Palm Beach’s Planning and Zoning Commission is considering ways the town can combat the parking and traffic congestion problem on the island.
Traffic congestion has intensified dramatically since the Covid-19 pandemic. The town’s built-out transportation network is swamped by throngs of contractors and service providers, employees who work in the hotels, restaurants and other businesses on the island, and by visitors to the beaches and other tourist destinations in town. The traffic snarls are especially intense during rush hours periods in the winter season.
The commission at its meeting on Tuesday reviewed a list of suggestions, made by zoning commissioners and compiled by town staff for discussion, to improve traffic flow and parking availability.
One idea is to implement staggered arrival and departure times for all contractors and Town of Palm Beach service providers so they aren’t all heading on and off the island at roughly the same time.
The town also might consider regulating the size of commercial trucks and limiting the number of trucks allowed on any given site.
Another idea that is being considered to ease parking congestion on residential streets: allowing the commercial vehicles to park on only one side of a street on three days of the week, and only on the other side of that street on three other days of the week.
Another idea, aimed at limiting the number of vehicles coming into town, is to require town employees to park in West Palm Beach and then be shuttled to and from work on the island.
According to town documents, other initiatives suggested by commissioners include:
- Hiking parking fees at municipal facilities for non-residents following the first year of the ParkMobile paid-parking deployment. The rationale for allowing residents to pay less is that they already bear the cost of beach renourishment, lifeguards, public restrooms, sanitation removal and life safety through the taxes they pay to the town.
- Tightening town-serving requirements for businesses through decreasing allowable square footage, moving regulations and by varying town-serving criteria per use and/or zoning district.
- Restricting bicycle clubs within the town.
Commissioner Richard Kleid said the Palm Beach Police Department could make a “tremendous difference” by deploying traffic control officers during social or cultural events that cause traffic congestion.
“I would like to see more emphasis on getting the police involved,” he said.
Restaurants
The town is also looking at ways to limit the number of restaurants, bars and clubs in town in hopes of easing the congestion.
The Town Council decided in June not to consider applications for bars, eateries and clubs for six months while the council and zoning commission studies ways to limit the number of those establishments. The “zoning in progress” declaration is limited to the town’s five commercial districts and is in effect until December 10. Existing establishments aren’t affected by it.
The town has been advised by its legal counsel that it can limit the number of bars, clubs and restaurants based on their location or the distance between them. But it is important to have data to support the restrictions if they are legally challenged, Town Attorney Joanne O’Connor has said.
Town consultant The Corradino Group is studying the existing data to assist the town with the project.
Zoning Director Wayne Bergman has reported there are 9,992 restaurant seats in town – about one for every permanent resident. That ratio is among the highest among U.S. cities, according to town zoning consultant Sean Suder, founder and lead principal of Cincinnati-based Zone Co.
Town business tax receipts show that nearly half of those seats are in restaurants open to the public, Bergman said. The remainder are concentrated in hotels and private clubs.
In an August 27 memo to the town, Suder said a maximum number of permitted restaurants seats could be established in Palm Beach. New seats would only be allowed to replace existing seats.
Another possibility would be to increase off-street parking requirements. The town’s zoning code requires one space for every three fixed seats plus additional spaces based on floor area.
“Anecdotal evidence seems to justify increasing the off-street parking requirements, but the amount and nature of such increases cannot be known without further study and analysis,” Suder wrote.
Another potential tool: Restricting zoning land-use conversions that would allow restaurants where they aren’t already permitted, according to Suder. The zoning code could set limits based on demand and capacity within a given district.
Suder told the zoning commission that cell phone data provides an excellent tool for determining foot traffic in dining establishments.
Tourism in Palm Beach has made a robust recovery since the pandemic. Dining out on the island has increased by nearly 50 percent over 2019, Suder said.
Commissioner Michael Spaziani said that, since the number of restaurant seats is based on square footage, the town should focus on limiting square footage for future establishments.
“We are built out,” he said. “Our comprehensive plan is stating from now on we encourage new development to be less intensive than what now exists. As far as I’m concerned, we have way too many restaurants. We have to protect our little mom-and-pops that have been here for a long time.”
Alternate Commissioner Nicki McDonald said she opposes a “blanket ordinance” limiting the number of restaurants in Palm Beach. Circumstances vary, so each application should be reviewed by the Town Council on an individual basis, she said.
Alternate Commissioner Dragana Connaughton said more high-quality restaurants are opening in neighboring West Palm Beach.
“Let West Palm Beach do it,” she said. “We need business for sure, but it has to be controlled. We don’t need any more restaurants.”
Kleid retires
It was Kleid’s last day of service on the commission. The council appointed him to the commission in 2018, just seven months after he retired from the council. Kleid is a retired attorney and former council president and former chairman of the zoning commission.
“It has been a great privilege to serve on this commission with all of you,” Kleid told his fellow commissioners. “Each one of you does your homework.”
Kleid is a Palm Beach Civic Association director.
The commission’s seven regular members and three alternates are appointed by the council to three-year terms. The board advises the council on planning and zoning matters.
The commission’s next meeting is 9:30 a.m. on October 1 in Town Hall. The traffic and parking issue will be on the agenda for that meeting, town staff said.
