Comment Up
With one of the shortest meetings in history, last night the commission agenda was lead by the Vice Mayor Pro-Tem, Andy Amoroso, who did a good job, for the most part, until he allowed the hecklers to take over during my public commentary. The Mayor had some family emergency and the Vice Mayor was in Tallahassee on what was described as "Lake Worth business." We will never know what that business is as this commission voted not to tell the public how they spend their travel budget. They never have given reports anyway--not once.
Meetings just get shorter and shorter. Before long they could eliminate them all together. I still want to know what is being decided out of the Sunshine. Last night's agenda had seven items on Consent that are just voted on by the commission without public discussion. The Southern Waste Systems roll-off container contract was pulled off the agenda...no explanation from anyone. Don't be surprised when it is discussed down the road and all commissioners will agree that this company deserves to have a contract in Lake Worth for being a good neighbor even if they did leave our landfill a wreck and uninhabitable and a lot of sick people in the Osborne community--even if they have been charged with illegal activities in the past. It's like believing that a pedophile has now gone straight. Garbage is a smelly business.
The developer side in this city has always been in the wings ever
since I started attending Lake Worth Democratic Club meetings in the
1990's. Years ago, it was our beach they wanted to hand over to a
developer for a hotel, Anthony Pugliese. Later, there was another beach plan referred to as the "Webber Plan' for Bruce Webber that never got off the table for $10 million. Later there was a Shwab Twitty Plan that went out on a vote of the people in 2002 as the
commission wanted to tie us up on a general obligation bond in the tune
of $19 million that had NO cap. By the time it got all through, the cost could have been double. The voters gave a RESOUNDING NO along with Scott Maxwell, then commissioner in District 1. Later came Greater Bay that
resulted in a few law suits with a commission that was going to allow Greater Bay tie up our property for 40 years as one law suit suggested. The people had no say in this. The commission and developer side in this city
nearly got away with that one. It has been a battle ever since.
Changing
zoning or even changing heights can, and often does, make a property
more valuable depending upon its location. It's always about the money. Even when the owner of the
Gulfstream was granted every waiver he asked, the owner still never
performed and we have been left with an empty hotel ever since.
Commissioner
Szerdi said last night that so many people were confused about the
height amendment and that some even thought that there would be
development of 100 foot buildings next to their residences. If someone
actually thought that, it was 100% due to the the mailer that the NO
people sent to the voters. No one is confused, Commissioner and if they
are, you need to ask the Friends of the Gulfstream with whom you
campaigned that sent out a mailer showing 100' and 65' surrounding the downtown, calling the YES amendment "more bad planning." You need to explain the banner that was erected on The Gulfstream with many voters confused by you that the YES folks wanted to tear down the historic building. You need to have them send out a mailer of apology to all the voters. And you need to apologize as well.
14 comments:
John Szerdi received $200 from Southern Waste Systems. Was this a bribe?
"Commissioner Szerdi said last night that so many people were confused about the height amendment and that some even thought that there would be development of 100 foot buildings next to their residences."
Well commish, there could be if you lived in the corridor where these heights were proposed. There is already a 50 foot building next to residences on 2nd. ave. north.
I heard that door knockers were telling my neighbors the same thing. 100 ft high buildings right next to their home. Who wouldn't be scared?
Of course, Lynn says it isn't so, so that's that.
It was a bait and switch from the get go. Argue that the "Charter" allows 65 and 100, which it still does, and then argue that Comp Plans and LDR's can (read will) be changed by a vote of three commissioners.
So now will you initiate an amendment to the charter "saving" the rest of the city?
If not, why not? The Charter still says we could get a 65 foot building on Federal Hwy North and South of 2nd and 1st respectively.
We can even get a 100 foot building right next to the 130 foot Lake Worth Towers, if someone buys up all the houses between 2nd and 3rd on B & C st.
These are two more solutions in search of a problem.
Remember, the sky could actually fall.
You guys keep referring to William Waters. Why not check with him and see what he says, anonymous.
Szerdi didn't even have to campaign. He slid in unopposed. He's now going to be the fall guy for these arbitrary people who want their way. Maxwell is too smart for that.
Yes, do that No's. ck with Waters and he will tell you that you're full of BS and that Zerdi is uninformed.
How did the Lake Worth Towers, a 10story building, grow 30 feet to 130 feet?
As said, LWTowers was built 45 years ago when there was no Comp Plan or rules in place. We now have rules and hopefully the NO group will respect them. Please check with William Waters and not scare people like you did during the election.
William Waters tried to give you all information at the State of the City address but most all of the "yes" people walked out just before he started talking. He was there with a professor of architecture to explain how IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO only a few lots qualified for the only exemption to the 45 ft height limit in the city, which is for a hotel of 50 rooms or more. This would require sufficient parking which is what governed the size of the lot and how high you'd need to go given what most competitive hotels offer their guests today.
The gist of my comment was to show the "Bait and Switch" portions of what you told my neighbors and how you argued the premise that a 65 foot building could (and would most certainly if you don't vote yes) be built with a change of our Comp Plan and LDR's by a vote three commissioners. Charter, no comp plan, no LDR's, no Charter, no Comp Plan, no....
The Lake Worth Towers is 11 stories, not 10. The mechanical structure that houses the elevator shaft workings and acts as an antenna mount (go look) is approximately 20 high. 11 stories @ 10'ft per story = 110ft plus 20 for the needed structure = 130'. I'll be called a liar and scumbag if I'm off by a few feet. So what?
This is sort of like when you argued about the Ecocentre being 63 feet tall.... It can't be.... it's only four stories.
It's not about heights people!! It's about control of our future. ANTI-DEVELOPMENT!
West Palm is proposing changing their zoning for a GOOD project. No building would be higher than 3 stories, but some in THIS town are sticking their noses in West Palm's business and chastising that city's commission for allowing this quaint low rise development.
Wake up Lake Worth. It's not about low rise. It's about "low rent" and keeping us that way.
And make no mistake, any four story building (remember quaint) that requires an elevator shaft will require a structure like you see on most buildings with elevators. Now think about it. If you have a 45 ft building, they tell you that is four stories, and it requires a mechanical structure on the roof, you've just cut one floor off to allow for that structure.
Most of the yes people are just fine with that... why?
Because it's not about height. It's about making it more difficult to develop anything or build anything here.
Gentrification.... Google it.
Yes, we had heard all of this before, twice in fact from Wm Waters and his college friend from Miami.
You are really off base as usual. This blog writes about many things, places and issues, not just LW. Get a grip.
I never said that the Ecocentre was 63 feet tall. It is 4.5 stories. To tell you the truth, I am not going to accept any of these types of inaccurate rants in the future. Thanks. Go somewhere else and rant to your heart's content.
What I said in a comment
I went to the building department this morning to check out the plans for this building. Following are the results of my findings:
1. The building is 46 feet to the top of the slab. So, the person who gave the projections on height were on the money other than one-half a foot off.
2. It is 61.8 feet to the top of the roof that houses all the mechanicals that are set- back from the main building.
This building is not an ordinary building with cisterns, etc. Anyone else building in our downtown can figure it out just like they do with any ordinary building.
And the six story Lucerne is 65' including all roof top structures since it was required to follow the Charter language, "No building or, any part thereof, East of Dixie highway shall exceed 65' ".
They figured out a way to get the 6stories and the elevator shaft and stay at 65' because they had to.
"West Palm is proposing changing their zoning for a GOOD project."
Why don't you move your LYING,DEVELOPER FUNDED ass to West Palm?
Maybe because I'd like to see some GOOD projects come to Lake Worth for a change, Butt Plug.
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