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GCS Palm Beach

Town of Palm Beach · Guide

ARCOM approval, step by step.

The short answer

ARCOM, the Town of Palm Beach's Architectural Commission, reviews new construction, landscaping, and changes visible from public rights-of-way. No permit is issued for that work until ARCOM, or the Town Council on appeal, approves it.

  • 11 weeks

    About that long from pre-app request to hearing, on the Town’s 2026 calendar.

  • 9 steps

    The Town’s published path, pre-application to hearing.

  • $3,000

    A major project application, plus the 4% technology fee.

  • 24 months

    An approval lasts, unless a building permit is obtained.

Updated
. Checked against the Town of Palm Beach’s published rules.
From
GCS Palm Beach, the company of Philip Modenos, Florida Certified General Contractor CGC057454 (opens the state record)

What ARCOM reviews

Building and landscaping plans, elevations, signs and alterations all need ARCOM approval before a permit. That includes a reroof that significantly changes the materials or the look.12

The Town Code gives ARCOM its tests:3

  • “Good taste and design.”
  • A building may not be “excessively similar” or “excessively dissimilar” to structures within 200 feet.
  • Additions must be “subservient in style and massing” to the main house.

A landmarked property, one under consideration, or one in a historic district goes to the Landmarks Preservation Commission instead. See the landmarks guide.12

ARCOM has seven members and three alternates, all Town registered voters appointed by the Town Council. Two or three are licensed architects, and one is a licensed landscape architect or master gardener. It grew out of the 1920s Art Jury, whose members included Addison Mizner, Marion Sims Wyeth and Maurice Fatio.1

Staff approval or the full commission?

The Town’s Project Designation Matrix puts every project type at one of four levels.4

ARCOM Major

Commission review

New houses, two-story additions visible from the right-of-way, additions on the 3rd floor or above, any project needing a variance.

ARCOM Minor

Chair review

Projects in the neighbor-consent column that don’t get the neighbor’s waiver, among others.

Staff

Staff approval

In-kind replacement of architectural features, including “S” tile. A one-story addition not visible from the right-of-way under 400 SF, or a second-floor one under 200 SF.

Staff

Staff approval with neighbor consent

Needs a written waiver of objection from the adjacent neighbor.

The Administrative Review Guide covers the staff-level categories, including roof replacement, window and door replacement, awnings, hurricane shutters, fences, walls and gates, generators up to 100KW, hardscape, landscape and landscape lighting. In a condo building, administrative review needs the association’s approval letter.5

The Town’s nine steps

An application that goes to the commission runs the Town’s nine published steps.6

  1. Before submittal

    1. Pre-application request to DEVREV@townofpalmbeach.com: address, scope and preliminary plans.
    2. Pre-application meeting, held on Microsoft Teams.

  2. Submittals and review

    1. First submittal through EPL, with one 11″ x 17″ mini set and a letter of intent.
    2. Staff review.
    3. Second submittal, with a written response to staff comments.
    4. Notice to Proceed, and fees invoiced.
    5. USPS Certificate of Mailing, and fees paid.

  3. Final submittal and hearing

    1. Final submittal: twelve complete 11″ x 17″ mini sets with the letter of intent.
    2. The hearing.

How long does ARCOM take?

Here is one run from the Town’s published calendar, for the December 18, 2026 hearing.7

  1. Pre-app request due
  2. Pre-app meeting
  3. First submittal
  4. Staff comments
  5. Second submittal
  6. Notice to Proceed and invoice
  7. Fees and certificate of mailing
  8. Final submittal
  9. Hearing

That’s about 11 weeks from pre-app request to hearing. Submittals are due by 10:00 a.m. on the deadline. Only complete applications go on an agenda, and a late or incomplete one can push the hearing back. Extra review rounds carry extra fees.7

Remaining 2026 ARCOM meetings: Wednesday, October 28; Friday, November 20; Friday, December 18. January 2027 is listed as to be determined. Agendas are posted on the Town’s meeting portal.78

