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The Palm Beach County Commission met nearly all day on the Century village controversial proposed development, Reflection Bay. Shelley Vana had jury duty and did not meet the morning part of the testimony. The zoning meetings are considered “quasi-judicial” and Commissioners are required to base their decisions on testimony and evidence presented. Therefore she had to follow procedure and was not allowed to join the meeting upon her return.
With only six commissioners to decide, the vote was split 50/50. Jess Santamaria was the hero of the day and presented the best argument to deny the developer and it revolved around two reasons: 1) The perpetuity clause has to do with the heart and soul of the argument. He even bought a new Webster's dictionary to read up on the meaning. "I have to protect my constituents," he said. 2) Most of the buyers who bought into Century village relied on the golf course. He felt the solution was to turn over the course to someone else as the present owner businessman, failed. He said to the developer, "Take your lumps." This property was always meant to be a golf course.
The Motion was to deny and the following votes were recorded:
S. Abrams...NO
P. Taylor...NO
H. Valeche...YES
P. Burdick...YES
M. Berger...NO
J. Santamaria...YES
Please note who voted for the rights of the people. The quasi judicial meeting will come back to the commission on February 28. Shelley Vana will be the swing vote.
17 comments:
Today's heroes:
1. The 3 commissioners who voted to DENY
2. all those Century villagers in the PAC and others who spoke to the convenant and their property rights and saw through the BS of the owner.
3. Alex Larsen
4. Drew Martin
Today's biggest disappointment:
Mayor Abrams for his arrogant opinion that "win, lose or draw, you are not going to get a golf course." Also, he was told by the county assistant attorney, Robert Banks, that the commission, if they approved, could not be drawn into a law suit and that they could relieve the deed restriction. Abrams was happy to be advised that it would be private litigation.
Over the next 30 days, please find a way that the County CAN BE SUED.
This place is ghetto. I looked here two years ago for a friend in Germany to have winter home. It was nice 30 years ago, going to get worse if not some redevelopment soon. Units for sale $20,000, only the poorest will live here and not contribute to surrounding area, is allready getting dangerous, crime, many closed stores and businesses. The residents are not midclass as before, know have drunks and druggies. Very few use golf coarse, its in bad shape also, cannot afford to up keep. My friend buy nice condo in Greenakers for $38,000 near Jog road and Melaluca, much safer and cleaner.
If you are against housing for poor in Lake Worth, 6th ave project, CRA housing, why you support keeping Century Village?
Polish Chris
Number 1, I support housing for seniors. Number 2, I support all housing that is well maintained and not dependent on the government. Century Village is one of those communities. Because this is older housing does not automatically classify everyone who owns there as poor, Polish. You have assumed something that is untrue. Seniors are in a category all of their own. I support this community and its property rights and its deeded covenants.
LW is full of affordable housing without building more.
"If you are against housing for poor in Lake Worth, 6th ave project, CRA housing, why you support keeping Century Village?"
Polish Chris
What an idiot. You can't see the difference between an established senior owner community vs. a proposed gang-banger/baby Momma rental ghetto? My sympathy to the Polish Community Chris is giving a bad name to .
Century Village was once a decent affordable community for the seniors. (by the way, the evil developer made a killing providing this affordable housing for seniors) It is now aging and in some cases borders on slum.
The project at 6th and F street will be new, modern, efficient well regulated rentals. Yes, many of the type of people you suggest will qualify for occupancy. Some are in the position not of their own doing but still deserve decent housing. LaJolla Village will be decent housing with onsite management and constant maintenance. Much like Century Village.
The old "golf course" has been dilapidated, overgrown and an eyesore that has helped the deterioration of CV.
So Lynn, what would you have them do? You can't force an entity to conduct a money losing business. And ask CV residents if they are willing to pay more in their monthly maintenance fees to support bringing it back and guess how they'd vote.
Would you rather it stay as it is and further deteriorate? What WOULD you approve of if you were one having to approve any change to the deed restriction? Is this just an unfortunate disadvantage of deed restrictions?
That is so false anonymous above. Borders on slum? geez.
All I can say is I'm not going to argue about this. Ask Jess Santamaria about his opinion. Ask Pauline Burdick and Hal Valeche what they think. And then after that, ask all those who bought into that community with a golf course asset that has been let to lie idle from the owners thus breaking a contract and giving them the excuse, as bad businessmen, to use it for another purpose.
FURTHER--even though I said I was not going to argue the point--The owner should sell it to someone who can manage golf courses and stop being a whore. This is not about you and all your freaking developer friends whose basic attitude is screw the people. WTF? Sell the land and do not change the zoning for a developer who failed to keep his promise. Why should government bail out these course owners for a failed business? Is that what government does at the expense of the people Taking advantage of Seniors? Up-zone neighborhoods against the wishes of the people? This is not a freaking dictatorship or one-sided for one property owner out to line his pockets by breaking a contract and a deed restriction that involves 13,000 people..
