Monday, February 25, 2013

Stand up for our small town

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Yesterday, while walking in our downtown with my Respectful Planning t-shirt, I was inspired by those who stopped or stared and read the message. They all were in agreement--keep our great downtown small. It was an easy "sell."

Where do you see yourself fitting into the fight to keep your downtown a low-rise city? Are you spreading the word to all your neighbors? Are you walking and talking about the issue that has become a blood bath in Lake Worth...a bloodbath of lies from developers and their friends who love The Lucerne and who all want a final hold on what we have--a friendly, small downtown with charm galore and the reason why people visit in the first place.

We have no place here for developer types whose only motivation is building up our prime real estate in the downtown for their greed...making money off our little and very vibrant downtown, their only motivation for their subterfuge--illegal banners not withstanding. They can make plenty of money from building 4 story buildings but some people never make enough of it; they want more of it and they want to do it off the backs of you and me and our great little city. We have the entire Dixie Highway corridor for them. They can go at it.

Are you going to tune out or stand up for what you believe?

Please get out and vote YES on Amendment 2 on March 12

12 comments:

Lynn Anderson said...

Building tall has nothing to do with changing the class of people in this city.

Weetha Peebull said...

I went down at in my 'yes' shirt, did a bit of garbage pick up and had great conversations too! The common thread was the banner was wrong no matter how they felt about the issue!
Second was the shocked look and the slow processing that the PAC was formed by 2 people on the P&Z and the chair was OK w/it! 117ndaysep

A Thoughtful Member of the 1% said...

If only people had been so exercised about "saving" Lake Worth during the '70s. Sorry, but this "Yes" argument is false... most of the historic buildings are gone, replaced by 2-story dreck or left as empty lots. Within the downtown corridor, nothing changes as the LDRs prohibit another monstrosity like the Lucerne. And in the eastern corridor, building to 100' between Lake & Lucerne won't hurt the mixed residential nearby.

This fear-peddling reminds one of the bullshit "they're raising your taxes!!" used to scare voters away from rolling over a GO bond twenty years ago. Just three pennies per thousand bucks (it had been used for a storm water/street project)would have refurbished the beach WITHOUT county involvement.

It's funny that the same ones who foisted the rather expensive and none-to-well-designed "redevelopment" of the casino on the rest of us are also the noisiest about "saving" something that isn't being threatened.


Lynn Anderson said...

The casino is being paid through revenues, not the taxpayers. You are talking about 40 plus years later. Most people, even if they sere here, were not engaged in politics then. It took years of corrupt and inept politicians making lousy decisions to get us involved.

What IS being threatened is our low rise city. And people in the western area do NOT want 10 story buildings now, or in the future.

A Thoughtful Member of the 1% said...

Yet you live in an 11 story building well north of Lucerne, smack in the middle of much smaller residential structures. Built during a time of almost predatory land deals, the root cause of this town's downward slide from 1968 to the present. But enough nostalgia. In the here and now, thoughtful development is required if the city has any hope of ... hey, let's use that word Mulvehill is so fond of: sustainability.

Most of the structures along the western corridor are of insufficient use for a major city egress. When Lake Worth got lucky with FDOT willing to pay for the street improvements, that entire section should have received the same benefits of redevelopment. The fact that it didn't is no argument for keeping it a slum.

Again, the RPPAC has no rational argument based on what the charter, LDR, and current height restrictions already protect.

Anonymous said...

I fail to see how a 6 story building is that much different from a 4 story building. Our downtown is not affected by this height issue and is not in danger. I can't believe everyone is making such a big deal out of this.

Lynn Anderson said...

I don't see a thing that is thoughtful about you 1%.

Who lives in an 11 story building? Do you have any idea of what you're talking about? how do you make up stuff like you do.

The charter says that 10 story buildings west of Dixie and 6 stories east. No one wants that height.

Whatever is your argument?

A Thoughtful Member of the 1% said...

My apologies, I was under the impression that you resided in Lake Worth Towers.

The rest of my comments are germane to the facts. Ten story buildings west of Dixie and six stories east does not, has not had any impact whatsoever on single family structures outside of that footprint.

As for thoughtfulness, anyone that parrots everything from GOTP tin-foil rants to the latest foamings by the neo-hippies in our midst really can't be that smart. FWIW, I employ 20 people working in historic properties I RESTORED in this town. Not to mention years of public service. What have you done besides being a useful tool to proponents of ideologies in direct opposition to you and your community's best interests?

Lynn Anderson said...

As I said, you are NOT very thoughtful. As a boss, you must be one insufferable boor. Years of public service? Your apologies are meaningless. You attempted to put down an entire building of seniors. Hopefully, you were not in office in this city. If you were, no wonder we are in serious problems.

We all can have an opinion about this. Because of your 'astute" resume, you believe your opinion holds more weight. Congratulations on being such a wild success in your life but a total failure when it comes to respecting different opinions.

Anonymous said...

The desperation of the pro-high rise crowd is showing through!! You took the money from the developers, and they promised you all would be well. Now you're all realizing that you've sold your souls and are going to gain NOTHING. No one will want to meet your gaze when this thing is finished. If by chance you get your way, you'll be hated for generations upon generations. But I don't think you will. The people get it. Szerdi's a one-termer, as is the mayor and her two bosom buddies. Can't wait to be done with this crowd! Worst commission ever. Worst ideas ever!!! Instead of trying to clean up this city, they decide it would be a fantastic idea to destroy its historic charm. We'll have a lot of work trying to put things back after they're gone. All hands on deck!

Anonymous said...

In truth....45 feet is way too high. It should be two stories, flat roof, all the way. And no ugly buildings. Example: See 'The Lucerne.' Buildings should be art deco or Spanish colonial. No fake windows, no fake balconies, no fake 'Tuscan' ornamentation. Because if you like ugly buildings, you can always move to Fort Lauderdale. If you don't think Lake Worth has a large trove of historic buildings, you don't have eyes. Hope somebody helps you dress in the morning.

Anonymous said...

Our downtown is very much in danger. The property listing for the Hummingbird Hotel was advertising 6-story "air rights" up until a couple months ago. What does that tell you? And to the commenter who asked the difference between two-story,four-story and six-story buildings...in the photo of our small downtown that Lynn posted, a four-story building would block about half the sky. A six-story building would block about 90 percent of the sky. Get it now? HUGE EFFING DIFFERENCE.