Muslims building a big complex near Tulsa

Muslim development near Tulsa advances despite public pushback

In Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, a clash over land use and cultural identity is taking center stage.

On Dec. 18, the Broken Arrow Planning Commission granted preliminary rezoning approval for a 15-acre project that includes a mosque and retail complex, paving the way for the Islamic Society of Tulsa's development plan to move ahead pending a final city council vote next month, as The Christian Post reports.

The proposal drew over 60 residents to a packed and often tense public meeting, where most speakers voiced concerns over the cultural and community implications of the development.

“The vote was strictly on the feasibility of the construction plans and not the cultural ramifications,” said Planning Commission Chair Robert Goransson, underscoring the meeting's narrow legal focus.

That may sound procedural, but for many families in Broken Arrow, this isn't just about blueprints and building codes. It’s about whether their quiet suburb is taking a turn they didn’t sign up for.

Read more...

It's all about the Land Use Development Reguations, not what the citizen taxpayers want. Sound familiar?

Note from former Lake Worth Commissioner, Cara Jennings

Hello Friends,

Finally, an update on the lawsuit and it is good news! The panel of judges for the 15th Judicial Circuit released their opinion this week granting our request to have the Deco Green development go back to the Commission for review and a new vote. Thanks to the donations, research and support of each of you the approval is "quashed"!!!

The judges decision is based on a very limited criteria, essentially a math error that allowed the developer two extra units (127 units instead of 125). While it may sound minor, the two extra units could gain them upwards of half a million, based on the current insane housing market.

We submitted for the judges consideration other serious concerns - that the City erroneously applied their Land Development Code in their use of the Sustainable Bonus Incentive Program to approve height, stories and density in excess of what the code allows. Unfortunately, the judges did not rule on those issues based on a technical position that the public comments submitted by the petitioners did not have the level of detail they say is required by law. This is an important lesson learned about how the laws favor developers and shut out residents for not submitting enough detail in their public comments.

We won this first phase in the battle of community power over real estate greed. Here are two things that can solidify this victory:

• 1. Call and email your commissioners and the mayor. Let them know you are aware that the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit reversed the development order for the Deco Green development. Encourage them to listen to you and other residents' concerns before approving the Deco Green again. They will be under pressure from the developer to fix the two unit mistake and plow forward. But, according to PAPA, the land is still owned by the CRA (map attached). This means it is still technically public land, paid for with public dollars, and the residents should guide what the best and highest use of it is. This project needs to go back to the drawing board - we have a new commission, new city manager, new CRA board members and an increased affordable housing crisis. IF the city is going to double the density for a project it should be for true affordable housing, not an expensive 9 story building with a dog park.

• 2. Kick in towards the ongoing legal challenge. We currently owe another $2,000 to our lawyer for review of the judges opinion and to help ensure the court order is honored. If you can each offer $25 - 75, we can pay off the balance and have some funds to continue having their legal assistance as this comes back before the commission.

We believe in our communities' power to fight and win real sustainability, economically and ecologically. We are committed to public land being used for affordable housing that will stabilize our community rather than upend it. We respect the height and density limits that people organized for and voted on, in order to establish neighborhood controls on development.
Let's keep at it!

Cara

ps - If you can kick in towards the legal costs I can do venmo, paypal or drop off a check at my house. thank you!!!

The Petition for Writ of Certiorari

Recycling Facility at POC opposed by Commission

Ralf Brookes represented an owner living near the Park of Commerce and objections to having a recycling facility next to the residential neighborhood. All those who spoke out against this facility did a commendable job to deny.

And for a little bit of trivia--

If you recall, Ralf Brookes was 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%.

Our referendum was ignored because of the City Attorney Glen Torcivia's opinion that bill, HB 537, a bill that was passed 3 months after our vote,  prohibits initiative or referendum processes for any development order, local comprehensive plan amendment, or map amendment.

 Our argument was that it was NOT an initiative or referendum for any development order
 It was NOT an initiative or referendum for any local comprehensive plan
 It was NOT an initiative or referendum for any map amendment.
IT WAS A CHARTER CHANGE. Do you understand that Pelican Pete?

