Wellington council adopts CIP update and zoning text amendments on building height and ARB process
November 12, 2025 | Wellington, Palm Beach County, Florida
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Wellington's Village Council unanimously approved a set of planning and zoning measures Nov. 12, including the second reading of Ordinance 2025-28 to incorporate the Palm Beach County School District's 10-year capital schedule into the village's capital improvements element and two zoning text amendments that change the sequence and review requirements for building-height and architectural approvals.
Planning and Zoning Manager Cori Lynn Schamer summarized the changes: Ordinance 2025-30 revises land‑development regulations so that requests for buildings taller than 35 feet require council approval based on submitted elevations and renderings and receive an Architectural Review Board (ARB) recommendation before council consideration; it also clarifies eligible uses and height thresholds in certain corridors. Ordinance 2025-31 requires ARB review and a recommendation for nonresidential and multifamily projects (more than six units) and for Wellington-owned buildings, and it includes limited exemptions for county, state and federal buildings.
Schamer said the goal is to ensure council reviews the full design package — elevations, materials and colors — before approving height so that later ARB changes do not force budget or scope revisions to previously approved capital projects. Both ordinances had been unanimously recommended by the Planning & Zoning Advisory Board on Oct. 15.
Votes at a glance:
Ordinance 2025-28 (Comprehensive Plan/CIP update) ' Approved on second reading 5-0; summary: annual incorporation of the FY2025–26 capital improvement schedule by reference.
Ordinance 2025-30 (Building height LDR amendment) ' Approved 5-0; summary: requires ARB recommendation before council considers heights over 35 feet and clarifies processes for greater heights.
Ordinance 2025-31 (Architectural review/ARB amendments) ' Approved 5-0; summary: requires ARB recommendation and clarifies ARB's role for multifamily and nonresidential projects, including Wellington projects.
What happens next: staff will update record files and implement the modified review sequence; council noted two separate motions and votes were required for the paired zoning ordinances and that ARB and other advisory-board recommendations will be used earlier in the sequence for applicable projects.
Planning and Zoning Manager Cori Lynn Schamer summarized the changes: Ordinance 2025-30 revises land‑development regulations so that requests for buildings taller than 35 feet require council approval based on submitted elevations and renderings and receive an Architectural Review Board (ARB) recommendation before council consideration; it also clarifies eligible uses and height thresholds in certain corridors. Ordinance 2025-31 requires ARB review and a recommendation for nonresidential and multifamily projects (more than six units) and for Wellington-owned buildings, and it includes limited exemptions for county, state and federal buildings.
Schamer said the goal is to ensure council reviews the full design package — elevations, materials and colors — before approving height so that later ARB changes do not force budget or scope revisions to previously approved capital projects. Both ordinances had been unanimously recommended by the Planning & Zoning Advisory Board on Oct. 15.
Votes at a glance:
Ordinance 2025-28 (Comprehensive Plan/CIP update) ' Approved on second reading 5-0; summary: annual incorporation of the FY2025–26 capital improvement schedule by reference.
Ordinance 2025-30 (Building height LDR amendment) ' Approved 5-0; summary: requires ARB recommendation before council considers heights over 35 feet and clarifies processes for greater heights.
Ordinance 2025-31 (Architectural review/ARB amendments) ' Approved 5-0; summary: requires ARB recommendation and clarifies ARB's role for multifamily and nonresidential projects, including Wellington projects.
What happens next: staff will update record files and implement the modified review sequence; council noted two separate motions and votes were required for the paired zoning ordinances and that ARB and other advisory-board recommendations will be used earlier in the sequence for applicable projects.
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