Zoning Board of Appeals

Summary

The City of Pompano Beach Zoning Board of Appeals is considering a Special Exception request for Festival Centre, LLC to develop a 5,066 square foot automatic car wash facility at 2690 W Sample Road. The property, totaling 1.14 acres, is zoned B-3 (General Business) and B-3/PCI (General Business / Planned Commercial-Industrial). The proposed facility will feature a conveyor-style wash tunnel, two point-of-sale service lanes, and complimentary vacuum stations. The applicant, El Car Wash, emphasizes the use of biodegradable chemicals, a water reclamation system recycling 80-90% of water, and environmentally friendly operations. The application has been reviewed against 13 Special Exception criteria and specific car wash standards, with staff finding it compatible with the surrounding commercial and industrial uses and supportive of the corridor's redevelopment. The project requires subsequent Site Plan and Building Design approvals. The hearing has been postponed multiple times, with the latest request for postponement to January 15, 2026.

Citizen Impact

This development will introduce a new automatic car wash service to the area, potentially offering convenience and water conservation benefits compared to home car washing. Residents may experience increased traffic along Sample Road and NW 27th Avenue due to the new facility.

Confidence

high

Summary

The Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is seeking variances for a proposed 1,448 sq. ft. restaurant, "Big Tree BBQ," at N Powerline Road. The variances are needed due to the irregular shape and narrowness of the combined 21,416 sq. ft. property, which makes strict adherence to zoning code difficult. Specifically, the CRA requests variances for:

1. Driveway Access: Allowing access points less than 100 feet from the Powerline Road intersection (proposed at approximately 81'-10" on the north and 0' on the south), where 100 feet is required.
2. Perimeter Landscaping Strip Width: Reducing the required 10-foot width to approximately 7 feet along Powerline Road and 8 inches on the west side at its narrowest point.
3. Perimeter Buffers: Modifying required Type B and Type C buffers along portions of the property due to site constraints.

The property is zoned B-2 (Community Business) and RS-3 (Single-Family Residence), with Commercial and Low Residential land use designations. The variances are considered necessary to allow reasonable use of the land and are supported by staff as advancing CRA goals of reducing blight and returning vacant land to the tax rolls.

Citizen Impact

This variance request will allow a new restaurant to be built on a currently vacant lot. Residents may experience potential traffic impacts due to the reduced setback for driveways, though the southern driveway is proposed as right-out only. The reduced landscaping and buffer widths could also impact the visual and sound separation between the commercial property and adjacent residences.

Confidence

high

Summary

This item concerns a variance request for a proposed propane storage facility at 261 S. Andrews Avenue. Blossman Gas of Louisiana, Inc. seeks to develop the 0.79-acre vacant lot, zoned I-1 (General Industrial), into a propane storage facility. The primary request is for a variance from Section 155.4228.A.3.a.i of the Pompano Beach Zoning Code regarding outdoor storage screening standards. Specifically, they request permission for an 8-foot screening fence in lieu of a taller structure and to allow mounded underground propane storage tanks to extend above the height of the required screening fence or wall. This variance is justified by the site's specific conditions, including its irregular shape due to past road realignments, and the operational requirements for propane tank filling mechanisms which necessitate elevation. The Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) and City staff also recommend a transparent fence for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) purposes, which conflicts with opaque screening requirements.

Citizen Impact

Residents may see an 8-foot metal picket fence instead of a taller opaque barrier at the new propane storage facility. The variance allows propane tanks to be visible above the fence line, though the site is in an industrial zone with no residential uses nearby.

Confidence

high