Three answers for one lot in Delray Beach
I tried three ways of finding out how many units I could build on a property in Delray Beach. I used an AI search engine, a general AI model and parcel-finder, our zoning infrastructure at Deepblocks.
I wanted to see whether parcel-finder would give me a better answer. It did. Here is what I found.
Explore DEV to prove if a site pencils: Drop a pin, model in 3D, and watch returns move.
The AI search engine gave me a project from a listing
The address was 1405 N Federal Hwy. I asked: "what can I build on 1405 N Federal Hwy, Delray Beach, FL?"
The AI overview at the top of the search results told me I could build a three-storey building with nine luxury condominiums. It described pre-approved plans, residences of about 2,500 square feet and a resort-style pool. Its sources included an Instagram account, a builder and a brokerage.
It had found the marketing for a proposed project at that address. It gave me that project's description as the answer, then offered to look up the local zoning and setbacks as a follow-up.
The AI search engine returned the marketed nine-unit project.
The general AI model found that the project used more land
I asked a general AI model the same question. It worked for ten minutes and three seconds and found the same project, The North Edge. It also read the county appraiser's record and the city's application.
The county record was for a 0.13-acre parcel, zoned General Commercial. The nine-unit project covered three parcels. The model advised against assigning the project's nine units to the small parcel alone.
It wrote: "I would not assign the nine-unit development potential to the 0.13-acre parcel alone."
It listed development options to investigate and asked whether I meant the single parcel or the full project site. It said it had not established the maximum unit count, height, floor-area ratio, setbacks or required parking.
That was useful. I now knew the search engine's nine-unit answer covered more land than the small parcel. I still did not know how many units that parcel allowed.
The general model distinguished the single parcel from the three-parcel project.
The general model listed development options to investigate.
The general model identified the values it had not established.
Parcel-finder gave me unit counts for the individual lots
I asked parcel-finder the same question. It looked up the address in the Delray Beach data it had already prepared and answered in 39 seconds.
It returned two lots, including the same 0.13-acre parcel the general model had identified. Both were part of the three-parcel project. Parcel-finder gave a separate answer for each of those two lots, rather than a count for the whole project.
It showed the unit count under the regular zoning rules, described as "by right", and under Live Local, Florida's programme for projects with an affordable-housing commitment.
The smaller lot, about 5,700 sq ft, allowed 1 apartment by right or 5 under Live Local. It gave a height of 48 ft by right or 54 ft under Live Local, and about 20,400 sq ft of estimated floor area.
The larger lot, about 20,600 sq ft, allowed 5 apartments by right or 18 under Live Local. It gave a height of 54 ft under Live Local, and about 74,300 sq ft of estimated floor area.
It also told me what the answer left out: "That floor area is an estimate and skips parking and setbacks. Two nearby overlays are not confirmed on these lots." An overlay is an area where additional zoning rules apply.
Parcel-finder returned unit counts for two lots in 39 seconds. Owner name blurred.
Why parcel-finder gave me a better answer
Parcel-finder had already read the zoning ordinance, matched the parcels to their zoning districts and calculated what each lot allowed. The ordinance supplies density and other rules. The unit count has to be calculated from those rules and the parcel's land area.
When I asked the question, parcel-finder looked up those results. The 39 seconds were the time to retrieve and explain the data, after the city had been prepared.
For the smaller lot, I had the two unit counts and the conditions behind them. I could begin comparing development options instead of starting with a marketed project that covered more land.
I would still need to resolve the nearby overlays and test what fits. Parcel-finder holds parking requirements and setbacks and returns them when asked. DEV is where the developer models the building and tests whether the deal works.
Explore DEV to prove if a site pencils: Drop a pin, model in 3D, and watch returns move.