But I've digressed--
Thursday night the City Commission listened to the people. They listened to the arguments against this facility locating in the POC by other businesses. After 4 hours, the commission, with a complete analysis and reasons to deny by Commissioner Hardy, voted down a recycling plant in our Park of Commerce with the vote at 5/0.

Read about it...

City Commission to contract for another Study on how to attract development

Let's zone it and then we'll figure out what to do with it!

Through the years of this trio commission (Maxwell, Triolo and Amoroso), the City of Lake Worth (Beach) has significantly changed its Comprehensive Plan with the goal of making things very attractive to developers and paving over everything in its way even to the point of demolishing historic houses. In 2013, they adopted new Land Development Regulations and in 2018 a City Opportunity Zone.

Opportunity zones were created in the 2017 federal tax overhaul as a way to entice companies to invest in underdeveloped areas. A company can reduce the capital gains taxes it owes on previous investments if it invests in low-income communities that have been designated as opportunity zones.

On Thursday night, there will be a Work Session to discuss the Economic Investment Climate and the Opportunity Zone that this commission designated in 2018. They want another study done at the cost of $40k on urban design/planning of the City's Opportunity Zone.

Be sure to attend and see what more this commission has in store for our city as they love Studies, they love spending money and they definitely love developers.

Commission passes changes to our Land Development Regulations

At Tuesday night's commission meeting, there were twenty items on the consent Agenda. Four of those items were pulled for discussion by Andy Amoroso and moved to New Business.

There was much discussion under Public Hearings and interest in Ordinance 2018-10--which was the Second Reading amending Chapter 23 "Land Development Regulations" including amendments to Section 23.3-6 Use Table

Although this ordinance affects a multitude of changes, only one was basically discussed, that of boats and RV's parked in your front yard. This is the one on which commissioners receive the most complaints. Boaters think they should be able to do whatever they please on their own property and other residents want strict adherence to rules and code compliance.

All over our city there are infractions. Some people obey the rules but there are always, without fail, those who give the finger to their neighbor. They don't bother with permits, don't know better or understand the parameters of storing their boats and recreational vehicles.

None of this should be allowed in our city.

This owner has subsequently moved his boat off the front yard after numerous complaints. The boat was longer than his house and his car was parked on the grass. Now it is up to code and the property looks neat.

This Ordinance was passed on a 4/1 vote, Hardy dissenting.

Worhshop Tuesday night Lake Worth City Hall

The City of Lake Worth is going to have a workshop tomorrow night--let's see what next the city (city manager) wants to do to screw up our town. The commission goes along with anything he and Maxwell want.

AGENDA

1. ROLL CALL
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: led by Commissioner Omari Hardy
3. UPDATES/FUTURE ACTION/DIRECTION:

• A. Workshop on the Land Development Regulations (1.5 hr.)

• B. Refuse Operational Overview (1 hour)

City of Lake Worth to change permitted uses in our downtown

With 16 items on the Consent Agenda (there is no commission discussion on items on the Consent Agenda) totaling more than $6 million dollars, this is our commission in "action." They earn their big raises every day and are totally transparent with the public, the guys who pay their salaries and $6,000 a year car allowance.

You wonder why our downtown sucks? We can vape it; we can drink ourselves to death; we can get medical marijuana in two dispensaries right on Dixie Highway; and now we will have a doctor' office a hop and a skip away from, well, all those who use the above.

PUBLIC HEARINGS A
BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION: Stateside Partners (“Petitioner”) is proposing a text amendment to allow Health Clinic-Urgent Care as a permitted use in the Downtown (DT) zoning district within the low and medium intensity Office use category in the permitted use table of the Land Development Regulations (LDRs), Section 23.3-6.

The Petitioner has a potential tenant, Doctor Mylissa Graber (owner of “Dr. G’s Urgent Care”), who wants to locate an Urgent Care Health Clinic at 127 North Dixie Highway. Doctor Graber’s clinic is a family owned and operated business with a current facility in Delray Beach. Although the Petitioner has a potential tenant for a specific site at 127 North Dixie Highway, the proposed text amendment will apply to the entire Downtown (DT) zoning district.

