We are allowed to amend our Charter, as Building Heights are already described in our Charter with an Ordinance that took effect on December 5, 1996. What we really can't do is twist the intent.
Sec. 11. - Building height limitation.
East of Dixie Highway within the city no building or part thereof shall be constructed which exceeds a vertical height of sixty-five (65) feet above grade. West of Dixie Highway within the city no building or part thereof shall be constructed which exceeds a vertical height of one hundred (100) feet above grade.
(Ord. No. 96-32, § 1, 12-5-96)Back in 2013 we had a referendum on Heights--It took a lot of work gathering signatures and getting it on the ballot. It was an off year (no general election and therefore turn-out was low). We did have 15% of our voters show up at the polls, better than most municipalities in Palm Beach County. Those who cared about it voted, along with those who were persuaded by the city's campaign against us.
- The city threw every obstacle in the way of getting out the vote--from using taxpayer money to oppose it, to putting it on the ballot at a time of year (March) that was not an advantage to voter turn-out. This was a strategic move by the city in order to try and defeat the Referendum which was won by 56% of the vote by residents who wanted the city to remain low-rise.
- Maxwell, Triolo and Amoroso were all for raising heights in our downtown to accommodate Hudson Holdings who bought the Gulfstream hotel and a company that also wanted to grab our beach park.
- Hudson Holdings gave $9,000 to a Tallahassee PAC to influence our elections--one mailer was in favor of the Trio (and why wouldn't they be in favor...the incumbents gave them the up-zoning at the Gulfstream property). Hudson wanted to grab our beach complex for a possible 99 year lease after renewals in order to make their investment in Lake Worth even more valuable.
- Only two commissioners respected the people and the vote: Christopher McVoy and Ryan Maier. Ryan Maier did not run again, eventually leaving the area due to all the unpleasantness that went on during his term in office, i.e.,a resident calling Code on him and harassing him at his residence. The complainer didn't even live in this city but was friends with the "development at any cost" crowd.
- And the City got real clever one night as I was sitting in the chamber. Some friend of William Waters put a cog in our wheel by coming up with some Florida decree (HB 537) that went into law three months after our referendum that they insist made our vote moot that had nothing to do with our Amendment. Of course, Torcivia and gang ran with it. The Trio could have voted to honor the will of the people--they didn't.
- As the PBPost said in July 2013, "we really don’t like Tallahassee’s decree that such votes are no longer permitted [that has not been proven in court]. Stifling citizens’ voices on these issues leaves only the voice of elected officials susceptible to special interests..."
- The Trio later voted from the dais, approving a Hotel Overlay District that granted higher heights.
I will be interested to see what the city administration has in mind. There is always someone who wants to screw up our city.
Commissioners always vote with mike bornstein and what he wants. Omari Hardy is the only rebel up there and he's getting the hell out.
ReplyDeletewhat the hell do we go to the polls to vote for this damn city manager is changing everything we voted for tired of all these newbes wanting this town to look like something it cant be.no wonder no mom and pops want to come here.thats what will make a town not big box stores.now I hear the cm wants to give away the pier for 99 years.bull shit let bennys go someone will always take that space.uphold the citizens rights lets change our city policy where we have more control over the cm.he or she should be voted in anyways.the commission is doing a s--- job
ReplyDeleteI just rode past those motels on Federal Hwy. I think I'd rather have 6 story condos anytime. Higher than that, I wouldn't care on Dixie Hwy, but anywhere else, they'd upset the balance. Like the Lucerne.
ReplyDeleteOne of the gigantic screw-ups is getting rid of our Olympic pool and wanting to spend $10 million. Clowns
ReplyDeleteThe Gulfstream Hotel needs to be as high as a developer would like to build it. Leaving it in it's present max height means no one could ever afford to buy this and make it a functional hotel for lake Worth, that could be competitive with other 3 to 4 star hotels. Lake Worth NEEDS to gain a Tourism Economy, and will fail badly in this unless it get's a hotel...like the Gulfstream.
ReplyDeleteDan, we have discussed HEIGHTS ad nauseam.
ReplyDeleteThe Gulfstream Hotel will NEVER be renovated. It needs to be demolished and some developer, building from scratch--to our LDR's.
We can have a 3 to 4 star hotel and it does NOT have to be built to the sky. We went through all of this during the Height Referendum of 2013. SICK OF IT.
The problem with this property--Hudson Holdings paid way too much for it and consequently this administration wanted to give them our beach park. nice.
