Do you think you have control as to what your city looks like? Think again. Citizens’ input is meaningless when you have politicians working against the best interest of residents.
Land use changes just don’t happen out of the sky blue. They happen when a City Commission, with the aid of Planning and Zoning boards, deem the change as acceptable, permissible, something they want and if the change fits into the city’s desire…you can bet that it will happen. But even if a change doesn’t fit into the Master Plan, these few people have complete control over what our City looks like. Scary when you think about it. Our City is controlled by 5 people on the dais and the 7 members each on Planning & Zoning and to an extent, the CRA.
“The Planning & Zoning’s function is to review and approve site plans for three units or more of residential development and all commercial development. The Board also reviews community appearance and has the ability to grant variance from the Lake Worth Zoning Code.” That is straight off the city’s web site. The Board is being very humble in its description and power don’t you think?
Our City Commission has the final word on land use changes and when three commissioners voted to annex the Smith property, giving the owner a zoning inconsistent to the surrounding properties, it was all about the money. You see, with doubling or tripling the number of units that could be built, they would get double or more the ad valorem. Their decision was contrary to our Comprehensive Plan.
The owner wanted to be annexed into the City of Lake Worth after being in the County since the 1920’s with his property zoned agriculture allowing him to build 5 units per acre. If he could have received that zoning in the County, we wouldn’t be talking about this or where we are today. He asked for favorable zoning (20 units per acre) from Lake Worth instead, a city for which he had a close relationship. He asked for a zoning incompatible to the neighborhood which is 7 units per acre. He was now retired and lived on the west coast of Florida. He no longer had an interest in the neighborhood and how this would change it; he no longer had to run into his close neighbors and “friends,” the people who lived there. He no longer had to have a conscience. He didn't have to answer to anyone. His interest was only the money. And so was the City's.
Ray Smith was a former employee of the City of Lake Worth. Essentially, the City of Lake Worth gave him the zoning he desired without a second thought to the 240 families living in that community. One owner got to up-zone his property and the rest of Lake Osborne Heights shouted “foul.”
The then city commission had no regard for all the families living in Lake Osborne Heights and the surrounding areas when it made its decision. Robert Waples, the president of ROLOH, says, “Having the say in development of our neighborhoods is so important that it is not just about Sunset and ROLOH but every neighborhood in the entire city limits.”
We are still shouting “foul” and we are hoping that the new City Commission will set it right for the hundreds of people who have bought homes and invested in the Lake Osborne Heights neighborhood and those nearby. Not only is this about saving the Sunset neighborhood, but it is about saving all neighborhoods in the City of Lake Worth. If it can happen at Sunset it can happen to you.