The Planning and Zoning Board (P&Z) and Historic Resources Preservation Board (HRPB) have both reviewed the proposal and have recommended as follows: - On December 6, 2017, the Planning and Zoning Board (P&Z) voted 5-0 to recommend to the City Commission that the text amendment be allowed as a permitted use within the low and medium intensity Office use categories in the permitted use table of the Land Development Regulations (LDRs). - On January 10, 2018, the Historic Resources Preservation Board (HRPB) voted 5-0 to recommend to the City Commission that the use require approval of a conditional use permit within the low and medium intensity Office use categories in the permitted use table of the LDRs.

Is there ever anything that these two boards don't approve?

825 Sunset Drive - 12 years later

The Sunset property at 825 Sunset Drive has been in limbo since 2005. That's when I joined the Political Action Committee, Save Our Neighborhood, my first involvement in Lake Worth politics.

The Pac collected over 3,000 signatures city wide wanting the single family zoning kept in place. Former Lake Worth city attorney Larry Karns refused to forward the petitions to the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections for verification citing a State Statute that you could not petition on less than 5 acres even though it was he who approved our petition. A battle in the circuit court then ensued between Save Our Neighborhood, Inc. and the City. Save Our Neighborhood won its case in the circuit court, but the decision was challenged by the City of Lake Worth. Even then the city was going against its citizens, favoring a developer just like it did on the Heights Amendment in recent years. The Sunset case moved up the judicial ladder into the Appellate court which then overturned the Circuit Court's decision.

In a special meeting held on August 25, 2009, the Lake Worth City Commission voted to repeal two city ordinances that would have allowed MF 20 zoning (20 units per acre) into the single family Lake Osborne Heights neighborhood. The commission consisted of Commissioners Cara Jennings, Commissioner Retha Lowe, Mayor Jeff Clemens, Commissioner Joanne Golden and Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill. The undeveloped 4.02 acre property that was the subject of the commission's action reverted to its previous zoning of “County Agricultural” (five units per acre). Zoning is all political.

 Read about it... and about who we had to fight to keep our neighborhood. Wes Blackman even called us "whackos."

So, 12 years later, we still are in limbo with the property. The owner threatened a Bert J. Harris lawsuit. We all were in mediation for a few years and nothing ever was resolved.  The property lanquishes and Code never does a thing about the condition of this property. Only the raccoons, snakes and possums enjoy it. So, 12 years later, it looks like this:

Lake Worth Commission amends zoning for a phantom restaurant

Comment Up

Starbuck's slow-roasted ham, Calabrese salami, spicy pickled red peppers, aged provolone and olive spread are layered on a toasted Ciabatta roll. Buon Appetito.

Starbucks may not be considered a restaurant in Lake Worth by William Waters but in Asia or with Bloomberg or even with Starbucks it's a different story--List of Lake Worth restaurants

Campaign Asia-Pacific has released its annual study of Asia’s Top 1000 Brands. Starbucks is listed 15th overall for 2015, and the number one restaurant brand in Asia. Source:  Starbuck News.

According to Bloomberg, Starbucks Corp. has sprinted past Burger King Holdings Inc. and Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc. to become the third-largest U.S. restaurant chain by sales, says industry tracker, Technomic Inc. Click here...

Under Public Hearings on the Lake Worth commission agenda was the First Reading to change the downtown permitted uses and amend various sections of the LDR's on the western side of Dixie Highway saying drive-thrus would not be allowed for restaurants.

Commissioner Maier asked if it were true that it was Starbucks that had inquired about that area and asked if Starbucks wasn't indeed a restaurant. He was shocked with the answer from Waters who said it was not a restaurant. "Wow," he said.  Check out Starbucks menu

Apparently no paper-work has been submitted by Starbucks, a corporation that makes over 40% of its income by utilizing drive-thrus. Also, no formal request by Starbucks has been made to build at that location. However, the city is ready, willing and now able to change the permitted uses for a company that may or may not locate there. Both the P&Z and Historic boards voted for the change. And the mayor is for any kind of development. It ended with a 3/2 vote. At least McVoy and Maier know what a restaurant is.

The Trio once again was in its usual mode of barreling on through when it voted to amend a zoning district in our downtown that involved two blocks to the immediate north of Lucerne Avenue and two blocks south of Lake Avenue to allow drive-thrus other than restaurants.

Still believing that Starbucks is NOT a restaurant, Scott Maxwell was satisfied that a Chick-Fil-A could be built north or south of that "special" district. He then "called the question." He didn't want to hear any more discussion from anyone.

