Chapel by the Sea - Illegal decision made by West Palm Beach Commission

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This chapel has been demolished for a highrise--

land that has been used by the church for 111 years.

It was all about MONEY

Nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to politicians doing whatever the heck they want to do to achieve their desired end. Earlier in the year, the West Palm Beach City Commission  voted 5-0  to allow a developer to build 295,000-square-foot, 70-to-74 unit luxury high-rise on Flagler Drive.

A political action committee, Citizens for Thoughtful Growth, was formed to protect the quality of life for West Palm Beach citizens and businesses by advocating controlled growth and preservation of an appropriate Zoning Code and Comprehensive Plan. They sued the City contending that the West Palm Beach commission bypasssed the Planning and Zoning Board in order to give the developer a waiver on the 3.21 acre property. Waivers are given out like M&M's by politicians.

An Appellate Court just ruled in favor of the citizens by saying, "It was illegal for the City Commission to bypass the Planning & Zoning Board."

It sure is getting old to constantly fight corrupt decisions made by politicians who should be looking at the greater good and working within the rules--just an example of why we need to throw the bums out. 

Chapel by the Sea - Speaking out and telling it like it is

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January 16, 2014

Chapel offer quite the scam

A developer shows up at a business and offers to buy a portion of the property for three times what it’s worth, only, however, as long as he can get permission to build three times as much density allowed by code, with the understanding that the value of the land correlates proportionately with the density granted.

The business owner now has a strong interest in backing the additional density because he’s a partner at this stage. The more density, the more he makes. The developer now has a local voice in the community, promoting a deal even he thinks is over the top, however, what’s he got to lose? Go in big, get shot down, come back with only twice the allowed density and have the city crow about the developer’s willingness to compromise. In truth, the developer falsely inflates the value of the property, but in the end he paid twice the value but got twice the density.

Now, substitute “business owner” with Chapel-by-the-Sea.

James Downey
Boca Raton

Boynton Beach's Leisureville hires top land-use attorney

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The Boynton Beach commission voted in a four story Holiday Inn out near Leisureville and Ocean Drive.  Those residents who have spoken out against a commercial enterprise next door to their neighborhood have hired Ralf Brookes attorney. He is a legal expert in land use and development litigation.

If you recall, Mr. Brookes is also the attorney for Laurel Decker who was chair of the Respectful Planning Political Action Committee whose efforts kept the downtown of Lake Worth to 45 feet east of Dixie and 35 feet west to the Loop when the vote was won on March 12, 2013 by 55.86%.  At this moment no one can build higher than 45 feet in downtown Lake Worth.

As one Leisureville resident, Sandy Peterson-Hardt, said, "It is the job of those (elected officials) who listen  to the people to present their (residents) ideas to the developer...they have to determine what is right or wrong...that didn't happen."  Sandy, we feel your pain. Elected officials represent themselves or come up with all sorts of excuses why a developer can do what he wants. The biggest one is "we can't stop development on private property."

Why can't cities tighten up their land development regulations, stop giving waivers and exceptions and protect residential neighborhoods as well as our waterfront skylines ( the chapel By the Sea in West Palm Beach comes to mind)?  How do elected officials totally ignore people they represent and especially, in the case of Lake Worth, the vote?

Chapel By the Sea soon to be bulldozed

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PB Post photo

Nothing is sacred when it comes to making a ton of money--not even church property. Located on Flagler Drive, south of Okeechobee, the 50-year-old chapel/amphitheater on the Intracoastal Waterway is a part of the West Palm Beach waterfront and our history. The land was filled in on the Intracoastal to create the chapel property. This land is owned by The First Baptist Church that has been here for 110 years.

Apparently the church has a big debt and in 2010 its congregation gave majority approval to sell some of its property. God works in mysterious ways as they have now found a buyer willing to pay $23 million to build twin (approximately 20 story) highrises on the chapel's waterfront property.

Say goodbye to history. Say goodbye to sunrise services.  Say hello to looking at huge condos on the waterfront and more condo inventory...like we don't have enough.