I just posted a notice from Clay Glass entitled Smoke and Fire. That is a great title and that is exactly what we had in the city chamber last night--smoke and mirrors and fire by the developer crowd. This Lake Worth City Commission meeting was all politics as usual with comments by the usual suspects supporting anything a developer wants.
The smoke and mirrors was all deception by artifice...misleading and deceptive. People actually insist this is about a hotel that will be Lake Worth's salvation. They believe what an investor has said although he has not once performed and only has managed to get code violations. They don't care about the vote and this trio commission certainly never has cared about the vote excepting when they needed it to get elected.
The fire was the well organized developer backed group consisting of business owners like Michelle Sylvester from Paws on the Avenue and Greg Rice, people who showed up to speak along with several Realtors, on why we need to give Hudson Holdings an upzoning--they say it is to "move our city forward" and used other boring cliches. They want to tell us that Hudson Holdings will do the right thing by Lake Worth and the vote be damned. Smoke and mirrors. They failed to mention that by doing this, it will be a snowball effect throughout that area--something the voters of the Charter amendment told them they do not want.
The vote, once again, was 3/2 with McVoy and Maier dissenting, the only two elected officials who understand the real consequences of the trio's actions...Fire... the definite change on heights by allowing an owner to build 20 more feet than the Charter Amendment allows and the real possibility of a legal action.
In the meantime, we still have a Charter Amendment that was won at the polls--45 feet in our downtown between Golfview Road and F Street and 35 feet between F Street and A Street...
As one person said to me, "Don't let them beat you down; we are fighting a machine, well oiled with money and influence and shenanigans." We have been opposing this side for decades; they're not stupid and some actually have fallen into the Koo-Aid batch believing everything Hudson Holdings has said. Last night they showed their self-serving determination that will open up our city to higher buildings in the future, not just The Gulfstream Hotel.
Ralf Brooks, attorney for the Heights Amendment Plaintiffs,
two of whom are Roseann Malakates and Lynda Mahoney.
two of whom are Roseann Malakates and Lynda Mahoney.
Ralf has researched and litigated many of the land use, zoning and local government issues that can and will come up at a public hearing. He is considered an expert in Florida.
Alex Laporta, Court reporter
who is with Honorable Reporting & Transcription Services
Their services are designed to provide efficient and effective litigation support.
who is with Honorable Reporting & Transcription Services
Their services are designed to provide efficient and effective litigation support.
7 comments:
Way to go, Lynn! I stayed almost to the end last night, and it was sadly perfectly predictable. Mr. Brooks the lawyer seemed to zone in on the fact that this was a "quasi-judicial" meeting--and therefore "subject to Circuit Court review." The City Charter is part of City Law. My notes are bit messy--writing fast--but he mentioned I believe a 112.30 violation, Section 2: the City Charter was not invalidated and has the force of law. This rezoning recommendation was NOT from Planning and Zoning. Chris McVoy made a very strong case that this action last night may well be in violation of law. Therefore Chris advised caution since commissioners are bound by law. Pam tried to shut him up as "irrelevant." But he persisted in spite of her snickering and sending eye messages and smiles to the hand picked crowd on the left. He backed Torcivia down and he admitted that no court has invalidated the vote. Torcivia was forced to admit this was "True." But then said it was also "disingenuous." When backed down that "there was never a court decision one way or another" per Chris; his defense was that he "doesn't remember" and does not know the answer.
The answer is HH controls the vote and therefore our lawyers. For everyone out there who believes we have a right to democracy and having our votes count, REMEMBER THIS AT THE POLLS. And no, I am not against progress or development and other twisted truths. I am vehemently against developers who own commissioners, don't have to play by the rules, are instrumental in secret government including attempts to steal the beach--and just wait to see how fast that happens if the gang of 3 strolls back in. 1 man= 1 vote. Not rich hedge fund managers turned opportunistic developers = ownership of City Council.
These people who say they don't "Understand the consternation" are really STUPID. The Realtor says we need a tax base. She works here and doesn't know the tax would go to the CRA?
I'd be in all in favor of the upzoning if it were tied to an actual project the way other municipalities do. Give HH their upzoning but require the Gulfstream renovation project to commence by X date or they lose the upzoning. I remain flabbergasted as to why the City is handing out an upzoning with no promise of any real project (WPB doesn't do this, neither does Delray, etc.). Why enrich a developer with no return?
I'm actually for the upzoning, although I voted in favor of the heights amendment, if it means the Gulfstream would be renovated and opened, but since this upzoning doesn't guaranty any forward movements its just dumb, dumb, dumb.
The problem here is, if you give it to one, you must give it to all. The entire city could change, not just that property. We have wanted our city to stay 4 stories or less...now this commission and all the those who don't care about a low rise city have jumped on the bandwagon. It's really sick. You ask what the problem is with giving them 10 more feet. Well, what's wrong with them wanting 10 feet less. I don't trust them. They are a HOLDING company. That's what they do...jerk cities around, get their zoning and then sell to whatever taker they can find who will want more, etc. It's all a game.
I was amazed at all the ridiculous people last night thinking that they were "giving testimony". I want a hotel so downtown Lake Worth will be great is not relevant testimony. It is whining.My testimony-you just ignored the vote of the citizens of Lake Worth,that's testimony a judge will recognize.Ralph Brooks represents the meat of the issue. Poor Glen Torcivia has to represent the marshmallow fluff crowd.Katie Mcgiveron
For God's sake you are hell-bent on spewing lies. No one wants 65 feet west of Federal Highway including the current commission period the end. It just makes sense to have a hotel district east of Federal where the buildings are already beyond 45 feet. Do you not see how unappealing the skyline would look with a 45 ft building wedged in between taller buildings? This is all about ego and not what is the right thing to do for Lake Worth.
Anon 5:12. Use your name ,ignorant twit ass. How do you not understand that this about upholding an election by the citizens of Lake Worth?
"It just makes sense" does not trump the results of an election!
"No one wants 65 feet west of federal including the current Commission." And neither do the MAJORITY of voters that voted to keep heights at a maximum of 45 feet in our downtown corridor! And by the way, did lightning strike your computer when you wrote that this commission does NOT want 65 foot heights?
Katie Mcgiveron
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