Gangsta Rap

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None of the above ever fail to bring only one side of the argument--ever! In fact, discussion or a different view is taboo...it's the same old rap, the same old tune. McVoy and Maier can express an intelligent thought and it is rebuked, criticized, screamed at by Maxwell with eyes rolling, his glare or vote.  Never has there been a more unpleasant and rude bunch of people.

On Tuesday, we only had four commissioners in attendance--the mayor had another engagement. Now our local "news" editor is ticked off because Tuesday night, because his buddies on the commission did not pass the Land Development Regulations on the Second Reading and his Editorial stated that this is "dangerous" and that elected officials "often don't care what the cost is to the taxpayer or this municipality." McVoy and Maier are the only elected officials who DO care.

This all started with the upzoning of the Gulfstream Hotel when this majority commission went against the vote of the people by IGNORING it. This majority approved of Hudson Holdings building 20 feet higher than the Charter Amendment allows and changing a residential zoning to commercial all for a developer. Because of that arrogance, we are now in a law suit. So I ask you, who is making decisions that have cost the taxpayer of Lake Worth? Do you really want to compare a $200 advertisement in the Lake Worth Herald to a law suit that usually gets dragged out by Lake Worth.

On April 5, 2016, the First Reading of Ordinance 2016-13 passed on a 3/1 vote with McVoy dissenting.  Maier was absent.  Commissioner McVoy asked that it come back as a Workshop for discussion.  This Trio already had all the answers they needed regarding all the various changes in our LDR's. Commissioner McVoy's request was denied and totally ignored and this overbearing attitude from Maxwell and the rest of the Trio cost them this time--another public notice must be advertised and meeting set.

Our local editor says that it is "political games like this that chip away at taxpayer money and breed animosity in the community."  You bet that political games breed contempt and there is plenty in this community even if the election results don't reflect it.

So you tell me, why would Commissioners McVoy and Maier vote on something that they believe is not in the best interest of the city especially when 56% of the voters said they wanted 45 feet in the area of the Gulfstream Hotel?  Why would they vote on something that they feel shouldn't be rushed through but requires more discussion and explanation of the proposed changes to our Land Development Regulations? Isn't that their job to represent the people?

Gulfstream Hotel requests up-zoning

Comment Up

JOT THE DATE DOWN!

Hudson Holdings is looking to up-zone its property known as the Gulfstream Hotel--you know, the group that wanted to grab our casino complex. The meeting of the Historic Preservation Board will be on November 18, at City Hall 6pm. All five of their parcels are included in this request to rezone the property to Downtown Zoning from Multifamily Residential MF-30.

On March 12, 2013, the Charter Amendment ballot initiative was won by the people:
AMENDING CHARTER BUILDING HEIGHT LIMITS IN DESIGNATED DOWNTOWN AREA, WITH EXCEPTIONS.
Should the Charter be amended to limit building height to 45 feet between Golfview Road and F Street and 35 feet between F Street and A Street within a designated downtown area (between a southern boundary of 1st Avenue South; northern boundary of 2nd Avenue North; western boundary of A Street North and South; and an eastern boundary of Golfview Road North and South), providing exceptions for existing buildings and already approved building permits?
Shall the above described amendment be adopted?

On August 6, 2013, the following Downtown District was created.

*
Of course, they know as well as the city knows, we had a Charter Amendment and that any development there must stay at 45 feet. They want to keep stuffing this down the throat of the people and ignore the vote.  When the city lost this vote by 56%, you would think that a commission would represent the people they serve.  Not in this city. Their intent, however, is to allow Hudson Holdings to build a five story addition and ignore the voters.  I hope that every voter remembers this in March 2016.

Ordinance 2015-04--8-4-15--amend various sections and tables in the LDR's.  Vote 5/0

Ordinance 2015-12 9-1-15--amend various sections in the LDR's. Vote 3/2 McVoy and Maier dissenting.
The 2nd Public Hearing was held on 10-6-15 the vote was 3/2 McVoy and Maier dissenting.

This was the meeting from hell where the Vice Mayor and Mayor were bullies. Five people spoke from the public--Former commissioner John Szerdi who works for Hudson Holdings, Electric Utility Advisory Board member, Peggy Fisher and Loretta Sharp a member of the city's  Historic Board spoke for the city's interest.  Former commissioner Jo-Ann Golden and resident Mary Watson spoke for the people's interest.

