Ocean Strand Under Attack by City Council

The last city council workshop and council meeting revealed at least 2 city council members support for a development that would include the Ocean Strand property. At the workshop meeting on Monday, Mayor Whelchel stated that a possible development of the property on the NE corner of Camino Real & Fed. Hwy. could be worth up to $800 million and the city needs the tax revenue from this size of a development. The possible development has been rumored to include a Beach Club on the Ocean Strand property which may explain why the city council has refused to heed the pleas of many Ocean Blvd. residents to change the land use on the Ocean Strand property to open space & recreational use.

Council member Constance Scott voiced her support for development of this size as a need to raise tax revenue. The city manager stated that the estimated budget deficit for 2011 would be approximately $14 million and the city has already cut approx. 10% of the operating budget over the past few years to balance the budget.

Based upon these meetings it appears that the city has plans to allow a development of some sort on the Ocean Strand property in spite of the fact that the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park district commissioners have stated that they do not intend to develop or lease the property. With the city council's intent clear that they want to accommodate the possible $800 million development, it would appear that the city staff has a plan to convince the GBRBPD to either sell the property or lease the property to the developer.

Residents wishing to oppose this future development potential on the Ocean Strand property should email all city council members--asking for the land use change to be included in the current comprehensive plan amendment that will be approved on August 10th at the 6pm council meeting. Residents should also plan to attend the city council meetings on 8/9 at 1pm and 8/10 at 6pm and speak at the meeting during the agenda item for the comp plan amendment approval---asking for the land use change on Ocean Strand.

There will be a meeting on MONDAY July 19 at 5:15 pm to request a new LAND USE and ask the Parks District to change it to PR- see explanation below.

Please let our elected officials know that you would like the Ocean Strand Parcel to be accurately reflected in the existing and future land use maps as (PR) – Recreation and Open Space and (N)-conservation on its environmentally sensitive lands, reflecting the purpose of its acquisition rather than is current now outdated FLUM Designation “RM – Residential Medium”. The "RM" designation on Ocean Strand is particularly troubling in light of the proposed addition of Hotels/Motels to the list of allowable uses in the RM District.

Boca Raton City Council and City Manager Phone 561-393-7708
City Manager - Leif Ahnell - BocaCM@ci.Boca-Raton.fl.us
Susan Whelchel swhelchel@ci.boca-raton.fl.us
Constance Scott - cscott@ci.boca-raton.fl.us
Anthony Majhess - amajhess@ci.boca-raton.fl.us
Susan Hanyie - shaynie@ci.boca-raton.fl.us
Michael Mullaugh - mmullaugh@ci.boca-raton.fl.us

Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park Tax District NEXT MEETING this MONDAY July 19, 2010 AT 5:15 at 300 S. Military Trail, Sugar Sand Park – Boca RatonPhone 561-417-4599
Commissioners:
Robert Rollins rrollins@bocaratonbeachparkdistrict.org
Dennis Frisch dfrisch@bocaratonbeachparkdistrict.org
Dirk Smith dsmith@bocaratonbeachparkdistrict.org
Earl Starkoff estarkoff@bocaratonbeachparkdistrict.org
Elaine Kleinman ekleinman@bocaratonbeachparkdistrict.org

Ocean Strand is current designated as a land use Residential-Medium Density (RM):
The principal permitted uses are primarily multifamily uses with some small lot single family uses at densities of up to 9.5 units per acre. Accessory or related residential uses and institutional uses may be permitted. Motels or hotels may be permitted in areas along heavily traveled routes or in other areas such as PUDs.

Request to change Ocean Strand to: PUBLIC AND PRIVATE Recreation and Open Space (PR): This category designates both public and private property used for recreation or committed to recreational use. It is applied to properties having major recreational activities, such as golf courses, or other structured and maintained recreation area facilities. Appropriate accessory uses such as docks, jetties, or clubhouses will be permitted. Additionally, up to 0.5 dwelling unit per acre is permissible provided that 50% or more of any proposed development area remains in recreation uses. And change the portions of environmentally sensitive land to: Conservation (N): This category designates land within the City that has been protected due to vegetation or wildlife habitat. A land use designation of N is compatible with any zoning district.

