Temporary Moratorium to be considered on Sustainable Bonus Program

Proposed apartment complex in downtown Lake Worth Beach

Under New Business tonight: Resolution 23-2021.

This resolution proposes a zoning-in-progress notice to address the City Commission’s concerns regarding the Sustainable Bonus Program.

If approved, the resolution directs the Department of Community Sustainability to prepare a temporary moratorium ordinance to be reviewed by the City’s Planning and Zoning Board and Historic Resource Preservation Board to then be scheduled for consideration and a public hearing before the City Commission.

I have utmost confidence in this city commission to approve this Resolution.

Read about it... in the Palm Beach Post and see the rendering.

Lake Worth (Beach) into the Future

Lake Worth Beach in 2030: City hopes to hit 50,000 residents, keep beach-town feel

When you get planners involved, this is what they envision for our city. We are one of the densest cities around already! On top of that, the city can't manage anything and wants a public/private partnership at our beach. They are posed and ready to do this.

Commissioners continually tell us that we are a city of 7 square miles. We are, but some of it is water. We are under 6 square miles with around 38,000 people living on the land and 10,777 are not even citizens.

Area
• City	6.67 sq mi (17.27 km2)
• Land	5.88 sq mi (15.22 km2)
• Water	0.79 sq mi (2.05 km2)  12.69%

So they want to increase our city by 24%...people living on top of people. Where are the people going to come from? Do they really think they will attract moneyed people who want to live on top of their neighbor? Is this the 'Build it and They Will Come' theory? Where? More structures, more services and more costs across the board that they ignore. But I guess they have that figured out like everything else.

Read about it... You are led to believe that William Waters runs this place but it's the city manager who has all these commissioners dangling on strings who approve everything he wants.

And they want to keep our small town charm?

VOTE NO on Lake Worth Ballot questions

The City of Lake Worth (Beach) knows what emotional strings to push. We all would love to see the Gulfstream Hotel remain in place with the same historical facade it has now, renovated and eventually open AS A HOTEL.

Developers are back in the loop targeting our city. We have tried to keep them at bay for two decades but with the present city administration backing all things development, our concerns, once again, will be in vain. We, as well as this city administration, know that most ballot initiatives supported by the city pass with ease. They have the money to push their development agenda and work on your "heart strings" and count on new voters who have no knowledge of the history here.

Once this passes, they will never be able to control the height increase of 20 feet to only the Gulfstream properties. Down the road, look for lobbying and even possible threats of lawsuits by other property owners on that block who want the same thing. Then the snowball starts.

This just happened a month ago with the three parcels on Gulfstream Road, upzoned from Residential to DT Commercial. A property owner on Gulfstream Road, a former member and Chair of the Lake Worth Planning and Zoning Board, complained that his property was zoned residential (he's been trying to sell it for years with no luck) and this developer crazy commission voted to go along with his desire to have it zoned commercial that immediately made his property more valuable.

On a 4/1 vote and pushed hard by Commissioner Hardy (who believes people should be able to do anything they wish with their property, property rights, you know), the city commission upzoned against all the owners who live on one parcel on that street who were against. It's who you know and what direction the city wants to take.

VOTE NO

I now have received three mailers from this Electioneering Committee that no one really knows who's behind or who's footing the bills, to vote for (developers?) interests of raising the height 20 more feet at the Gulfstream. How much money are they pouring into our city to secure a yes vote? What else is really on their minds for Lake Worth?  Grab our beach again? Don't ask a commissioner. You won't get an answer especially a straight one.

Lake Worth (Beach) Artist city whether we wanted it or not

On tonight's agenda is Ordinance No. 2020-02 whose propose is to add a Cultural Arts district overlay zone to Chapter 23 of the City’s Code of Ordinances.

Justification
The purpose of this ordinance is to create an optional Cultural Arts overlay district (The area bounded on the east by Dixie Highway, on the south by 6th Avenue South,95 on the west by the alley west of “F” street, and on the north by 3rd Avenue North) that will allow for certain arts-related businesses to be located within single family or two-family units, allowing for a live/work environment for the owner within a defined area of the city more fully described in the ordinance.

1. Principal uses permitted by Administrative Use.
A. Artisan Studio
B. Arts and Crafts Studio
C. Art Gallery
D. Bakery
E. Ceramics Studio with Kiln
F. Ceramics Studio without Kiln
G. Commissary Kitchen
H. Craft Gallery
I. Custom Jewelry Fabrication/Studio
J. Photography Studio
K. Photography gallery (including picture framing)
L. Pottery Shop/Studio
M. Recording Studio
N. Sculpture Studio with Kiln
O. Sculpture Studio w/o Kiln
P. Stained Glass Studio

And with all the artists in this city, don't you think they could have come up with something more attractive than this for the new seal?