If you notice during the Season, we DO have a tourist economy. Who in the hell else wants to go to our downtown other than those who want/have to cocktail it or eat lousy food--and our beach is full of snowbirds. Those residents of LW can't even find a parking spot at their own beach.
I agree that it needs to be demolished. If for no other reason, than that it's a firetrap. It's a shame they can't make it into something like the Fairfield, and be able to utilize that exquisite lobby, and the sweeping veranda. At one time it had no peer on the west side of the bridge.
ReplyDeleteLynn,
ReplyDeleteI agree the Gulfstream needs to be demolished in order to make it possible for a "successful" hotel to be in this spot. It is actually a great spot for a 4 star hotel, but part of what is important to any chain considering this investment, is how much of their investment they could get back...Take a look on Singer Island, a place Palm Beach used to have DOZENS of hotels on in the 90's. All that is left are the Marriott Resort & Spa, and the Hilton. I think the Hilton would be the minimum size I could imagine for success in Lake Worth, and it appears it is just scraping by each year for the last decade. When it has near full occupancy, it profits a little, and then by summer and the fall, it is largely empty, and loses money it never really makes up well once it get's back into season around Thanksgiving. While the Marriott Resort experiences similar low season business, they do a much better job at building profits during season, and they maintain a much better operating existence because of it. I am trying to remember how many stories the Marriott Resort is...I am thinking around 11, and it holds just under 200 guests, but all rooms are huge Suites, allowing them to charge for a real value to couples and families that like having a condo or house sized hotel stay where they have full kitchen, washer dryer, and can actually enjoy their trip in comfort. The Hilton, much smaller, has less floors and tiny rooms, and can not charge half of what the Marriott can charge.
And in contrast to these two, many smaller hotels failed, like the Rutledge Inn and many other 2 to 4 story high properties, that just could not make enough money to survive...and ultimately were forced to sell out to the scourge of Palm Beach Tourism, the Time Shares ... Also when the hotels died out, the Mall on Singer Island, which was one of the coolest places for tourists to visit back in the 70's to 90's, could not survive with the cheapskates of timesharing....etc. The results of the change from a dozen or more nice hotels, to mostly Time Shares is evident today....Singer Island is a disgusting shell of what it was in the 70's up to the late 90's. The tourists that were good for the town, could no longer stay on Singer Island after the time shares took over, and now it can never be a hot spot in Palm beach County again.
I should probably clarify my comment about Time-sharers being "cheapskates"...That is in terms of their being a good market for shops and restaurants and the merchant business of a place like the once great singer Island mall, OR...a good market for the Lake Worth Downtown Entertainment district. The higher predisposition to shopping and dining at the entertainment areas by "tourists" staying in 3 or 4 star hotels, makes the time-sharers look like a group you would prefer to lose in favor of the hotel guests. Put another way, most of us that LIVE in Lake Worth, are more like the cheapskates of time-shares--we are not as good for the downtown area as an equal number of 3 and 4 start hotel tourists would be..that's my point. Lake Worth needs this bigger spending group, and if we got it, it would make the town better for us also....just as the Ocean Mall in the 80's was awesome for the residents, as well as for te tourists!
ReplyDeleteWe definitely need a "bigger spending group." However, this will NEVER happen as long as we cater to illegal aliens and low cost housing. Also, code can't stop the endless infractions of slum and blight in our city. That problem gets worse every day. And what comes with that? Crime.
ReplyDeleteSomeone could build a nice boutique hotel on that property with a parking garage...it is a huge property. Owners need to work out a deal with a buyer, take the loss and sell it. In the meantime, it languishes. Sad.
Dan, let's stick with the 4 star. I agree with Lynn, that a boutique style hotel would be best. Dixie Hwy has room for a 4 or 5 star, but the city doesn't have the wherewithal to compete for something like that.
ReplyDeleteThe Palm Beach people (the condos near the 4 Seasons) are dying to see Lake Worth thrive. They don't even mind it being a little odd, but clean it up, and make it safe. That new Irish Bar is not helping the environment. What was in that guy's head when he decided to move the bums from one side of Downtown Pizza, to the other side of it.
The Pelican could do with a little power washing and paint. J Street is a disaster due to Propaganda. I'd pay him to leave. Some of these buildings should just be torn down. What History! Now, it's a history of rats and roaches.
As far as the time-shares, they only wish they could get rid of them and stay in a hotel. The real culprits are the AirB&B folks. That should be discouraged at every level.
"If we had but world enough and time" as EBB said once upon a time, we could do something with the place.