I'm a Florida Panther and I used to live in the forest
Developers want to wipe out our Florida pantherAs Thomas Jefferson said, "Merchants have no country."
On a more local scale, we see the same mentality. Build higher, especially downtown and in the commercial districts, because this will bring more people and more people will therefore shop in our stores and dine in our restaurants. The tax base is secondary and used only as an excuse to support their agenda because any tax from anything built in the CRA District would NOT go to operate the City of Lake Worth. What is really non-existent is their mere thought of the over-all welfare of our little city, one of the most dense cities around, and its resources. Spend millions and they will come and we will worry about water, sewer, roads etc. later.
We have seen the Hammon Park project. We have witnessed The Lucerne. We have seen what has happened on 6 Avenue South after spending $5.8 million—nothing. 10th Avenue North, another 8 million, is almost complete and we have debt for 30 years. These are CRA brainstorms that have not benefited the city but it is always about two things - development and tax dollars for the CRA. It is all about the merchants and developers. Just take a look at the background of those who spoke against height restrictions at one of the last city commission meetings: a planner, contractor, real estate attorney, Realtor, merchants, land speculator, mortgage broker to name a few.The link to all is development…development at the peril of you and me but more importantly, to our City.
While our city burns, they are worrying about 10 feet! While our city burns, they worry about getting more density! The more people, the more traffic in their stores. The more density, the more that builder can make, the more units that Realtor can commission. You get the drift.
They are convinced that having a supermarket a block from our major downtown thoroughfares is good planning although it will be right next to single family residential houses. I agree with Commissioner Jennings but her argument fell on deaf ears. These are the same people who don't even recognize Publix Supermarket located in our City directly west of I-95 on Lake Worth Road and refuse to shop there because of its customer base.
The irony of this is, all these people will now shop at the new Publix on Dixie if that plan develops as I hear that Publix will close the one on Lake Worth Road. Those speaking never mentioned this store but instead brought up two Spanish grocery stores in the City as being the only other grocery stores here. When Publix comes to this location, ALL of the tax goes to the CRA, not to the City of Lake Worth. The other four commissioners listened to the lobbyists on this subject and they listened to the CRA, the very same body that they nearly took over just a few months ago for unwise decisions of taxpayer dollars. And the CRA has talked about expanding its boundaries.
Those advocating for taller buildings argue that the rest of the world is moving forward as Lake Worth stands still--that we should raise the heights of building in our city to get ready for the eventual market turn and development. For some reason they argue, but surely can't believe, that ten feet less will hurt their downtown business and it will "kill Lake Worth's viability." They say that we must give developers the opportunity to build 65 to 100 feet if they give us a public benefit otherwise they will refuse to ever build here.
There will always be developers who will want to build in our city. There will always be developers that will promise a benefit and will not perform...the old bait and switch routine. This is exactly what happened with The Lucerne Condominium downtown. The developer was to give us 80 public parking spaces. A year later, a new commission, and we don't get the benefit. That is why they are so anxious and so mad right now as they have always been able to project their will here.
This same attitude is what has ruined the State of Florida…the development at any cost. It has been a high price to pay as we see Builder Associations, developers, the evil Florida Chamber of Commerce, etc. fight citizen groups that are trying to protect what land we have left by smart growth decisions. We now have the Florida panther that once roamed our State by the thousands reduced to nearly extinction. Panther crossing signs are nearly extinct as well. It is a sad day when we have to press the federal government to do the right thing and protect our State animal from developers.
Vote Yes on 4 in 2010 for Florida Hometown Democracy. Let's take back our State and our cities. Remember this when you vote this November for a new Mayor and two commissioners. Keep in mind those who want to build high, who would have Fort Lauderdale in Lake Worth and who are looking to change our city for their own selfish gain.
Thomas Jefferson summed up that attitude in 1809 and it still holds up today when he said, The selfish spirit of commerce... knows no country, and feels no passion or principle but that of gain."
We have seen the Hammon Park project. We have witnessed The Lucerne. We have seen what has happened on 6 Avenue South after spending $5.8 million—nothing. 10th Avenue North, another 8 million, is almost complete and we have debt for 30 years. These are CRA brainstorms that have not benefited the city but it is always about two things - development and tax dollars for the CRA. It is all about the merchants and developers. Just take a look at the background of those who spoke against height restrictions at one of the last city commission meetings: a planner, contractor, real estate attorney, Realtor, merchants, land speculator, mortgage broker to name a few.The link to all is development…development at the peril of you and me but more importantly, to our City.
While our city burns, they are worrying about 10 feet! While our city burns, they worry about getting more density! The more people, the more traffic in their stores. The more density, the more that builder can make, the more units that Realtor can commission. You get the drift.
They are convinced that having a supermarket a block from our major downtown thoroughfares is good planning although it will be right next to single family residential houses. I agree with Commissioner Jennings but her argument fell on deaf ears. These are the same people who don't even recognize Publix Supermarket located in our City directly west of I-95 on Lake Worth Road and refuse to shop there because of its customer base.
The irony of this is, all these people will now shop at the new Publix on Dixie if that plan develops as I hear that Publix will close the one on Lake Worth Road. Those speaking never mentioned this store but instead brought up two Spanish grocery stores in the City as being the only other grocery stores here. When Publix comes to this location, ALL of the tax goes to the CRA, not to the City of Lake Worth. The other four commissioners listened to the lobbyists on this subject and they listened to the CRA, the very same body that they nearly took over just a few months ago for unwise decisions of taxpayer dollars. And the CRA has talked about expanding its boundaries.
Those advocating for taller buildings argue that the rest of the world is moving forward as Lake Worth stands still--that we should raise the heights of building in our city to get ready for the eventual market turn and development. For some reason they argue, but surely can't believe, that ten feet less will hurt their downtown business and it will "kill Lake Worth's viability." They say that we must give developers the opportunity to build 65 to 100 feet if they give us a public benefit otherwise they will refuse to ever build here.
This same attitude is what has ruined the State of Florida…the development at any cost. It has been a high price to pay as we see Builder Associations, developers, the evil Florida Chamber of Commerce, etc. fight citizen groups that are trying to protect what land we have left by smart growth decisions. We now have the Florida panther that once roamed our State by the thousands reduced to nearly extinction. Panther crossing signs are nearly extinct as well. It is a sad day when we have to press the federal government to do the right thing and protect our State animal from developers.
Thomas Jefferson summed up that attitude in 1809 and it still holds up today when he said, The selfish spirit of commerce... knows no country, and feels no passion or principle but that of gain."
1 comment:
Not sure if some people don't know how to get an account in order to post but here is an e-mail that I couldn't pass up. I got tons of e-mails from FHD people across the State but Steve R's is good!
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It's impossible. They all talk a good line but when they get in there, the “office” takes over. Their egos bloat up and they give in to temptation. I’ve seen this happen time and again in Ft. Lauderdale.
Good luck! Amendment 4 is the only answer! Look at it this way, the more these elected idiots screw up and piss off the public, the better for us come November 2010!
SR
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