 and
LU1.12.2
Made transportation facilities subject to 163.3180(1)(a) Amendment needed
210

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
concurrency.
Required use of professionally accepted
techniques for measuring level of service for
cars, trucks, transit, bikes and pedestrians.
Excludes public transit facilities from
concurrency requirements.
Allowed multi-use DRIs to satisfy the
transportation concurrency requirements
when authorized by a local comprehensive
plan under limited circumstances.
Allowed multi-modal transportation districts
in areas where priorities for the pedestrian
environment are assigned by the plan.
Exempted amendments for urban infill and
redevelopment areas, public school
concurrency from the twice-per-year
limitation.
Defined brownfield designation and added
the assurance that a developer may proceed
with development upon receipt of a
brownfield designation. [Also see
163.3221(1) for “brownfield” definition.]
Repealed Section 163.3184(11)(c), F.S., that
required funds from sanction for noncompliant
plans go into the Growth
Management Trust Fund.
Repealed Section 163.3187(7), F.S. that
required consideration of an increase in the
annual total acreage threshold for small scale
211
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
163.3180(1)(b) Amendment needed
163.3180(4)(b) Amendment needed
163.3180(12) No amendment needed
163.3180(15) Amendment needed
163.31879(1)(h)
and (i)
[Now: (i) and (j)]
No amendment needed
163.3220(2) No amendment needed
2000
163.3184(11)© No amendment needed
163.3187(7) No amendment needed

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
plan amendments and a report by DCA.
Repealed Sections 163.3191(13) and (15), 163.3191(13) and
F.S.
Allowed small scale amendments in areas of
critical state concern to be exempt from the
twice-per-year limitation only if they are for
affordable housing.
Added exemption of sales from local option
surtax imposed under Section 212.054, F.S.,
as examples of incentives for new
development within urban infill and
redevelopment areas.
Created the rural land stewardship area
program.
Required that all agencies that review
comprehensive plan amendments and
rezoning include a nonvoting representative
of the district school board.
Required coordination of local comprehensive
plan with the regional water supply plan.
Plan amendments for school-siting maps are
exempt from s. 163.3187(1)’s limitation on
frequency.
Required that by adoption of the EAR, the
sanitary sewer, solid waste, drainage, potable
water and natural groundwater aquifer
recharge element consider the regional water
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
No amendment needed
(15)
163.3187(1)(c)1.e No amendment needed
163.2517(3)(j)2 No amendment needed
2001
163.3177(11)(d) No amendment needed
2002
163.3174 No amendment needed
163.3177(4)(a) Amendment needed
163.3177(6)(a) No amendment needed
163.3177(6)(c) Amendment needed
212

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
supply plan and include a 10-year work plan
to build the identified water supply facilities.
Required consideration of the regional water
supply plan in the preparation of the
conservation element.
Required that the intergovernmental
coordination element (ICE) include
relationships, principles and guidelines to be
used in coordinating comp plan with regional
water supply plans.
Required the local governments adopting a 163.3177(6)(h)4 Policy PSFE.2.2.1
public educational facilities element execute
an inter-local agreement with the district
school board, the county, and non-exempting
municipalities.
Required that counties larger than 100,000
population and their municipalities submit
inter-local service delivery agreements
(existing and proposed, deficits or duplication
in the provisions of service) report to DCA by
January 1, 2004. Each local government is
required to update its ICE based on the
findings of the report. DCA will meet with
affected parties to discuss and id strategies
to remedy any deficiencies or duplications.
Required local governments and special
districts to provide recommendations for
statutory changes for annexation to the
Legislature by February 1, 2003.
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
163.3177(6)(d) Amendment needed
163.3177(6)(h) Amendment needed
163.3177(6)(h) 6,
7, & 8
No amendment needed
163.3177(6)(h)9 No amendment needed
213