More Medical Marijuana facilities in Lake Worth?

TITLE:
Ordinance No. 2018-12 - First Reading - banning Medical Marijuana Treatment Center Dispensing Facilities within the City of Lake Worth and and setting the second reading and public hearing for September 13, 2018

SUMMARY:
First reading of an ordinance to ban Medical Marijuana Treatment Center Dispensing Facilities within the City of Lake Worth and setting the second reading and public hearing for September 13, 2018.

We already have two facilities in Lake Worth. Two is more than enough.

However, and I had to read this several times thinking I had made a big mistake,

• the City’s Planning & Zoning Board (PZB) recommended to the City Commission that the ordinance be denied in a 5-2 vote.

• The City’s Historic Resources Preservation Board (HRPB) recommended to the City Commission that the amendment be denied in a 4-0 vote.

The City of Lake Worth wanted to grab our ballfields for development

With growth on their minds, on Tuesday, The City of Lake Worth, once again, voted to change our Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map.

We all know that William Waters runs this city as far as his suggestions for growth with the city commission usually lapping it all up but it is our elected officials that should be concerned about resident input and not reducing our green space within the city for the tax base.

Citizen comments at the meeting saved our northend ballfields from being eventually sold off to developers as well as two blocks in Bryant Park from zoning changes with Commissioner Hardy making the motion.  Commissioner Amoroso quietly dissented. We don't know his reason but it suggests that he might have wanted height or to grab our ballfield land for developers. Who knows. He should have said. He talked about our poverty rate and the 2020 census coming up.

Our parks are protected by a 2005 referendum from any sale unless decided by the voters but the clever city wanted to snatch some of them by changing the zoning in order to allow more density, thus going around the intent of the voters. The city attorney said, no big deal, all we have to do is have another referendum to allow the people to weigh in. We already know the odds of defeating City Hall on referendums as they have unlimited taxpayer money to defeat the residents as well as what they pulled on the Heights Amendment that was won by 58% of the voters, which was basically, "just ignore the vote."

It's no wonder no one trusts politicians or many of the leaders at City Hall.

2nd Annual Historic Preservation Awards Program

April 2, 2018

Contact: Ben Kerr, Public Information Officer
Phone: 561.586.1631
Email: bkerr@lakeworth.org

Lake Worth – 2nd Annual Historic Preservation Awards Program Nominations Extended

The City of Lake Worth Division of Planning, Zoning and Historic Preservation has extended the nomination period for the second annual Historic Preservation Awards Program. All nominations are now due no later than 4pm on Wednesday, April 4th. Members of the Historic Resources Preservation Board will judge each entry on its merit and an awards ceremony will take place in the Lake Worth Casino Ballroom during National Historic Preservation Month, on Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018.
Nominations are open for the following five categories:

• Rehabilitation/Restoration
o Acknowledges the compatible rehabilitation of a structure or building component
• Compatible New Construction or Addition
o Acknowledges designs that are compatible in massing, scale, size, and architectural features within a historic district
• Preservation of Historic Materials
o Acknowledges the preservation of historic character defining features
• Preservation Craftsman
o Acknowledges the contributions of an individual or organization to restore and preserve historic structures or building components
• Preservation Champion
o Acknowledges the contributions of an individual to the advancement, promotion, and support of historic preservation within the City

All nominations are due by 4pm on Wednesday April 4th, 2018.

"Lake Worth is off the wall," says property owner

Read about it...

Lake Worth Lacks Transparency

This has to be one of the least transparent commissions in the history of Lake Worth. The only commissioner who even reads the back-up seems to be Omari Hardy.  The rest rely on staff and the city manager to direct them, steer their thinking and their vote. But you all voted them back into power.

Tuesday night's agenda is a joke and I'm not kidding. There are 12 items on the consent Agenda--NOTHING under Public Hearings; NOTHING under Unfinished Business and NOTHING under New Business.

This commission will approve a developer's agreement between Meritgage Homes of Florida, Inc. regarding the development of 59 single family homes after the city rezoned the area in their favor.  Don't you think this is a project worthy of discussion?  Rezoning? For a developer? This commission loves to re-zone for developers.

