Board recommends approval to City Commission for 398 NE 6th Ave mixed‑use plan, conditions added for loading

The Planning & Zoning Board voted Feb. 23 to recommend the City Commission approve a Level 4 site plan for a four‑story, 20,399‑square‑foot mixed‑use building at 398 Northeast 6th Avenue that includes eight residential units, ground‑floor retail and rooftop amenities.

Applicant Bradley Miller and the project team presented an Art Deco design with a prominent corner tower that encroaches slightly into the 20‑foot setback above the third story. Staff said the corner clip dedication pushed the required setbacks inward and that the tower was a minor encroachment tied to the building’s design. The applicant also proposed a 5‑by‑14‑foot loading pad off the alley (the dimensional standard is 12x30), citing severe site constraints, and offered to maximize the pad’s length by relocating a transformer and accepting a two‑foot alley dedication.

Board members expressed concern about the adequacy of the small loading pad for moving trucks and frequent delivery vehicles, noting alley congestion, garbage pickup activity and existing curbside obstruction by delivery vans. Several members supported the architectural design and streetscape improvements. Price Patton moved and Jim Chard seconded a recommendation to the City Commission to approve the application, subject to the condition that the applicant maximize off‑street loading length (relocate transformer to extend pad north/south where feasible). The motion passed on roll call; Mitch Katz voted No.

What’s next: The City Commission will take up the recommendation on a future agenda; the applicant will be asked to provide the maximum feasible loading pad length and permit-level details for alley access and trash/parking management.