North Palm Beach and West Palm Beach · City of West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach Downtown Master Plan rewrite: 25-story incentives near the train stations
Ordinance 5185-26 rewrites the Downtown Master Plan part of West Palm Beach's Comprehensive Plan and adds the Jaguar dealership site at 915 S Dixie Hwy to downtown. First reading 2026-10-26, then state review, final vote expected January 2027.
Where it stands
First reading at the City Commission on 2026-10-26, with a vote to send the amendment to the state (FloridaCommerce) for review. City staff expect final approval tentatively in January 2027. Every board that has heard it so far recommended approval:
| Board | Date | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Action Committee (zoning rewrite) | 2026-05-13 | Approval, 7-0 |
| Historic Preservation Board (Northwest Neighborhood District only) | 2026-05-27 | Approval, 7-0 |
| Downtown Action Committee (this comprehensive plan amendment) | 2026-09-09 | Approval, 3-1 |
| Downtown Action Committee (adding the Jaguar site) | 2026-09-09 | Approval, 4-0 |
| Planning Board, as the Local Planning Agency | 2026-09-15 | Approval, 7-0 |
| City Commission, first reading and transmittal | 2026-10-26 | Upcoming |
What the ordinance does
- Rewrites the Downtown Master Plan chapter (Element 12) of the Comprehensive Plan, and amends two plan maps: Map 2 (future land use, 2050) and Map 8 (Coastal High Hazard Areas). The documents we could read don't say what the Map 8 change is.
- Adds three parcels to downtown at 420 Okeechobee Boulevard and 915 S Dixie Highway, the Jaguar dealership site. A private applicant asked for this, according to the City's own summary.
- The stated goal is to redevelop underused land close to the Tri-Rail and Brightline stations.
The zoning rewrite that goes with it
A companion rewrite of the downtown zoning code (Article IV, CRC 26-03) is discussion only on 2026-10-26 and comes back after the state review. From the Planning Board staff report:
- Base capacity stays the same. Extra height comes only through incentives tied to public benefits.
- Taller incentive heights:
- Transit-oriented district, between Tamarind and Sapodilla: 12 and 15 stories up to 25.
- Quadrille Garden District, between Dixie Highway and Olive: 10 up to 15.
- Quadrille Business District: up to 25 in parts.
- Workforce housing: a new City Development Rights incentive. Projects using incentives must fund workforce housing, and those units stay affordable for 30 years instead of 20.
- Traffic: projects over 20 peak-hour trips must offset 25% of their peak-hour trips through transportation demand management.
- More open space: in the transit-oriented district, required open space rises from 3, 5 and 7% of the lot to 3, 10 and 12%, depending on lot size.
- Three rezonings change base capacity: 901 N Flagler Drive, parcels on Evernia Street and S Sapodilla, and the Jaguar site.
Along the Flagler waterfront, an earlier draft allowed up to 25 stories through incentives. The City's 9/8 summary for neighborhood groups says that was removed, and the waterfront mostly stays at 5 stories.
Who's behind it
The City of West Palm Beach, Development Services, with the consultant Zyscovich. The Jaguar site was added at a private applicant's request.
Not the same as the CityPlace items
The same 10/26 agenda has two separate CityPlace items: Small Business Enterprise language, and a helipad/vertistop use at the Hibiscus garage. They are not part of this amendment.
Sources
- City Commission, 2026-10-26: meeting page and agenda
- Downtown Master Plan update, City of West Palm Beach
- Planning Board staff report on the zoning rewrite (CRC 26-03)
Written from the 10/26 agenda and the Planning Board staff report. The full ordinance text and the 10/20 Planning Board packet were not available to us. Last checked 2026-10-21.
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