Palm Beach PostLetters to the Editor
March 9, 2013
We are voting YES on the Lake Worth height limit.
It would protect all existing buildings, including the historic Gulf Stream Hotel, even if they need to be rebuilt to their existing heights, but would prevent additional overly tall buildings that so many residents are opposed to.
The renderings on the city’s website, which staff admits do not even depict maximum build-out, show 833 hotel rooms, more than 1,000 parking spaces, four buildings of six stories and one building of five stories, all east of Federal Highway. They would create a very congested area.
Who would benefit from this overdevelopment? Not the residents, because the area is within the Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency’s boundaries, and the increase in tax base would mostly go to the CRA and not to the general revenue fund to pay the city’s bills.
We bought a bungalow here in 1989.The reasons we live here are the same reasons I hear from visitors and residents every day: the laid-back atmosphere, the walkability, the lack of traffic congestion, the proximity to the beach and Intracoastal, the Snook Islands Natural Area Nature Boardwalk and the appearance of a low-rise oasis in the middle of a frantic South Florida.
GAEL SILVERBLATT
HOWARD SILVERBLATT
Lake Worth
9 comments:
I think it's important to point out that IF redevelopment occurs in the CRA district, the city does indeed get tax revenue. Ms. Silverblatt eludes to that "mostly go to the CRA" and is correct to a point.
At least she acknowledges that the city does get the same amount of tax dollars as it did before the property is improved. And since the added tax revenue due to the increased value stays in the city as well as the portion that would normally go to the county, how does that hurt the city?
Additionally there are impact fees, permit fees, utility fees, business license fees and jobs and employment as well as sales taxes and if a hotel is built, bed taxes that come into the city and are not part of the CRA tif money.
Chip Guthrie, member
Lake Worth CRA
I'll be voting yes, due to the monstrosity on 2nd Ave. North. I don't want more tall buildings adjoining and overtowering single family, historic cottages.
The Gulfstream operated perfectly find for many, many years without a 6 story parking deck and it could be renovated and retained in its current form.
8:19 what are you basing your assessment on? Are you a developer, historic building expert, financer?
Are you basing your claim that the Gulfstream could be renovated the way it is and still make aprofit for the owners on fact or your own emotion?
Why hasn't anyone renovated The Gulfstream in the past?
Chip thank you for your reply. Could you use an example of the tax amount coming back to the city and not the CRA. Say the Lucerne for example?
Gael
Why not ask the Schlesingers who screwed this city around and got every break under the sun from the P&Z board. Why not ask them why it has been in the courts for 40 months. Why not ask them prior to the foreclosure process why they didn't do anything with the hotel.
The CRA asked for and was granted a waive of the utility fees for their projects at the 6/19/12 City Commission meeting.
According to the backup by city staff the estimated total revenue reduction is $244,471.
Not including the 6th Ave 55 unit rental property.
Gael
Why should we as a city guarantee a developer a profit? This is free enterprise. He can figure it out just like every developer in this country..
It's the CRA that guarantees a developer a profit. Consider that they gave the Lucerne $1.2 million because the developer said he would not make enough without it.
They gave it and since it was not their money, they neglected to put a clause into the contract to limit the amount given regardless of what profit he made.
He made $3-4 million on his investment and we still are giving him $120,000 annually until 10 years have elapsed.
To Mr. Guthrie re what Ms. Silverblatt alludes to:
I checked with William Waters office and he stated through his secretary that ALL revenue from increased property values in the CRA district go to the CRA.
The City gets tax money based on the value in 1994 when the CRA was mistakenly put into the downtown district. All increases since then go to the CRA.
As far as the County tax coming back, unfortunately this goes to the CRA too.
When you consider the $1.2 million going to the Lucerne and the $14 million spent on development pipe dreams on 6th Ave S and 10th Ave N (no bid contract for $8+ million), I'd rather the CRA was out of the downtown Historic district.
Guthrie blows the usual hot air.
Where does he propose the 3 hotels' 700guests can park, and their 300 employees?If he does not know it, 3 shifts are covered to serve a hotel, without consideration of events!
He came to Lake Worth, because of what he found the Pioneers gave us.What improvement has he given?Overdevelopment is not is a prelude to slums, Dunbar villages!!
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