From the back-up--
Meritage Homes will be constructing the subdivision called “Lake Cove” which will consist of 59 single family homes on the vacant parcels generally located at 19th Avenue North (adjacent to north bound I-95). Meritage Homes and the City must enter into a Developer’s Agreement for the purpose of documenting certain off-site improvements and development responsibilities for the project.

On August 1, 2017, the Lake Worth City Commission approved Ordinance No. 2017-16 rezoning the property from Single Family Residential (SRF) to a Residential Planned Development District (RPDD). Among other things, the RPDD Ordinance provides that the Developer and the City will enter into a Developer’s Agreement for the purposes of documenting with specificity certain off-site development responsibilities of each of the parties and reimbursement for certain improvements. The off-site improvements identified in the Developer’s Agreement include traffic calming measures, water services and a gravity sewer main extension, and an electrical distribution extension.

The development of the project will cause traffic impacts to Vernon Street within the adjacent Vernon Heights subdivision. In order to mitigate the traffic impacts, the Developer agrees to pay the City $18,000 as Developer’s contribution of the cost for the City to construct three (3) traffic calming speed barriers. In addition, the Developer shall extend the subdivision’s sanitary sewer collection system to service the properties along the north side of 19th Ave N. These six properties currently use septic drain fields; gravity sanitary service laterals will be installed at each property corner. The Developer shall also be responsible to construct a watermain from North A Street within 19th Ave N. to service the subdivision. During the installation, the Developer will construct water service for the 19th Ave N. properties. The City shall reimburse the Developer the cost for design, engineering, permitting and construction of the gravity sewer system with trench restoration and water
services in the 19th Ave N.

The City’s cost of the water and sewer work is estimated at $57,552.68. The electrical distribution system has been extended to service the property and the Developer shall reimburse the City for electrical utility and deposit fees to the utility CIAC account.

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?

Lake Worth City Commission gets it right!

This time, the Lake Worth City Commission had no reservations on what was the right vote.--

What about a person in our city trying to get zoning changes to have a small hotel with a bar and music in a residential neighborhood on South Palmway? Residents spoke out against it...their message was heard.

No way, said our commission.

The owner of the property was already approved for a Bed & Breakfast by  Planning and Zoning but she wanted to go a big step forward with a hotel.  Commissioner Hardy asked, “What if the hotel changes hands and someone is less scrupulous? There’s nothing to keep that from occurring. I don’t have confidence that if things got out of hand, we’d be able to reel it back in. I’m all for doing progressive things, but the payoff has to be huge.”

This owner already proved that her original request of a B&B just wasn't good enough.

Read about it...

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:

Planning & Zoning Meeting tonight to decide Affordable Housing

Carolyn Deli of Tropical Ridge NA says,
Tonight (Wednesday Nov 1st) P&Z will be deciding if Banyan Court Developers will be allowed to build an 85, low income, unit on N. A street between 3rd and 4th Ave North.

Highland Elementary School is already over capacity. Add to that all the High School and Middle School students that travel along N. A to school, that dense of a development spells disaster.

We need people at the meeting to let these developers know what a mistake they are making. The meeting is at Lake Worth City Hall at 6:00pm. Hope you can attend.

Over-reaching developers nearly grabbed waterfront property for a 25 story high rise

A proposed 25 story office tower went down in flames last night when the West Palm Beach city commissioners voted 3/2 to defeat the project.

West Palm Beach wanted to create an overlay district to encourage development of high rises along Okeechobee Boulevard. Related Group wanted the waterfront at Okeechobee and Flagler for their One Flagler proposal. That property is zoned  no higher than five stories.

When reading the article this morning it reminded me of what Lake Worth Commissioners did when they changed the zoning and the land use east of Federal to accommodate the owners of The Gulfstream Hotel. They created a Hotel District and allowed six stories to be developed and told the voters literally to "go to hell" who voted in a low-rise downtown Lake Worth of no more than four stories

Lake Worth's Planning & Zoning department voted to change our comprehensive plan and the land-development regulations and gave their recommendations to their "develop at all costs" leaders, Maxwell, Triolo and Amoroso, on the Lake Worth commission. The only ones who spoke out against it were ordinary citizens who were totally ignored as well as former Commissioner Christopher McVoy. Citizens formed a political action committee, Respectful Planning PAC. They rallied the voters and won by Referendum on March 13, 2013, five months before the city changed the Land Development Regulations on August 6, 2013 on a vote from the dais.

I congratulate West Palm Beach Commissioner Shanon Materio for voting this down thus preserving the waterfront on Flagler from an obnoxiously high development and to honor their voters (something all elected officials should be doing) who told them in 1996 that they did not want high rises on the waterfront.