Thank you for helping to protect Boca Raton Green Space.

MCZ Centrum Foreclosure Update

An extension of time has been granted by the court based upon a request by MCZ Centrum. The next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 24th at 8:45am.

These foreclosure proceedings normally take several months and considering the current large number of foreclosures in Palm Beach County it would be expected for this process to take up to 2 years.

Residents often inquire about the outcome of the foreclosure and what will eventually happen to the Boca Teeca/Ocean Breeze golf course. It is our expectation that another investment group will buy the property and operate it as a golf course--similar to what happen to the Boca Greens golf course in Dec. 2009. An investment group has contacted members of the Save Boca Raton Green Space organization in order to access their interest in supporting an effort to purchase the golf course after the foreclosure process is complete versus MCZ Centrum.

Foreclosure Update/MCZ Centrum on Boca Teeca Golf Course

There have been several extensions granted to MCZ Centrum in the foreclosure that was filed by Wachovia Bank on March 19, 2010. The docket for this court case shows a court order on March 26th "TO SHOW CAUSE WHY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE SHOULD NOT BE ENTERED AND TO SHOW CAUSE WHY AN ORDER TO MAKE PAYMENTS DURING FORECLOSURE SHOULD NOT BE ENTERED - HEARING APRIL 29, 2010 AT 8:45 A.M. SEE ORDER DTD MARCH 26, 2010 PER JUDGE"

On April 29th an extension of time was granted with subsequent extensions also granted on 5/6. 5/20, 5/28 & 6/1. The next hearing is scheduled for 6/14/10 at 8:45am with Judge Sasser. As shown by the numerous extensions granted MCZ Centrum, the foreclosure process is often lengthy. So, unless the principals of MCZ Centrum are able to find a buyer of the property for an amount agreeable to Wachovia, it would appear that this foreclosure will drag-on for several months.

Thank You Sallie Friedman

At last week's Town Hall meeting held in the city council chambers, Boca Teeca resident Sallie Friedman spoke out regarding her concerns of increased traffic in Boca Teeca if Costco is allowed to add a gasoline station to their property. Traffic was consistently a major concern of Boca Teeca residents during the past 20+ years. Traffic was also a primary concern during the 2006 meetings held by representatives of the Ocean Breeze golf course who proposed a "forced left turn" onto Westbound Jeffrey St. in order to keep traffic from the proposed 211 townhouses off of NW 2nd Ave.

These representations were made by the developers during the numerous meetings with residents in order to sell the residents on the proposed development. During the presentations at the public hearings there were no suggestions of a "forced left turn" and the city approved an amendment to the traffic level of service within Boca Teeca so that this road could be allowed to handle the increased traffic from the new development.

Sallie Friedman was one of the few residents of Boca Teeca that spoke at the public hearings in support of the development which was increasing traffic within this residential community. Here are two questions regarding her traffic concerns in Boca Teeca:
1)Did she support the development's traffic impact as a result of the promised payment of approx. $25,000 to her condo association?
2)Would she change her opinion of the Costco proposal if they agreed to pay her condo assoc.?

Ocean Strand Is Not For Sale

Yesterday's meeting of the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District provided very good news to the large crowd of Ocean Blvd. residents when Chairman Bob Rollins announced that the Ocean Strand property is not for sale. Many residents of the nearby Boca Towers expressed their positive opinion at hearing the chairman introduce the public comment portion of the agenda with this announcement.

But, a few residents were concerned that the potential exists for the property to be sold without a "required" referendum of voters. One commissioner inquired from the district's attorney if the commission could request a referendum should a proposal be made to sell or lease the property. The reply from the attorney was yes, the commission could require a referendum. The attorney also emphasized that the beach and park district has never sold or leased any property since the district was formed over 20 years ago.

For more questions of the beach and park district, please contact them at info@gbrbpd.org

Town Hall Meeting-May 24th at 6pm at City Hall

There is a town hall meeting May 24th at 6pm at city hall. City council members will be present to listen to your concerns and recommendations regarding city leadership. This is your opportunity to provide your opinion on the direction of the city, including development approvals, traffic congestion, foreclosure impacts, etc...