LDR's Ordinance 2015-12 - Procedural Error but Residents still in the dark

Good News and Bad News--

The Good news--Someone finally listened. Maier and McVoy did not vocalize their approval or disapproval in a vote on Ordinance 2015-12 on September 15. Even though  Maier and McVoy voted against this on September 1 at the the First Public Hearing,  at the Second Public Hearing on September 15, they were not given a chance to vote. It is now being called a "procedural error" and procedure is not always a top priority of this "visionary" commission. The mayor did not care about getting McVoy's or Maier's vote on the record; she already had her three votes.

The proposed amendments provide clarification, edits and additions to the following sections of the LDRs:

Article 2 - Division 1: Administration, Section 23.2-36 – Rezoning of Land and Future Land Use Map (FLUM);
Article 3 - Division 2: Zoning Districts, Residential Districts, Section 23.3-7 – SF-R – Single-Family
Residential; Article 3 – Division 6: Planned Development, Section 23.3-25(e) – Mixed Use Urban Planned Development..

On August 5, 2015, the Planning & Zoning Board, at its regularly scheduled meeting, discussed the proposed amendments to the LDRs and voted 7-0 to recommend approval to the City Commission. Well, no surprise here.

On August 12, 2015, the Historic Resources Preservation Board, at its regularly scheduled meeting, discussed the proposed amendments to the LDRs and voted 6-0 to recommend approval to the City Commission. Again, no surprise here.

These Boards are rubber stamps for staff and staff can fall back and use their votes as proof that what the city is doing is all above board and in the best interests of the city and that the public got a chance to express their approval or disapproval at their meetings. 

At its meeting of September 1, 2015, the City Commission voted 3-2 to approve the ordinance on first reading and to schedule the public hearing for September 15, 2015. The reason that McVoy and Maier voted against it on September 1 is because this item was agreed to be discussed at a workshop. That didn't happen.  This "visionary" didn't care about discussing this. The matter is way too extensive and if there is one commissioner on the dais that can explain it all and feel comfortable with it all, please come forward. Do you know how these changes might affect your neighborhood?

At its meeting on September 15, 2015, three members of the City Commission voted to approve the ordinance. However, due to procedural issues, staff has recommended that the public hearing be re-advertised and conducted again.

And the bad news is that this really needed to be workshopped with extensive discussion but they just want to get the vote finally finalized and keep the residents all in the dark.

Land Development Regulations to be updated in Lake Worth

Comment Up

Under PUBLIC HEARINGS at tonight's city commission meeting, will be the staff recommendation (William Waters) to update some of our land development regulations.

On August 6, 2013, the City of Lake Worth adopted Chapter 23, Land Development Regulations (LDRs), of the Code of Ordinances. under this section has been the very controversial "invasive" and unprotected tree incident that I have been going round and round about as of late but I don't know if this will be touched. Not all invasive trees are harmful or dangerous.

The LDRs include six (6) articles governing all development within the City. As use of the adopted LDRs progress, some provisions require clarification and edits/additions to provide consistency, improve understanding and facilitate implementation as well as address issues that have arisen since adoption. The proposed amendments provide clarification, edits and additions to the LDRs’ definitions; zoning districts; permitted use tables; development standards; off-street parking; medium and high intensity conditional uses; portable storage units; sign code; historic preservation; and, environmental regulations.

On June 3, 2015, the Planning & Zoning Board, at its regularly scheduled meeting, discussed the proposed amendments to the LDRs and voted 5-0 to recommend approval to the City Commission.

On June 10, 2015, the Historic Resources Preservation Board, at its regularly scheduled meeting, discussed the proposed amendments to the LDRs and voted 5-2 (Engel and Zoellner) to recommend approval to the City Commission.  As the information was not given to them in advance, those who opposed stated insufficient time to read and digest the back-up. Mr. Engel said he would have liked the information at least one week before this meeting. Engel and Zoellner cast the correct vote in this instance.