Lake Worth Historic Preservation Awards

CITY OF LAKE WORTH
7 NORTH DIXIE HIGHWAY
LAKE WORTH, FL 33460
LAKEWORTH.ORG

March 6, 2017

Contact: Ben Kerr, Communications Specialist
Phone: 561.586.1631
Email: bkerr@lakeworth.org

Lake Worth, FL – Historic Preservation Awards Program (Nominations)

On March 6th , 2017 the City of Lake Worth Division of Planning, Zoning and Historic Preservation opened nominations for the first annual Lake Worth Historic Preservation Awards. Awards will be given in five categories: Rehabilitation/Restoration, Compatible New Construction or Addition, Preservation of Historic Materials, Preservation Craftsman, and Preservation Champion or Organization. Members of the Historic Resources Preservation Board will judge each entry on its merit and an awards ceremony will take place in the Lake Worth Casino Ballroom during National Historic Preservation Month, on Wednesday, May 17th, 2017.

“The preservation of our historic resources ensures the retention of our own unique character and identity as well as adds value to our community. We hope that this program will foster a greater understanding of the positive preservation efforts in our community, and the beneficial impact these projects have on our neighborhoods and the City as a whole.” ~Aimee Sunny, City of Lake Worth Senior Preservation Coordinator.

All nominations are due by 4pm on Monday April 3rd, 2017. Please see attached for more details including eligibility.

Please contact Ben Kerr, the City of Lake Worth Communications Specialist with any questions or comments.

The only thing "frivolous" is Lake Worth's argument

Comment Up

My first question is why would the City of Lake Worth spend an estimated $25,000 defending and going against a Heights Referendum won by the residents?  Did this commission Trio approve this amount of money? If so, when? If so, why? Does the city attorney's office have carte blanche on spending? Why was it so important for the city to "win" its case against the voters and have Hudson holdings as an Intervenor on the suit?  Nothing was holding up Hudson Holdings from renovating and developing its property. Why was giving Hudson Holdings 20 more feet so important?

Hudson Holdings argument was and is bogus. The city's argument, along with the Historical Board,   approved upzoning for one owner. This was flat out egregious when you consider the Charter Amendment was won at the polls allowing only 45 feet for buildings in that area.  This is also spot rezoning, which the Supreme Court has said is illegal. After the vote was won, the city upzoned the parcels at the Gulfstream and changed the entire area to a Hotel District. Was this clever legislation to get around the law?

Now the latest article in today's Palm Beach Post says the recouping of attorney fees of $25,000 might not be that easy after all. The city attorney is hoping that he can prove that the citizens' case was 'frivolous." Of course, the main objective here is to intimidate any resident who thinks he can come after the city for any reason.

Perhaps the Court will show cause why the City shouldn't be fined a large amount of money for frivolous argument.

The only thing frivolous is Lake Worth suggesting to spend even more money to go after its residents who have a good argument regardless of what the Appellate Court said that offered no reasons for its opinion...just another thing over-worked judges could get off their desk by agreeing with the status quo?

"No, no" on Wawa

Comment Up
UPDATE: The zoning meeting is 9/1 and the Board of County Commissioners meeting is 9/22.

Photo by the Palm Beach Post

The Saga of Highridge

Sometime soon, the zoning change for a WAWA will come before the Board of County Commissioners, a board that has never turned down any development in Palm Beach County over the last 8 years.

WAWA, a convenience store, half with gas stations, is ranked as the 40th largest private company by Forbes with an estimated $9.02 billion in revenue from just 625 stores in six states: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida. The owners of this property want to build a Wawa (stupid name) on Hypoluxo and Highridge Roads west of I-95 and are asking the zoning to be changed to High Commercial.

They want to build in a neighborhood that has been in existence well before I-95 was even a consideration. It is right near Lake Osborne.  This entire area should be protected, not exploited and ruined by a huge corporate conglomerate. Even the Palm Beach Post editorial board came out AGAINST WAWA being built in that area.

But we know how this neighborhood feels as the Board of County Commissioners want to bulldoze 1/3rd of the available land at John Prince Park and give it to a billionaire corporation.

Shouldn't this all be about people and their quality of life? But politicians  only seem to act on behalf of citizens if no wealthy or powerful group objects.  Corporate money talks. This is what we have found in Palm Beach County--they don't ever listen to the people they serve, another reason to vote all the bums out.