Neighbor notice and the Town Council

  • Major project: the hearing is advertised in a newspaper at least 30 days ahead, and the applicant mails notice at least 30 days ahead to owners within 300 feet.9
  • Minor project with notice: mail goes to the adjacent owners and the owners across the street.9
  • Appeal: anyone, the applicant or an interested party, may appeal an ARCOM decision to the Town Council within 30 calendar days by letter to the Town Clerk.10

Since an October 2025 amendment (Ordinance No. 013-2025), the Town Council also considers every ARCOM major project, at its next regular meeting after ARCOM’s. Remaining 2026 Town Council development review dates: October 14, November 10 and December 9.710

An ARCOM decision takes effect 10 working days after the ruling. A project that needs a variance or a site plan review goes to the Town Council as well.111

After approval

Major projects must include two plans:

Construction staging and truck logistics plan

Parking, material storage, deliveries, the dumpster, portable toilets, tire cleaning, silt fence, the truck route including roads and bridges, truck sizes and counts, and a rough schedule.12

Construction screening plan

ARCOM-approved. The screening is permitted, installed, inspected and closed out before the building permit for the main work is issued.13

An approval expires after 24 months unless a building permit has been obtained, and ARCOM may grant one extension of up to a year. After a denial, a substantially similar application can’t be filed for 12 months.14 Next comes the building permit.

ARCOM fees

From the Town’s master fee schedule. A 4% technology fee is added to every Planning, Zoning & Building transaction.15

ARCOM fees from the Town master fee schedule
ItemFee
Major project application$3,000.00
Minor project application$2,000.00
Resubmittal$1,000.00 major,
$500.00 minor
Extension of time$500.00
Appeal$2,000.00
After-the-fact approval of work that deviates from approved plans200% of total fees

Rules change; check with the Town (Planning, Zoning & Building, (561) 838-5431) for your property.

How GCS helps

Philip Modenos takes jobs through the Town of Palm Beach building department, the Architectural Commission (ARCOM) and the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

  • Licensed 1994Florida Certified General Contractor since 1994
  • About 25 yearsOn Palm Beach island every day for about 25 years

Text him the address and the scope.

Call Philip Text Philip

Questions

What is ARCOM?
The Town of Palm Beach's Architectural Commission. It reviews new construction, landscaping, and changes visible from public rights-of-way.
How long does ARCOM take?
On the Town's published 2026 calendar, the pre-application request is due about 11 weeks before the hearing. Incomplete submittals push the date back.
Can staff approve my project without a hearing?
Often, yes, for listed items such as roof replacement, in-kind replacements and small additions not visible from the street, under the Town's Project Designation Matrix.
What does an ARCOM application cost?
$3,000 for a major project and $2,000 for a minor project, plus the Town's 4% technology fee.
How long is an ARCOM approval good for?
24 months, unless a building permit has been obtained. ARCOM may grant one extension of up to a year.
Does ARCOM review a landmarked house?
No. Landmarked properties, properties under consideration for landmarking, and properties in a historic district go to the Landmarks Preservation Commission instead.

Sources

The Town’s own documents and the Town Code, each read on . The numbers in the text point here.

  1. Town of Palm Beach, Development Reviewtownofpalmbeach.com
  2. Town Code Sec. 18-175library.municode.com
  3. Town Code Sec. 18-205library.municode.com
  4. ARCOM Project Designation Matrix (adopted 7/13/2022)townofpalmbeach.com
  5. Town Administrative Review Guidetownofpalmbeach.com
  6. Town Development Review Instructionstownofpalmbeach.com
  7. Town development review calendar, Aug 2026 to Jan 2027townofpalmbeach.com
  8. Town meeting agendas (CivicClerk)palmbeachfl.portal.civicclerk.com
  9. Town Code Sec. 18-202(d)library.municode.com
  10. Town Code Sec. 18-177library.municode.com
  11. Town Code Sec. 18-205(c)library.municode.com
  12. Town Code Sec. 18-86library.municode.com
  13. Town Code Sec. 18-201library.municode.com
  14. Town Code Sec. 18-203library.municode.com
  15. Town master fee schedule (Rev. 08/11/2026)townofpalmbeach.com

Call or text Philip.

It rings his cell. If he’s on a job, text.

561-758-8976
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