North Ocean Blvd. Property Proposed Development Site - Ocean Strand

The property was purchased to protect it from development, so is the city now considering breaking this promise to neighbors on North Ocean Blvd.?

Developer proposes Boca Raton park district land for private beach club
By Angel Streeter Sun Sentinel - Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Many hailed the purchase of the Ocean Strand property in 1994 as a major victory for preserving green space. For $11.88 million, the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District secured the city's last sizeable piece of undeveloped oceanfront property, saving the 15-acre site near Gumbo Limbo Nature Center from development. And there it has sat, undeveloped, untouched, in the midst of condominiums, single-family homes and other city parkland. Now, a developer is proposing building a private beach club on a portion of the property as part of a major development planned for downtown.

But residents who live near the property worry a beach club, possibly with dining and bars, could change the quiet, residential character of the coastal neighborhood."It would destroy the area," said Alan Goldman, who is on the condominium board of the Aegean, condominiums just south of Ocean Strand. "You've got an area here with no commercial property on the ocean side."District commissions have yet to agree; their lawyer is looking into the proposal.

"They said, 'We can think about this,' " said Bob Langford, park district executive director. "But there's a ton of things to think about. "The proposed beach club is critical to development of Via Mizner, a $1 billion redevelopment project at the northeast corner of Federal Highway and Camino Real, Penn-Florida Companies says. The mixed-use development, approved by Boca Raton's Community Redevelopment Agency in 2006, could consist of a 118-room luxury hotel, office space, 192 condominiums and high-end retail stores and restaurants. Penn-Florida has stressed to city and park district officials that the beach club would be a necessary amenity to attract an exclusive international hotel that has expressed interest in the Via Mizner project. And that hotel is critical to the success of Via Mizner overall.In an April 27 letter to City Manager Leif Ahnell, Penn-Florida President Mark Gensheimer asked the city to help the developer get access to the oceanfront portion of the Ocean Strand property to build a "low-rise beach club.

"In addition, a western portion of the property would be needed for beach club parking. In addition, Gensheimer said, Penn-Florida would help develop the Ocean Strand property as a passive park. In response, and at the direction of the City Council, Ahnell wrote to the park district board, stressing the importance of Via Mizner to the downtown and "its huge economic development potential. "He said the council was interested in exploring the beach club idea and getting public input. The developer's lawyer proposed the beach club to the district in December. Although at the time, the commissioners didn't know who the lawyer was representing or what major development he was referring to, Langford said. That had been the only contact the district had with Penn-Florida, he said.

At the December meeting, the developer's representative explained that the developer would want to lease the oceanfront property for the private beach club. But many questions remain unanswered: How much land does the developer want? How much is the developer willing to pay? When would the developer want to build the beach club?And a critical question for the park district is whether it should turn over public land to a private entity that wants to develop it.

"We haven't been too aggressive about building anything out there," Langford said. "We didn't buy it to develop it. We didn't buy it for any particular use. "The district bought it because neighbors and the city didn't want the previous owners to move forward with plans to build 79 condominiums and six beachfront homes on the site.Since the purchase, the district has done very little with the property.

Early on, it removed some old homes and duplexes. But nothing else has been done. And the land gets very little use. Neighbors seem to like that. They worry a beach club would bring traffic and noise. "It's basically like a nightclub in the middle of a residential area," said Mike Graham, who lives just north of the Ocean Strand property.While he approves of the Via Mizner project Penn-Florida plans downtown, he is skeptical about the district leasing prime real estate to a developer for a fraction of what it's worth."I'd sure like to know more about it," he said. "The beaches are nice. The traffic is minimal. It's our last piece of prime ground.

"Penn-Florida stressed it would work with neighbors to create a low density, low-rise beach club that would enhance the neighborhood, said Bonnie Kaye, a Penn-Florida spokeswoman. "The plans are conceptual," she said. "Nothing is finalized because the goal is to work with the city and the neighbors in a collaborative effort. The plans are to make it a showpiece and a welcome part of the community."