Now that the economy is turning around and money is freeing up, developers and investors are all finding Lake Worth, (so says the mayor who is delighted about it all) even the Sober Homes or homes for the Homeless have found Lake Worth. The invitation is out there--come to Lake Worth and we will work with you to attain your desires. We are now giving waivers, making ordinances, and even upzoning to the maximum height (our build to the sky ordinance) that we said you could go, not what the voters said you could build. We might even resort to eminent domain if need be if we say it is a benefit for the public.
Hudson Holdings says that it is preparing applications to renovate and redevelop the historic Gulfstream Hotel properties. How long have we heard this story by every owner imaginable? It is their carrot to get their way from a desperate commission that believes building is the key to turning around Lake Worth. Forget the slum, blight and crime; we can look the other way to that.
We've been hearing this crap for years from other owners as well. There was never an upzoning issue 1.5 years ago with this owner until they decided to make their property more valuable and find an investor or someone to sell it to. More than likely, after they got into the project, they realized that it was going to cost them small fortunes to renovate and that they had to build. Hudson Holdings wants the rezoning of all seven (7) parcels for their proposed project. They say they are going to be the ones to save us from ourselves by revitalizing the downtown corridor between the retail/restaurants uses and the Beach & Casino area.
Hudson Holdings now says that for the project to move forward, they must first rezone the MF-30 portion of the property to DT (downtown). They also told us earlier in the year that they needed our casino complex for their investment "to work." They have to go before the Historic Resources Preservation Board (HRPB) for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for exterior alterations, an addition to the historic structure, and new construction of a hotel annex and parking garage as well as site plan approval and conditional land use permit consistent with the requirements of Land Development Regulations. They got the approval for up-zoning on a 7/0 vote. Did anyone have any doubt?
On Tuesday night, the commission voted to approve their request for up-zoning on a 3/2 vote on seven parcels, two more than the HRPB approved. There was never any doubt that Hudson Holdings would get the vote. January 5, 2016 will be the Second Reading of this ordinance 2016-04. Will there be any doubt?
I bet that Hudson Holdings can't wait to flip and sell this property and get it off their hands. How much money have they invested to promote this upzoning or to even grab our casino for that matter? Our three commissioners diverged significantly from their constituents' preferences and in this case, the vote of the people.
I'm not sure that many elected officials listen to the people. Once into office, they do what they damn please. In Lake Worth, they refused to honor our vote. What can residents do to improve congruence and have politicians respect the residents they serve? We have an election on March 15.
1 comment:
We need to use this as a launching board for March elections. Yeah, yeah, they can do what they want once in--but with enough publicity and calling them out publicly--well they can also vote themselves right out of office in March. Just keep on doin' like they been doin'.
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