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
Added a new section 163.31776 that allows a
county, to adopt an optional public
educational facilities element in cooperation
with the applicable school board.
Added a new section 163.31777 that requires
local governments and school boards to enter
into an inter-local agreement that addresses
school siting, enrollment forecasting, school
capacity, infrastructure and safety needs of
schools, schools as emergency shelters, and
sharing of facilities.
Added a provision that the concurrency
requirement for transportation facilities may
be waived by plan amendment for urban infill
and redevelopment areas.
Expanded the definition of “affected persons”
to include property owners who own land
abutting a change to a future land use map.
Expanded the definition of “in compliance” to
include consistency with Section 163.31776
(public educational facilities element).
Streamlined the timing of comprehensive
plan amendment review.
Required that local governments provide a
sign-in form at the transmittal hearing and at
the adoption hearing for persons to provide
their names and addresses.
163.31776 Objective PSFE.1.1.0,
Policies PSFE.1.1.1,
PSFE.1.1.4
163.31777 Policy PSFE.2.2.1
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
163.3180(4)(c) No amendment needed
163.3184(1)(a) No amendment needed
163.3184(1)(b) Policies CIE.1.3.3(A)(4),
and CIE. 1.4.3;
Objectives PSFE.1.3.0,
PSFE.1.3.0, PSFE.2.1.0,
PSFE.2.2.0, PSFE.2.3.0
163.3184(3), (4),
No amendment needed
(6), (7), and (8)
163.3184(15)(c) No amendment needed
214

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
Exempted amendments related to providing
transportation improvements to enhance life
safety on “controlled access major arterial
highways” from the limitation on the
frequency of plan amendments contained in
s.163.3187(1).
Required EAR’s to include (1) consideration of
the appropriate regional water supply plan,
and (2) an evaluation of whether past
reductions in land use densities in coastal
high hazard areas have impaired property
rights of current residents where
redevelopment occurs.
Allowed local governments to establish a
special master process to assist the local
governments with challenges to local
development orders for consistency with the
comprehensive plan.
Created the Local Government
Comprehensive Planning Certification
Program to allow less state and regional
oversight of comprehensive plan process if
the local government meets certain criteria.
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
163.3187(1)(k) No amendment needed
163-3191(2)(1) No amendment needed
163.3215 No amendment needed
163.3246 No amendment needed
215

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
Added a provision to Section 380.06(24),
Statutory Exemptions, that exempts from the
requirements for developments of regional
impact, any water port or marina
development if the relevant local government
has adopted a “boating facility siting plan or
policy” (which includes certain specified
criteria) as part of the coastal management
element or future land use element of its
comprehensive plan. The adoption of the
boating facility siting plan or policy is exempt
from the limitation on the frequency of plan
amendments contained in s.163.3187(1).
Prohibited a local government, under certain
conditions, from denying an application for
development approval for a requested land
use for certain proposed solid waste
management facilities.
Creates the Agricultural Lands and Practices
Act.
(2): Provides legislative findings and purpose
with respect to agricultural activities and
duplicative regulation.
(3): Defines the terms “farm,” “farm
operation,” and “farm product” for purposes
of the act.
(4): Prohibits a county from adopting any
ordinance, resolution, regulation, rule, or
policy to prohibit or otherwise limit a bona
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
163.3187(1) No amendment needed
163.3194(6) No amendment needed
2003
163.3162 N/A
216

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
fide farm operation on land that is classified
as agricultural land.
(4)(a): Provides that the act does not limit
the powers of a county under certain
circumstances.
(4)(b): Clarifies that a farm operation may
not expand its operations under certain
circumstances.
(4)(c): Provides that the act does not limit
the powers of certain counties.
(4)(d): Provides that certain county
ordinances are not deemed to be a
duplication of regulation.
Changes “State Comptroller” references to
“Chief Financial Officer.”
Provides for certain airports to abandon DRI
orders.
Amended to conform to the repeal of s.
235.185 and the enactment of similar
material in s. 1013.35.
Amended to conform to the repeal of ch. 235
and the enactment of similar material in ch.
1013.
(10): Amended to conform to the repeal of
the Florida High-Speed Rail Transportation
Act, and the creation of the Florida High-
Speed Rail Authority Act.
(13): Created to require local governments to
identify adequate water supply sources to
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
163.3167(6) No amendment needed
163.3177(6)(k) No amendment needed
163.31776(1)(b)
(2)-(3)
163.37111(1)(c),
(2)(e)-(f), (3)(c),
(4), (6)(b)
2004
No amendment needed
No amendment needed
163.3167 Amendment needed to address
the identification of adequate
water supply sources only
217

