Tall buildings may be allowed on smaller lots in Boca's downtown

To rise to the highest point allowed in Boca Raton, builders have to meet a slew of guidelines.

This coming week, though, dropping one of those guidelines is under consideration in front of the City Council. Meetings addressing the issue are scheduled Monday, when the council meets as the Community Redevelopment Agency, and Tuesday, when it meets as the City Council.

And, theoretically, it could mean many more parcels in the city's downtown could become eligible to rise 40 feet higher than than any other finished building downtown.

Currently, only parcels that are 2 acres or larger are eligible to have buildings higher than 100 feet, or nine or 10 stories, constructed. But if the city were to allow taller buildings on lots smaller than 2 acres, more than 150 additional lots could become eligible for such construction, in theory, according to city documents.

The city's design firm, Urban Design Associates, has looked at the proposal and says dropping the 2-acre requirement is a "housekeeping item." The 2-acre-lot minimum was not meant to exclude developers from building higher, according to a memo from City Manager Leif Ahnell. It was meant to make it so developers of smaller lots wouldn't be required to meet these new design guidelines, Ahnell's memo says.

The Community Development Agency will take up the matter at 1:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall. And the City Council will discuss it again at its 6 p.m. meeting on Tuesday at City Hall.

Meanwhile, underway are plans for buildings that already are eligible to be constructed at taller heights. Among them:

The Mark at CityScape, near the southeast corner of Palmetto Park Road and Federal Highway, is the first building to go up to 140 feet, or 12 stories, with another 20 feet allowed for decorative elements.

Another building, Via Mizner, at the corner of Camino Real and Federal Highway, also is planned to rise to the taller height.

Ageggis@sun-sentinel.com, 561-243-6624 or Twitter @AnneBoca

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Tall buildings may be allowed on smaller lots in Boca's downtown