Lake Worth Historical Resources Preservation Board

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I have always advocated building more expensive houses in Lake Worth, whenever possible, attracting the more affluent thus possibly, over time, driving out the slum and blight and increasing our tax base. Where there is poverty one often finds slum and blight.

Nothing has ever been built on 302 North Lakeside. It is surrounded by lovely houses on a wonderful street. It is owned by builder, Hector Cabrera who has built some really cute houses in our city. Tim and Elizabeth Hulett went before the Historic Planning &Zoning Board as they say that they want to build a house on the lot for their son, a structure that is not compatible to the adjacent properties. The 31 year old son even spoke before the board telling them that "I love Lake Worth."

Those who were in attendance and sat on the Historic Resources Preservation Board for that meeting were:   Herman Robinson, Loretta Sharp, and alternates Mark Clary and Jimmy Zoellner. Juan Contin was absent. Wes Blackman, Chair of the Historic Preservation Board is the agent for the Hulett's who recused himself from the proceedings. Judith Just, another member of the Board, recused herself as well as she was against the development. She lives next door to it.

The subject property is located within the Old Lucerne Local Historic District, which is also listed as a national historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. The lot is zoned Single Family Residential (SF-7) and is subject to the development standards for this district in the City of Lake Worth Zoning Code and in the City’s Comprehensive Plan. In addition, the southern 17.5-feet of the lot is encumbered by a recorded utilities easement. The City’s property files do not indicate that there have ever been any buildings constructed on the property.

Staff’s opinion was that the building height should be lowered in order for the house to be compatible in height with other adjacent buildings in the district. Staff recommended an additional overall height reduction. This height can be taken out between the first and second stories, maintaining the high ceiling heights in the buildings while creating an overall height reduction. While still leaving the home taller than other buildings in the area, the reduction would bring the building more into scale with the rest of the neighborhood.

Loretta Sharpe, newly appointed Board member wanted the Hulett's to have anything they desired even though the Huletts had met with the P&Z staff and had agreed to their recommendations of lowering the ceiling heights and taking/changing out the tower. She wanted them to have all of it, tower included, and the heck with the neighborhood even if it did not comply with the Preservation's code for visual height compatibility to the adjacent structures.

The Hulett name is well known in Palm Beach County and Greg Rice is a well known representative of Hulett Environmental, a new member of our Planning and Zoning board, and one who owns  property in Lake Worth. One unit he owns is located at The Lucerne, a building approved by Loretta Sharpe when she was previously on the P&Z several years ago and a building that is incompatible to the buildings in our downtown. It was given waiver after waiver to the developer by the P&Z. Sharp admits to being a good friend of Greg Rice. Sharp, a Realtor,  has also been a big supporter of growing the buildings up in our downtown and was against the people's referendum recently vocalizing such at the last commission meeting. Just like the Lucerne, the 302 N. Lakeside proposed building is also incompatible to the other residential houses adjacent to it.

The former appointed members of the Planning &Zoning Board were removed and replaced with political appointees by the present commission. They did the same with the Historic Preservation Board so that the commission could pack it with their political sympaticos who are developer oriented at any and all costs, even to the detriment to our historic district and the people who live there. At least Jimmy Zoellner, member of the Historic Preservation Board wanted to keep the heights per Staff's recommendation.

The proposed structure was approved 4/0. I believe that all four members who voted on this approval were contacted by the Hulett's and at least three of them met with them out of the Sunshine. Perhaps the entire Board was contacted. This is the sort of practice that happened years ago when this city was known for its corruption. Even if this is not a Florida Sunshine Law issue, it could very well be construed as an ethical issue. All private conversations should have been revealed as to the details of the meeting, where it was held, who initiated it, what was said and what was asked and what conclusions or agreements were reached by the Board members at those private one-on-one meetings.

It was stated at Tuesday night's commission meeting that all city board members have taken the Palm Beach County ethics course. They are all in compliance with the County just for having taken the course but I question whether it all sank in or whether those private meetings by the Historic Resources Planning members with the prospective owners were proper.

Perhaps this entire Board should have recused itself.