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
meet future demand.
(14): Created to limit the effect of judicial
determinations issued subsequent to certain
development orders pursuant to adopted land
development regulations.
(1): Provides legislative findings on the
compatibility of development with military
installations.
(2): Provides for the exchange of information
relating to proposed land use decisions
between counties and local governments and
military installations.
(3): Provides for responsive comments by
the commanding officer or his/her designee.
(4): Provides for the county or affected local
government to take such comments into
consideration.
(5): Requires the representative of the
military installation to be an ex-officio,
nonvoting member of the county’s or local
government’s land planning or zoning board.
(6): Encourages the commanding officer to
provide information on community planning
assistance grants.
163.3177
(6)(a):
- Changed to require local governments to
amend the future land use element by June
30, 2006 to include criteria to achieve
compatibility with military installations.
- Changed to specifically encourage rural land
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
Creates 163.3175. No amendment needed
163.3177 No amendment needed
218

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
stewardship area designation as an overlay
on the future land use map.
(6)(c):
- Extended the deadline adoption of the
water supply facilities work plan amendment
until December 1, 2006; provided for
updating the work plan every five years; and
exempts such amendment from the limitation
on frequency of adoption of amendments.
(10)(1): Provides for the coordination by the
state land planning agency and the
Department of Defense on compatibility
issues for military installations.
(11)(d)(1): Requires DCA, in cooperation with
other specified state agencies, to provide
assistance to local governments in
implementing provisions relating to rural land
stewardship areas.
(11)(d)(2): Provides for multi-county rural
land stewardship areas.
(11)(d)(3)-(4): Revises requirements,
including the acreage threshold for
designating a rural land stewardship area.
(11)(d)(6)(j): Provides that transferable rural
land use credits may be assigned at different
ratios according to the natural resource or
other beneficial use characteristics of the
land.
(11)(e): Provides legislative findings
regarding mixed-use, high-density urban infill
and redevelopment projects; requires DCA to
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
219

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
provide technical assistance to local
governments.
(11)(f): Provides legislative findings
regarding a program for the transfer of
development rights and urban infill and
redevelopment; requires DCA to provide
technical assistance to local governments.
(1): Provides legislative findings with respect
to the shortage of affordable rentals in the
state.
(2): Provides definitions.
(3): Authorizes local governments to permit
accessory dwelling units in areas zoned for
single family residential use based upon
certain findings.
(4): Provides for certain accessory dwelling
units to apply towards satisfying the
affordable housing component of the housing
element in a local government’s
comprehensive plan.
(5): Requires the DCA to report to the
Legislature.
Amends the definition of “in compliance” to
add language referring to the Wekiva
Parkway and Protection Act.
(1)(m): Created to provide that amendments
to address criteria or compatibility of land
uses adjacent to or in close proximity to
military installations do not count toward the
limitation on frequency of amending
comprehensive plans.
Creates
163.31771.
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
No amendment needed
163.3184(1)(b) N/A
163.3187 N/A
220

Chapter 163, Florida Statutes
Changes to Chapter 163 Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton
Comprehensive Plan
(1)(n): Created to provide that amendments
to establish or implement a rural land
stewardship area do not count toward the
limitation on frequency of amending
comprehensive plans.
Created to provide that evaluation and
appraisal reports evaluate whether criteria in
the land use element were successful in
achieving land use compatibility with military
installations.
EAR-based Plan Amendment
Required
163.3191(2)(n) N/A
221

