So says the Lake Worth Commission
Regarding the heights referendum that was passed by the Lake Worth voters to change our Charter calling for 45 feet east of Dixie Highway and 35 feet west of Dixie to A Street, the subject of making east of Federal a hotel district and raising the heights to 65 feet is on the agenda for Tuesday. After all the petition process and the election, the majority city commission is getting its own way after all with one commissioner still believing that the referendum was "confusing." They now are falling back on the City Attorney's legal opinion as an excuse to do it "their way."
They have chosen to agree with him and he is paid to represent the majority commission interest. He says that the vote is null and void because of recent Florida legislation that was recently signed into law, three months after the vote that the city clerk never moved forward to Tallahassee. On the other hand, the people voted to change our Charter and believe that the vote is immune from HB 537 as we did not go out on a referendum for a development order or a referendum for a comprehensive plan change or a comprehensive map change. It was a Charter change.
What the back-up says for Tuesday is as follows: Based on the City Attorney’s opinion of July 2, 2013 on the recent changes to the Florida Statutes regarding citizen initiated referenda, the revised LDRs include provisions for a Hotel Overlay District east of Federal Highway in the Downtown Zoning District. The overlay district allows for a six (6) story, sixty-five foot (65’) building if a fifty (50) room hotel is included as part of the project as well as satisfying the requirements of the Sustainable Bonus Incentive Program.
This commission needs to do what the people asked them to do--move the ordinance forward and enact the will of the people and do it now instead of falling back on a questionable legal opinion that is adverse and antagonistic and only makes special interest groups happy. This commission is using this legal opinion as an excuse to do what it wants and totally discounting what the people said they wanted by voting for a Charter change. Also, it was not the desire of the former Planning & Zoning board. This commission did not like the look of our downtown after 100 years and dissolved the board. They then stacked it with their own people who changed the comprehensive plan to 65 feet. They sided with dirty tricks from their "friends" throughout the election. You can't get much more corrupt than that.
At the time the heights vote won, the Mayor was furious and she showed her fury. She wanted a hotel district. She fell for the line from the developer oriented group that no developer would want to build unless he got those extra 20 feet. This is not about her nor is it about what she wants. It is all about the vote and what the voters said that they wanted--keeping a low-rise downtown.
Every time you think that the mayor or this commission is on the side of the people, remember what they pulled here.
17 comments:
I go back many years of living in this city. It use to be really bad under certain commissions like Romano as an example. However, having said that, this really is about the worst thing any commission has ever pulled. Those behind it are still here and living in our city making waves and shouting the same ole song. I keep getting madder as I think about it.
This is an opinion blog, so heres mine. The ciy will get its hotel district with six story hotels. No high rise will be built west of Dixie. The city will get utility revenue, taxes, business in downtown and hundreds of jobs. Seems like a win win unless living in charming blight is your vision.
THANKS, MAYOR!
Oh what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive. - Sir Walter Scott
Arrogance and a dictatorship prevails on this dais. It's sickening what you have done Ms. Triolo.
All increases in tax revenue from any new building in the downtown, a CRA district, however inappropriately designated, goes to the CRA. The general fund will be responsible for providing concurrency and services with no additional tax income.
Sock it to the taxpayers for the benefit of out of town developers.
This commission majority are bullies they know what the right thing to do is but they refuse to back down.
Szerdi and Maxwell received no votes yet they pretend to speak for residents. The Mayor won by 200 votes and Amoroso won by about 400 only because his opponent broker her leg and could not door-knock. These four people are running wild, ranting and raving over the very people they pretend to represent.
Lynn, the Mayor never said it was about HER. It is what is best for the CITY. I am sorry you do not think that the Lawyer is correct. But Tallahassee has spoken and that is the way it is going to be. IMO.
ANONYMOUS AT 2:34--
The mayor wanted 65 feet there. She does NOT determine what is BEST FOR THIS CITY when it comes to a referendum. The people DO. The YES people believe this interpretation IS WRONG by the city and Tallahassee has nothing to do with it. It is the vote that counts here.
If the mayor wanted to inact the will of the people and the results of this vote, she would do it...she doesn't so it IS all about HER.
So, it may be the way it will be or the way that it is, FOR THE MOMENT, but this hasn't ended. IMO.
To the snide commenter whose post I did not publish--Oh you're sure, huh? First of all, a law suit is the business of members of the PAC or others, not mine nor any other person to initiate, basically. Hope they figure it all out, though.
Lynn, maybe I am wrong, but I thought you were a member of the PAC, If I am wrong My bad.
Now in my opinion I do not see what the problem is with the hotel district, If it is a building to go to 65 feet, it MUST be a hotel otherwise it will NOT be ALLOWED enlighten us.
Even though the Commission LOWERED the Heights west of Dixie, and every where else in the City, You and the PAC are TOTALLY against the Hotel District. Please explain why???
This Commission RAISED the heights in the Comp Plan to 65 feet.
Next, the PAC, as far as I am aware, is not against a hotel district. They are against 65 feet.
Please, this is how false rumors get spread. You somehow came to a false assumption.
Six stories or four with roads that need fixing, drug addicts and trash on the streets downtown nobody is going to build in LW.
Lynn, I was at the Commission meeting, and you were sitting there, when the Mayor asked William Waters if the Heights had been Raised or Lowered, and his response was they were Lowered, can you tell the truth for ONCE.
This confusion continues to exist.
NOW GET A GRASP--
The heights were RAISED by this commission in the comprehensive Plan and previously by their political planning & zoning board. This is what prompted the Referendum. They were lowered if the reference is the Charter.
I will continue to defend the facts no matter how much you want them to be different.
P.S. Do your own research before calling me a liar. I posted your comment in spite of it.
To anonymous @ 9:10pm - It was Maxwell who bullied William Waters into agreeing with him not the Mayor. The city attorney included the explanation of heights in the July 2. 2013 backup for the meeting with this sentence. " A Comprehensive Plan Amendment was adopted August 7, 2012 which included height provisions within the downtown core, allowing up to 65 feet for a hotel district." Now do you believe it when people rightly say that this commission raised the heights in the Comprehensive Plan? or do you think the city attorney is lying? William Waters has shown he has no backbone when it comes to being bullied by Maxwell.
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