Why Juno Beach Should Maintain Its 75% Residential / 25% Commercial Mixed-Use Balance

We are a small coastal town with a unique character and limited land available for redevelopment. With U.S. Route 1 serving as our primary north-south corridor, thoughtful land-use planning is essential to managing traffic while preserving the community we all love.

One policy that plays an important role in this balance is the current zoning for mixed-use properties: 75% residential and up to 25% commercial.

Maintaining this balance supports the existing local businesses while also helping limit traffic impacts along U.S. 1.

Changing this requirement leads to outsized and overdeveloped projects like Caretta on U.S. 1 and Donald Ross which will greatly increase traffic.

Local Services Close to Home

Urban planning research consistently shows that having neighborhood-serving businesses located near residential areas reduces the distance people must travel for everyday needs.

Transportation planners refer to this as internal trip capture—when residents can meet daily needs locally rather than driving to another community.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Smart Growth research notes that:

“Compact, mixed-use development patterns can shorten trip lengths and reduce vehicle miles traveled compared with separated land uses.”

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Smart Growth and Transportation.
(https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/smart-growth-and-transportation)

Similarly, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) finds that many trips to neighborhood retail are “pass-by trips,” meaning they occur while drivers are already traveling along a corridor rather than creating entirely new traffic.

Source: ITE Trip Generation Manual, Institute of Transportation Engineers.(https://www.ite.org/technical-resources/topics/trip-and-parking-generation/)

Why This Matters for Juno Beach

Juno Beach has several characteristics that make this balance particularly important:

• A small land area

• A limited commercial base

• A seasonal population increase

• Heavy reliance on U.S. Route 1 for regional travel

Transportation planning work in Palm Beach County emphasizes improving mobility along U.S. 1 through better corridor management rather than simply expanding roadway capacity.

Source: Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency, U.S. 1 Multimodal Corridor Study.
(https://www.palmbeachtpa.org/us1-multimodal-corridor-study)

When local services disappear, residents need to drive to nearby communities such as Jupiter or North Palm Beach for everyday needs. This increases the distance of trips and can contribute to congestion along regional roads.

Maintaining a modest amount of neighborhood-serving commercial space within residential areas helps keep some of those trips shorter and closer to home.

Supporting Local Businesses

The 25% commercial component also helps support local businesses that provide services residents rely on.

These businesses contribute to the community by:

• Providing everyday services nearby

• Supporting the local economy

• Preserving the amazing local business we all love

• Maintaining the character of a small coastal community

Without a dedicated portion of mixed-use properties reserved for commercial uses, it would become difficult for these businesses to remain viable as .

A Balanced Approach

The current 75% residential / 25% commercial mix provides a thoughtful balance.

It allows:

• Housing opportunities within mixed-use areas

• A modest level of neighborhood-serving businesses

• Reduced need for longer regional trips

• Preservation of the town’s character

For a built-out coastal community like Juno Beach, maintaining this balance helps support both livability and mobility.

Moving Forward

As redevelopment discussions continue, maintaining the current zoning balance offers a practical way to:

• Support and protect our local businesses

• Keep services close to residents

• Manage traffic impacts

• Preserve the character of Juno Beach

Thoughtful planning today helps ensure Juno Beach remains the special place we all love.