BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — Boca Raton is pausing a key set of downtown land-use decisions until after voters weigh in on the future of the Downtown Campus redevelopment.
At the Community Redevelopment Agency meeting on Monday, Feb. 23, the City Council discussed postponing the second readings of four ordinances, Nos. 5771, 5774, 5775 and 5776, until after the March 10, 2026 municipal election. The ordinances collectively address the regulatory framework for the Downtown Campus area and broader downtown development rules.
One day later, at the Tuesday, Feb. 24 City Council regular meeting, the council approved rescheduling the ordinances for consideration at its March 24, 2026 meeting.
The four ordinances, as we previously reported, are interrelated. Together, they set up a pathway to transition downtown away from the existing Downtown Development of Regional Impact framework — often referred to as DDRI — before the current regulations expire in March 2028, while also establishing campus-specific rules tied to the proposed Downtown Campus project area.
Ordinance No. 5771 would create a new Downtown Zoning District that would gradually replace the existing DDRI regulations before they expire. It also creates specific rules for a new “Government Center Subdistrict,” which includes the Downtown Campus project area. Those campus-specific provisions are designed to automatically repeal if the March 10 referendum is not approved by voters.
Ordinance No. 5774 would update the city’s Future Land Use Map to redesignate about 9.8 acres within the Downtown Campus area as Central Business District. The map amendment is framed as supporting long-term planning objectives in the city’s Comprehensive Plan and the CRA’s Downtown Plan, with an emphasis on mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly redevelopment and multi-modal transportation options downtown.
Ordinance No. 5775 would amend the Future Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan to establish policy direction for transitioning away from the DDRI framework before its March 2028 expiration.
Ordinance No. 5776 would amend the downtown DDRI by expanding DDRI Subarea A — which would be called the new “Government Center Subdistrict” — for consistency with the Future Land Use map change in Ordinance No. 5774. It would also reallocate existing downtown development capacity, measured in office equivalents, to support implementation of the Downtown Campus project.
Under the ordinance overview, the DDRI amendment would not increase overall development capacity. Instead, it would shift entitlements within the existing framework and place existing development rights for the 9.8 acres proposed for redesignation into the downtown regulatory framework. As with other campus-specific components, the reallocation tied to the Downtown Campus project is structured to automatically repeal if the March 10 referendum is not approved by voters.
For residents trying to track what decisions are being made when, the timeline is now clear.
The March 10 municipal election includes a ballot question on whether to proceed with the proposed public-private partnership Downtown Campus Redevelopment. If that referendum fails, the campus-specific regulatory provisions tied to these ordinances would not move forward.
If the ballot question is approved, the next steps outlined include rezoning and related land-use actions subject to applicable reviews and approvals, site plan review through the city’s standard regulatory processes, and community engagement and planning for city-led public facilities, including a community center, City Hall and Memorial Park.
For now, the four ordinances are slated to return for council consideration on March 24 — after voters have their say on March 10.
This article is part of Boca Post’s ongoing coverage of the Downtown Campus Redevelopment Project, a proposed public-private partnership involving City-owned land near NW 2nd Avenue and Palmetto Park Road.