Read what the PBPost has to say about tonight's meeting

Last Night's Motion of Selection Committee on the ITN

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Last night's motion of the Selection Committee:

...in essence the motion I made was to recommend to the City Commission that a formal Traffic and Parking Study as well as Impact Analysis be performed with regard to the Beach and Casino Project and its current level of development and the potential development allowed by the Land Development Regulations and the Comprehensive Plan for the Beach and Casino District (BAC). 

Thank you.
William Waters

AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, SEED, ID

FL AR94136 & ID5745

Director for Community Sustainability

City of Lake Worth

1900 Second Avenue North

Lake Worth, Florida 33461

561-586-1634

wwaters@lakeworth.org

Florida Hometown Democracy and Medical Marijuana - what do they have in common?

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The Strange Failure of Florida’s Medical Marijuana Initiative--

I know.  Hometown Democracy and the Medical Marijuana initiatives don't have anything in common, but...you pot loving folks did it to yourselves when this initiative lost on Tuesday!

In the early 2000’s under Gov. Jeb Bush, the GOP legislature and its patrons, Big Sugar, the Florida Homebuilders, the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Florida and big time lobbyists, began demonizing a citizens ballot initiative rising to the forefront: Florida Hometown Democracy.

All Florida Hometown Democracy wanted to do was to provide citizens the opportunity to vote for or against changes to community and municipal master development plans, required by state law to protect quality of life and the environment. And what did you all do along with the Florida Chamber of Commerce and special interests?  Florida’s lobbyist class representing deep-pocketed campaign contributors mounted a countermeasure. They did it with 58 percent of the vote in 2006 when 2.6 million voters approved putting brakes on ballot initiatives by requiring not a simple majority to pass a ballot item, but a supermajority: from fifty to sixty percent.

That’s the history and the fact behind the reason why on Tuesday, the will of 3.3 million voters … a higher percentage than voted to legalize marijuana for adults in Oregon — failed in Florida. Ironically, both the medical marijuana amendment and the 2006 requirement of a supermajority passed by fifty eight percent of the popular vote in Florida. Only the marijuana amendment failed.

 Read about it...  and ALAN FARAGO's article and how you potheads screwed yourselves!

Personally, I believe in a Super Majority when changing the State Constitution that affects our laws and that belief also applies to our Charter in Lake Worth. On a local level and the supermajority initiative, most people who voted against years back were members of the Chamber of Commerce or were heavily influenced by their anti-supermajority campaign, spending over $100,000 in Lake Worth to defeat it. It lost by 119 votes.  It's extremely difficult for the grassroots to win anything against the powerful.  Politicians sided with special interests and needed to keep a simple majority in order to easily win the vote from the dais.

Residents never came to commission meetings and never saw the waivers and the constant changes to our Land Development Regulations that were given out like M&M's. All the commissioners wanted was to do what they wanted to do and when they wanted to do it and they conjured up the money from the "big boys" and their influence to defeat it.  Lake Worth commissioners played on the politics and were in favor of a simple majority when it came to theirs and developer interests. Read about it... and the Supermajority that was endorsed by the Palm Beach Post back then.

Lake Worth can't Recoup its investment

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Letters to the Editor
Palm Beach Post
August 23, 2014

Lake Worth can’t recoup investment

Lake Worth 2020 lists a cost of $9.6 million to be underwritten by city taxpayers to construct infrastructure for the Park of Commerce as part of the $63.5 million bond on Tuesday’s primary ballot.

In addition, a road-widening and installation of a median with mature Royal palms is planned for the length of Boutwell Road from Lake Worth Road to 10th Avenue North. This will add several million to the cost of the Park of Commerce plan.

The east side of Boutwell is predominantly a trailer park, and the west is privately owned, mostly empty land.
Even if this commission’s “field of dreams” were to be fully developed and built to the extent of Lake Worth’s Land Development Regulations, it would take well over a hundred years for Lake Worth taxpayers to recoup this $10 million-plus investment.

LAURENCE MCNAMARA
LAKE WORTH

Lake Worth High School Flea Market

Comment Up

Someone had commented Friday that they had never been to a flea market.  Well, I am one of those people. I don't even like World Thrift. I wanted to check out the one at the high school because of the controversial/monetarial issues that have now been created by government officials.  I have to say that it was very orderly, well run, clean with friendly people...all business with no carnival effect.  When I think of flea markets, I think of people dealing in stolen goods or selling Granny's old China set...none of that at this place and no sheriff presence.  In fact, much of the merchandise was brand new.


