The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval Tuesday for major improvements to Bob Marcello Park.
The park is located at the intersection of Wildcat Way and Okeechobee Blvd., just east of the FPL power lines.
Improvements will include the expansion of a baseball field, reconfiguring the pedestrian path, pedestrian lighting, a small pavilion by the boat dock, a large pavilion in the tot area and additional batting cages.
Site Plan Coordinator Kevin Erwin said the village plans to expand the southernmost field, which is also the oldest field at the park.
“The fence line will be moved out,” Erwin said. “There will be some trees that have to be removed in order to expand the baseball field. We will be reconfiguring the pedestrian path that goes around the baseball field in order to accommodate that expansion.”
According to the staff report, a small pavilion will be added by the boat dock and a large one will be added by one of the tot lots. New batting cages will be added between the existing baseball fields. All of the proposed improvements, except for the batting cages and pedestrian lighting, are to be completed in one phase. The remaining improvements will be completed as money becomes available.
The 20.3-acre park now has eight baseball fields, a basketball court, a jogging trail, a picnic pavilion, three restrooms, two lighted tennis courts and two tot lots.
Commissioner Joseph Boyle made a motion to approve the changes, which carried 5-0.
In other business:
• The commissioners recommended approval of architectural changes to Palm Beach County’s Northern Region Operations Center at 12500 40th St. North, in the northeast corner of the village’s former wastewater treatment site.
Erwin said the building received architectural approval in 2011 and the applicant seeks to change doors and windows, primarily to increase utility and improve security, according to Michael Rawls, agent for the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department.
Commissioner Michael Axelberd made a motion to recommend approval, which carried 5-0.
• The commissioners also recommended architectural approval for changes to the Wendy’s restaurant at Crestwood Blvd. behind the Walgreens store on Southern Blvd. to screen existing rooftop equipment, which had not been included in a recent approval for renovations.
“They realized they had rooftop equipment that would be exposed, so they added a mansard to conceal it,” Erwin said.
Commissioner Barbara Powell made a motion to approve the change, which also carried 5-0.
• The commissioners also approved the addition of double delivery doors to the southern end of the Performance NAPA Auto Parts store to be located at 11599 Okeechobee Blvd. in the former Blockbuster Video store in the Crossroads Shopping Center. Erwin said the doors will be painted to match the rest of the building.
Zeke Shoemaker, representing NAPA, said the delivery trucks are small and do not require a lot of space, and the deliveries are made at night.
Commissioner Jackie Larson asked about signage, and Shoemaker said that would be coming in a future application. He added that NAPA’s colors are the same yellow and blue as Blockbuster, so there would be no color change.
Commission Chair Richard Becher asked when they plan on opening, and Shoemaker said he had a packet he planned to submit upon approval of the doors, and they would begin construction immediately.
“I think it’s great, and I want to welcome you to the community,” Becher said.
Powell made a motion to approve the application, which carried 5-0.
