Think of the Downtown Master Plan as part of the ongoing history of West Palm Beach. It is intended to reinforce historical design concepts and propose new actions for supporting City traditions. When the DMP was originally adopted, it was prepared for a downtown experiencing the typical decline of the small American City during the 1970s and 1980s. The Downtown population was diminishing and shopping was displaced to the suburbs. Despite these conditions, in 1994 the City clearly identified rebuilding the downtown area as a goal.

Rebuilding and encouraging growth of the downtown is still a City goal. The downtown area has over 100 acres of vacant land, parking lots, etc. The Downtown Master Plan will guide the Urban Design team in encouraging new development within the City of West Palm Beach's downtown.

All downtown development is subject to the provisions of the Downtown Master Plan (DMP) and urban code to ensure that all new buildings contribute to the urban life of the city. The DMP is intended to develop a 24-hour, live-work-play environment and to provide a unified vision of the downtown, inspiring confidence and encouraging new development which respects the unique character and identity of the area.

The Urban Design Section manages the Transfer of Development Rights program within the City of West Palm Beach. Transfer of Development Rights (TDRs) are an important incentive program of the Downtown Master Plan (DMP) and development regulations. This incentive program aims to promote public benefits such as historic preservation, the creation of urban open spaces, the construction of Class A office uses, and the development of workforce housing and hotels by providing for additional development capacity through additional height and FAR for development projects.

The TDR program allows developers to acquire rights that can be used to increase development potential at a more suitable location. Developers can acquire unused development rights from certain properties called sending sites. Such sending sites include historically designated properties, historic landmark properties, and urban open space. They have the option to use these development rights in designated receiving sites within the DMP area to increase their development potential. These receiving sites use these TDRs to gain additional height or FAR. Receiving sites are in specific districts that are appropriate for additional development capacity. The overall intention of this program is to distribute incentives throughout the city with no net increase in commercial development.

Applications for Transfer of Development Rights must be considered before a public hearing at the Downtown Action Committee.

More information about TDRs can be found in the Zoning and Land Development Regulations, Sec. 94-132. - Transfer of Development Rights Program.