I can see why they want to stay under the I-95 overpass as it is totally shaded with a breeze. Moving to their school parking lot would ruin this market.

There are future plans in the wind for a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) at the Tri-Rail. The city has even planned for it in its Land Development Regulations. Officials have been talking about it for years and this commission is development oriented. It is the commission's desire to "clean-up" the western communities.

Many years ago, the city tried to collect fees at the flea market and eventually just gave up on the idea and it has been allowed to operate solely for the children's benefit. Lake Worth High doesn't have to spend any money on advertising as the market has been around for 27 years. Proceeds enhance educational programs and provide scholarships to needy students. Why would anyone want to ruin that?

Exercising legal rights to stop inappropriate development

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The Chapel By the Sea will have a condo, 22 stories high

unless citizens can stop it

Citizens for Thoughtful Growth, is a political action committee in West Palm Beach with approximately 400 members. It 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.

Here in Lake Worth, we have the Historical Preservation and Planning & zoning boards and we are under the illusion that they are looking out for our quality of life as well. No one on these boards ever spoke out to honor the vote of the people in March 2013 to keep the downtown a low-rise city. In fact, with their packed developer oriented boards, they voted to change the comprehensive plan and the land-development regulations and gave their recommendations to their "develop at all costs" leaders, the Lake Worth commission. The only ones who spoke out were ordinary citizens who were totally ignored who formed a political action committee, Respectful Planning PAC. They won the vote but temporarily lost the war against a corrupt regime.

Citizens for Thoughtful Growth political action committee was formed because they have experienced that elected officials and political appointees are not looking out for Joe Citizen and it wants to protect and preserve the quality of life for all those in West Palm Beach. It supports reasonable and appropriate development. One of the developments it does NOT support is the development of the Chapel by the Sea waterfront property. They have sued the city for granting waivers for the development of this project that they say the city is not authorized to grant and for the city councils' decision to allow a high rise condo to be developed. They are challenging what they believe to be unsound proposals by over-reaching developers and elected officials.

It is most unfortunate that citizens have to file lawsuits because of elected officials that are there to represent the people. The city commission as well as the mayor did not listen to the citizens when they voted to allow out-of-town developers to build a 295,000-square-foot building that is 315 feet high on the Chapel by the Lake waterfront property no more than Lake Worth's commission did on the heights amendment.

If you want to contact Citizens for Thoughtful Growth or donate, click here. You may not think this is your "fight" but in reality it is everyone's fight.  What could be better than helping to protect the waterfront and the voice of the people?

Handing over our State

There was a reckless decision made in 2011 when our state legislatures gutted 30 years of growth management. They now put politics back into the decision process by allowing city and county governments to handle it all.  They passed measures to restrict the public from challenging controversial development projects in the name of economic development. They dismantled the Department of Community Affairs and along came the Community Development Act signed into law on June 2, 2011.

Now we have a new bill. Aside from it being an overall lousy bill, one of the worst things in HB703 is the first step towards privatizing a public resource (water) by allowing Large landowners who participate in water storage programs to receive 50-year water use permits. They would then be allowed to sell that water to governments and utilities. No wonder the Fanjuls are on a buying spree. Someone should follow the money. This just keeps corrupt planners in business.

HB 703 - Environmental Regulation

General Bill   by Patronis (Republican)

Environmental Regulation: Specifies authority of counties to enforce certain wetlands, springs protection, & stormwater ordinances, regulations, & rules; provides vote requirements for adoption of certain elements of local government comprehensive plans & plan amendments; prohibits local governments from rescinding certain comprehensive plan amendments; authorizes durations & multiple commencement dates for certain consumptive use permits; requires delegated local governments to follow certain criteria & standards for well construction; provides that proof of insurance meets certain mitigation bank permit requirements; requires certain criteria to be incorporated into regional water supply plans; provides conditions under which DEP is required to establish certain greenhouse gas performance standards & repeal & revise certain rules; establishes solid waste landfill closure account within Solid Waste Management Trust Fund.

Effective Date: July 1, 2014

Last Event: Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee on Monday, February 03, 2014 5:58 PM. Next meeting: March 24.

Boynton Beach's Leisureville hires top land-use attorney

Comment Up

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?