Appendix B

Rule 9J-5
Rule Changes Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton Comprehensive
Plan
1998
EAR-based Plan
Amendment Required
Established requirements for the Public School
Facilities Element for Public School Concurrency for
local governments that adopt school concurrency.
9J-5.025
Goal PSFE.1.0.0/Goal
PSFE.2.0.0
No amendment needed
1999
Defined public transit and stormwater management
facilities
Revised the definitions of affordable housing, coastal
planning area, port facility, and wetlands.
Repeal the definitions of adjusted for family size,
adjusted gross income, development, high recharge
area or prime recharge area, mass transit,
paratransit, public facilities, very low-income family.
Revised provisions relating to adoption by reference
into the local comprehensive plan.
Repealed transmittal requirements for proposed
evaluation and appraisal reports, submittal
requirements for adopted evaluation and appraisal
reports, criteria for determining the sufficiency of
adopted evaluation and appraisal reports,
procedures for adoption of evaluation and appraisal
reports.
Repealed conditions for de minimis impact and
referenced conditions in subsection 163.3180(6),
F.S.
9J-5.003 Amendment needed
9J-5.003 Amendment needed
9J-5.003 No amendment needed
9J-5.005(2)(g) and (8)(j) No amendment needed
9J-5.0053(2) through (5) No amendment needed
9J-5.0055(3)6 No amendment needed
222

Rule 9J-5 9J-5.006(4) No amendment needed
Rule Changes Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton Comprehensive
Plan
Repealed the Intergovernmental Coordination
Element process to determine if development
proposals would have significant impacts on other
local governments or state or regional resources or
facilities, and provisions relating to resolution of
disputes, modification of development orders, and
the rendering of development orders to the
Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
Clarified that local governments not located within
the urban area of a Metropolitan Planning
Organization are required to adopt a Traffic
Circulation Element and that local governments with
a population of 50,000 or less are not required to
prepare Mass Transit and Ports, Aviation and Related
Facilities Elements.
EAR-based Plan
Amendment Required
9J-5.015(4) No amendment needed
9J-5.019(1) No amendment needed
223

Rule 9J-5
Rule Changes Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton Comprehensive
Plan
Required objectives of the Transportation Element
to:
• Coordinate the siting of new, or expansion of
existing ports, airports, or related facilities
with the Future Land Use, Coastal
Management, and Conservation Elements;
• Coordinate surface transportation access to
ports, airports, and related facilities with the
traffic circulation system;
• Coordinate ports, airports, and related
facilities plans with plans of other
transportation providers; and
• Ensure that access routes to ports, airports
and related facilities are properly integrated
with other modes of transportation.
EAR-based Plan
Amendment Required
9J-5.019(4)(b) No amendment needed
224

Rule 9J-5
Rule Changes Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton Comprehensive
Plan
Required policies of the Transportation Element to:
• Provide for safe and convenient on-site traffic
flow;
• Establish measures for the acquisition and
preservation of public transit rights-of-way
and corridors;
• Promote ports, airports and related facilities
development and expansion;
• Mitigate adverse structural and non-structural
impacts from ports, airports and related
facilities;
• Protect and conserve natural resources within
ports, airports and related facilities;
• Coordinate intermodal management of
surface and water transportation within
ports, airports and related facilities; and
• Protect ports, airports and related facilities
from encroachment of incompatible land
uses.
EAR-based Plan
Amendment Required
9J-5.019(4)(c) Amendment needed
Added standards for the review of land development
regulations by the Department.
Added criteria for determining consistency of land
development regulations with the comprehensive
plan.
9J-5.023
No amendment needed
225

