Why review the current zoning code?

The current Town of Palm Beach zoning code is decades old. Among the limitations of the current zoning code are:

• It has not been comprehensively updated for many decades, relying instead on a patchwork of amendments to stay current with new State requirements and address problems that were unforeseen when the code was written.

• The numerous amendments are sometimes not inconsistent with the rest of the code. In short, the document often conflicts with itself.

• The extensive contradicting standards and special district conditions added over the past few decades make the code confusing for property owners and difficult for Town staff to consistently administer.

• Modern zoning codes have user-friendly features such as graphics and illustrations that help to clearly explain the code. The current text-based code has none of these features.

At some point, it just makes sense to update the code in a clearer, concise fashion with user-friendly illustrations, instead of continuing to tack on more amendments.