Thank you for call me idiot, I'm certain your mother is proud of you and you are a intelligent member of society and thank you for insightful comment on this topic. Keep Century Village as it is, let the people live in ghetto neighborhood with no hope better living conditions, make no different for me, not me business.
What should be better for 6th south? who want to live there, area is bad for 30 years. Perhaps leave empty lot, community garden, no tax revenue?
Polish Chris
Polish Chris, you really are a hard nut to crack.
Lynn, that overgrown area on Haverhill hasn't been a golf course for over 20 years. I think they tried to make it a driving range for awhile before it closed for good 20 years ago.
So if it doesn't work in that location, again, what do you think should happen there? Let it sit there for another 20? Starting to sound like our beach.
Should it remain an eyesore blighted property and follow in Lake Worth's steps, or should someone propose to utilize the very valuable property in a better way?
I just read the post in your related thread that gave a different view based on "this" particular speculator buying up deed restricted, blighted properties such as this and doing what evil developers do, try to make it pay off. In this case get the deed restriction lifted so that SOMETHING will be done with the property.
Like in your neighborhood, some of the seniors in CV like living off the tax rolls and think that any nice development would actually increase their taxable value and therefore cause them to pay into the services we all have to provide for them.
Hence my question about the chances of them offering to chip in for the costs associated with maintaining a golf course as an amenity to their wonderful Century Village? I think not.
It's put up or shut up.
I don't know why this always gets down to something personal about where I live and I'm not sure why you have a hard on for seniors who live in condos but you do. We are talking about Century village and a deed restriction that goes with their properties there. The owner of that golf course agreed to have a golf course and maintain it. He didn't. Let me ask you, how do other golf courses do it? Good management and the desire is always the key. In this case, neither one happened out there and the owner stopped operations three years ago, NOT 20. He was sitting and waiting for the moment that he could pull this off.
Now let's take another scenario--say you have a home in Atlantis and you bought there because of a golf course amenity. All of a sudden Kintz decides to stop functions at the public course he owns and let the land go to seed. What do you think would happen? Just because one group of people have tons of money and the other group are retirees, does not justify what they are doing at Century Village.
Perpetuity is just that.
to the anonymous psoter at 1:54. I am sure if met hyou that I would not like you. You afre one mean spirited sack of &*^%>
hello. Why would you post J Hughes attack on 1:54, thought personal attacks would not be tolerated. I think 1:54 makes a point, is on topic, and not being rude unlike many other entries on this blog. Agree or disagree, but why allow this?
Some of you need to grow up and quit using words like "whore", "suck","idiot", sack of ....". Using these kind of terms is lame. thank you
BECAUSE.................
anonymous posted Like in your neighborhood, some of the seniors in CV like living off the tax rolls and think that any nice development would actually increase their taxable value and therefore cause them to pay into the services we all have to provide for them.
Anyone who can write something like that IS a sack of chit. Txs.
That comment was not meant as a slight to you or those who live in CV. It is a fact of life. Our homestead exemption is a sham. At least you pay a little into the system. Many in these enclaves don't. I know, many can't afford it either.
I also take advantage of the homestead exemption and save money by doing so. It would be foolish not to.
Now to my point about those who don't want anything that will make their property values go up, therefore making it less "affordable", that view does persist. In CV (especially) and here in good ole Lake Worth.
Call me names if you like. Unlike you, I am one who would like to see Lake Worth grow and prosper. That doesn't make me a developer. But I do support RE-development. We are already pretty much built out as a community.
I'd also like to see something worthwhile occur on that site next to CV. It's a dying area. The "good ole boys" equivalent in CV is dying out and younger seniors are trying to move in and would like different amenities.
If CV isn't going to step in and take responsibility to make sure the property stays a golf course,(other than lip service) then let somebody do SOMETHING with the property.
I'd support CV if they wanted to take it over and run their golf course for all the residents to enjoy. They don't.
Unlike you, I am one who would like to see Lake Worth grow and prosper.
Well, anonymous, that is a totally FALSE assumption. I am against growing up our downtown and changing our city for developers to benefit. If anyone is against prosperity and growth than they are flat out kooks.
CV is in the right on this property. Why should they have to buy it in order to maintain it as a golf course? It is ALREADY deeded that way in PERPETUITY.
OK, let's try it a different way... Lake Worth has a deeded golf course. I don't know if it makes money or not. Let's just say for the argument that it doesn't.
Because it is deed restricted, it must be used for a particular purpose. In our case, I believe it has to remain public, but not necessarily a golf course. But for argument, let's assume it has to remain a golf course.
If it does not make money (positive cash flow) we, as residents must infuse the required funds to make it work. If we don't, it would go to seed and be an eyesore.... sort of what happened at CV.
I have no problem understanding perpetuity.
CV residents must step up to the plate. In perpetuity!
Or allow a better use for the property. Do you think you can force a private individual or company to take on a losing proposition? Please explain how this could be done.... in perpetuity.
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