boardname
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
Meeting Date: JUNE 18, 2026
title
VARIANCE - TEACHERS INSURANCE & ANNUITY ASSN OF AMERICA
projectinfo
Request: Variance
P&Z# 26-11000013
Owner: Teachers Insurance & Annuity Assn of America
Project Location: 2700 NW 25 ST
Folio Number: 484221120020
Land Use Designation: I (Industrial)
Zoning District: I-1/PCI (General Industrial / Planned Industrial Overlay)
Commission District: 4 (Beverly Perkins)
Agent: Michael Swink
Project Planner: Scott Reale
otherinfo
Summary:
The Applicant Landowner requests a Variance from Section §155.5603(F)(2) [Industrial Design Standards] of the City’s Zoning Code in order to allow a new overhead door to be located on a ground-level building façade facing a collector street (Blount Road), where such doors are otherwise prohibited by Code.
The subject property is located at the northeast corner of West Copans Road and Blount Road (NW 30th Avenue) in NW Pompano.
ZONING REGULATIONS
155.5603. INDUSTRIAL DESIGN STANDARDS
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F. Entrance
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2. Facades of the ground level floor facing an arterial street or collector street shall not include overhead doors, sliding glass doors, removable panels, or similar type of doors.
PROPERTY INFORMATION AND STAFF ANALYSIS
1. Existing Development
The subject property is zoned I-1/PCI (General Industrial / Planned Industrial Overlay) with an underlying Industrial land use designation and is developed as a warehouse and logistics facility currently occupied by FedEx. The building and associated site improvements are designed to accommodate industrial distribution and freight operations. The proposed overhead door is located on a portion of the building approved as part of a 2011 site plan (PZ #11-12000014) that expanded the distribution center by 61,500 square feet. The building addition was approved in 2011 prior to adoption of the current Industrial Design Standards. The site contains established truck circulation areas, loading facilities, employee parking, and associated warehouse infrastructure typical of a logistics operation.
2. Proposed Improvement
The applicant proposes to install a single dock opening and overhead door on the Blount Road-facing façade of the existing building. The dock would be enclosed within a modular dock vestibule designed to screen loading activities and the overhead door from direct view from the public right-of-way. According to the applicant, the proposed improvement is necessary to accommodate operational demands associated with the facility’s logistics functions.
3. Site Constraints
The applicant asserts that several existing conditions limit the ability to locate the dock opening elsewhere on the building, including:
• The existing warehouse building footprint and structural design;
• The location of interior conveyor and material handling systems;
• Established truck circulation patterns and turning movements; and
• Site layout constraints associated with loading operations.
The applicant further states that relocating the proposed dock opening would require substantial modification of existing building and operational infrastructure. Staff notes that established site conditions, operational constraints, or increased construction costs do not, by themselves, constitute unnecessary hardship. The Board must determine whether the circumstances identified by the applicant rise to the level of extraordinary and exceptional conditions warranting variance relief.
4. Design Considerations
The purpose of Section 155.5603(F)(2) is to improve the visual appearance of industrial corridors by minimizing the prominence of loading areas and overhead doors along major roadways. The applicant proposes to mitigate the visual impact of the requested variance by enclosing the dock opening within a vestibule structure. Staff notes that, unlike a conventional exposed loading dock, the proposed vestibule is designed to screen the overhead door and associated loading activities from public view along Blount Road, thereby reducing their visibility from the roadway. The Board should consider whether the proposed vestibule sufficiently preserves the intent of the Industrial Design Standards while accommodating the operational needs asserted by the applicant.
5. Planning Considerations
The subject property is located within an established industrial area characterized by warehouse, manufacturing, distribution, and logistics uses. The Code provision at issue was adopted to regulate the visibility of loading facilities and overhead doors along collector and arterial roadways in order to minimize visual impacts.
The applicant contends that strict application of the Code would unreasonably restrict installation of the proposed loading facility due to existing site and operational constraints. The Board should consider whether the requested variance represents the minimum relief necessary, as the applicant seeks approval for a single overhead door and proposes an enclosed dock vestibule designed to reduce visual impacts on the streetscape.
LAND USE PATTERNS
Subject property (Zoning District | Existing Use): I-1/PCI | warehouse and logistics facility
Surrounding Properties (Zoning District | Existing Use):
• North: I-1/PCI | undeveloped
• South: I-1 and I-1/PCI | self-storage and warehouse/distribution/fabrication
• West: I-1 | wholesale merchant; storage warehouse-tenant storage
• East: I-1 | Broward County Water and Wastewater Services
VARIANCE REVIEW STANDARDS
A Variance application shall be approved only on a finding that there is competent substantial evidence in the record that all of the following standards are met:
a) There are extraordinary and exceptional conditions (such as topographic conditions, narrowness, shallowness, or the shape of the parcel of land) pertaining to the particular land or structure for which the Variance is sought, that do not generally apply to other lands or structures in the vicinity;
b) The extraordinary and exceptional conditions referred to in paragraph a., above, are not the result of the actions of the landowner;
c) Because of the extraordinary and exceptional conditions referred to in paragraph a., above, the application of this Code to the land or structure for which the Variance is sought would effectively prohibit or unreasonably restrict the utilization of the land or structure and result in unnecessary and undue hardship;
d) The Variance would not confer any special privilege on the landowner that is denied to other lands or structures that are similarly situated.
e) The extent of the Variance is the minimum necessary to allow a reasonable use of the land or structure;
f) The Variance is in harmony with the general purpose and intent of this Code and preserves its spirit;
g) The Variance would not adversely affect the health or safety of persons residing or working in the neighborhood, be injurious to property or improvements in the neighborhood, or otherwise be detrimental to the public welfare; and
h) The Variance is consistent with the comprehensive plan.
STAFF FINDINGS
Staff finds that the applicant has presented evidence intended to demonstrate that:
• The request involves an existing industrial facility with established structural and operational characteristics;
• The requested relief is limited to a single overhead door serving an existing industrial use;
• The proposed enclosed dock vestibule is intended to reduce the visibility of loading activities and overhead door operations from Blount Road, thereby mitigating impacts on the streetscape; and
• The applicant contends that the request represents the minimum relief necessary to accommodate the proposed improvement.
The Board must determine whether the evidence presented is sufficient to satisfy each of the variance review standards.
Staff Conditions:
Should the Board determine that the applicant has provided competent and substantial evidence to satisfy the eight Variance review standards, staff recommends the Board include the following conditions as part of the Order:
1. The applicant shall obtain all necessary governmental permits and approvals, including Building, Engineering, and Zoning Compliance permits.
2. The variance shall apply solely to the single overhead dock door and enclosed modular dock vestibule substantially consistent with the plans submitted with the variance application.
3. The dock vestibule shall remain substantially consistent with the approved plans and shall be maintained in a safe and functional condition.
4. The approval shall not exempt the property from compliance with any other applicable provisions of the Zoning Code or Building Code.