Rule 9J-5
Rule Changes Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton Comprehensive
Plan
2001
EAR-based Plan
Amendment Required
Defined general lanes 9J-5.003 Amendment needed
Repeal the definition of “public facilities and
services.”
Revised procedures for monitoring, evaluating and
appraising implementation of local comprehensive
plans.
Repealed requirements for evaluation and appraisal
reports and evaluation and appraisal amendments.
Revised concurrency management system
requirements to include provisions for establishment
of public school concurrency.
Authorized local governments to establish
multimodal transportation level of service standards
and established requirements for multimodal
transportation districts.
Authorized local governments to establish level of
service standards for general lanes of the Florida
Intrastate Highway System within urbanized areas,
with the concurrence of the Department of
Transportation.
Provide that public transit facilities are not subject to
concurrency requirements.
Authorized local comprehensive plans to permit
multi-use developments of regional impact to satisfy
the transportation concurrency requirements by
payment of a proportionate share contribution.
9J-5.003 No amendment needed
9J-5.005(7) No amendment needed
9J-5.0053 No amendment needed
9J-5.005(1) and (2) CIE definitions (B)(3)
Policies CIE.1.1.3,
CIE.1.3.3, CIE.1.4.3
9J-5.0055(2)(b) and (3)(c) Amendment needed
9J-5.0055(2)(c) No amendment needed
9J-5.0055(8) Amendment needed
9J-5.0055(9) No amendment needed
226

Rule 9J-5
Rule Changes Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton Comprehensive
Plan
Required the future land use map to show
multimodal transportation district boundaries, if
established.
Authorized local governments to establish
multimodal transportation districts and, if
established, required local governments to establish
design standards for such districts.
Required data for the Housing Element include a
description of substandard dwelling units and
repealed the requirement that the housing inventory
include a locally determined definition of standard
and substandard housing conditions.
Authorized local governments to supplement the
affordable housing needs assessment with locally
generated data and repealed the authorization for
local governments to conduct their own assessment.
Required the Intergovernmental Coordination
9J-5.015(3)(b) Policy ICE.1.4.9.5
Element to include objectives that ensure adoption
of interlocal agreements within one year of adoption
of the amended Intergovernmental Coordination
Element and ensure intergovernmental coordination
between all affected local governments and the
school board for the purpose of establishing
requirements for public school concurrency.
EAR-based Plan
Amendment Required
9J-5.006(4) Amendment needed
9J-5.006(6) Amendment needed
9J-5.010(1)(c) Amendment needed
9J-5.10(2)(b) No amendment needed
227

Rule 9J-5
Rule Changes Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton Comprehensive
Plan
Required the Intergovernmental Coordination
Element to include:
• Policies that provide procedures to identify
and implement joint planning areas for
purposes of annexation, municipal
incorporation and joint infrastructure service
areas;
• Recognize campus master plan and provide
procedures for coordination of the campus
master development agreement;
• Establish joint processes for collaborative
planning and decision-making with other
units of local government;
• Establish joint processes for collaborative
planning and decision making with the school
board on population projections and siting of
public school facilities;
• Establish joint processes for the siting of
facilities with county-wide significance; and
• Adoption of an interlocal agreement for
school concurrency.
9J-5.015(3)(c)
Policies ICE 1.2.4/ ICE
1.2.5
Policies ICE 1.1.6/ ICE
1.1.7
Policy ICE 1.2.5
Policies ICE 1.4.9.4, ICE
1.4.9.7, ICE 1.4.9.8, ICE
1.4.9.9, ICE 1.4.9.12
Policy ICE 1.2.5
EAR-based Plan
Amendment Required
Policy ICE 1.4.9.5
228

Rule 9J-5
Rule Changes Citation Addressed in Boca
Raton Comprehensive
Plan
Required the Capital Improvements Element to
9J-5.016(4)(a) Policy ICE 1.4.9.1
include implementation measures that provide a fiveyear
financially feasible public school facilities
program that demonstrates the adopted level of
service standards will be achieved and maintained
and a schedule of capital improvements for
multimodal transportation districts, if locally
established.
Required the Transportation Element analysis for
multimodal transportation districts to demonstrate
that community design elements will reduce vehicle
miles of travel and support an integrated, multimodal
transportation system.
Required Transportation Element objectives for
multimodal transportation districts to address
provision of a safe, comfortable and attractive
pedestrian environment with convenient access to
public transportation.
Authorized local governments to establish level of
service standards for general lanes of the Florida
Intrastate Highway System within urbanized areas,
with the concurrence of the Department of
Transportation.
EAR-based Plan
Amendment Required
9J-5.019(3) Amendment needed
9J-5.019(4) Amendment needed
9J-5.019(4)(c) Amendment needed
229