Lake Worth Planning & Zoning Meeting This Wednesday July 6

Comment Up

Some of our Volunteer boards have a lot of power. They are all political appointments. The City Commission uses their recommendations, particularly the P&Z and Historic Board's, as justification to vote the way that they do such as giving Hudson Holdings 20 feet more than the Charter Amendment allows. They decide what our city can and will look like. The Planning & Zoning Board of Lake Worth, with Greg Rice, as chair will meet on July 6 at City Hall to make recommendations on the following. 

1. PZB 16-01400010 & PZB 16-00500010 A request for a Minor Site Plan and Conditional Use Permit to allow for a +/- 6,501 square foot multi-use commercial retail project with drive through facilities on a +/- 39,825 square foot (+/- .91 acre) site in the Downtown (DT) zoning district pursuant to Sections 23.2-29, 23.2-30, 23.2-31, 23.2-32 of the LDRs. The subject parcel locations:
127 North Dixie Highway PCN#38-43-44-21-15-016-0130;
120 North H Street PCN# 38-43-44-21-15-016-0040;
124 North H Street PCN# 38-43-44-21-15-016-0060;
128 North H Street PCN# 38-43-44-21-15-016-0071.

2. PZB 16-01400009 & PZB 16-00500009 Requests for a Major Site Plan and Conditional Use Permit to allow for the construction of a 4 story mixed use building (+/- 30,772 square feet) consisting of a ground level parking area with a +/- 3,386 square foot retail commercial area, a public plaza and three floors consisting of 14 dwelling units located on a +/- 20,250 square foot parcel located at 1 South Palmway, on the southwest corner of Lake Avenue and South Palmway, PCN 38-43-44-21-15-029-0090, in the Downtown (DT) zoning district. Pursuant to Sections 23.2-29, 23.2-30, 23.2-31, 23.2-32 of the LDRs.

3. PZB 16-01500007 & PZB 16-01500008 & PZB 16-01500009 A request for three variances to allow for an addition to an existing residence (lot coverage requirement), a swimming pool in the front setback and relief from the sight visibility triangle requirement, pursuant to Sections 23.2-26, 23.3-7 and 23.4-4 of the Land Development Regulations (LDRs). Located in the Single Family Residential (SFR) zoning district PCN 38-43-44-15-15-000-0200.
2220 North Lakeside Drive

Four Story building planned at 1 South Palmway and Lake Avenue

Comment Up

The Planning & Zoning Board published a legal notice No. 30407 regarding a public hearing on July 6, at 6pm at the city chambers.

The request is for a major site Plan and Conditional Use Permit for the construction of a four story mixed use building with the first level being ground level parking and 3,386 square feet of retail commercial and a public plaza. The three floors above will consist of 14 dwelling unit. The project is located on the southwest corner of Lake Avenue and South Palmway.

Palm Beach County says "yes" to developers without weighing the consequences

Comment Up


Point of View
Palm Beach Post
June 1, 2016

Western development will have unintended consequences

We see the Agricultural Reserve being destroyed by unnecessary development. The local food market is growing, with the demand for locally grown food along with it. Preserving the Agricultural Reserve could provide a viable opportunity to increase locally grown foods and maintain Palm Beach County’s economy.

Yet Palm Beach County is moving to over-develop this area. This is because county staffers do not promote good planning.

The Post editorial on May 22, “County’s smart planning is ignored to give developers OK,” perfectly outlined the problem. Failure to protect the local economy and the environment is a troubling problem. We are focused only on saying “yes” to developers. We have a staff that no longer supports good planning.

The editorial clearly pointed out that we cannot pay for the roads we currently need and that concurrency no longer pays for the expenses of new infrastructure demanded by new projects. So why does the county continue to approve new projects?

It is because we no longer have a model for good planning in the county. County planners are now simply told to present proposals to be approved. It does not matter whether the county can afford the projects because there is never any real discussion of how we will pay for these infrastructure costs.

The public is no longer represented in the County Commission audience. Members of the public don’t attend meetings because the commission no longer listens to them. Commissioners meet with developers before public meetings and have their minds made up when they come to the meetings.

The public does not have the same access and has to wait for the meetings, where they are permitted only three minutes to speak — and sometimes that is reduced to two minutes. Members of the public have to arrive at the beginning of the meetings and wait for hours to be able to address the commissioners.

The county is approving developments that are too far outside of our corridors. They sit beyond the county’s existing road structure. There is no good way of connecting these developments to existing roads.

The other issue is drainage. In Houston, Texas, we have just seen catastrophic flooding. The ultimate cause was too much development and too much pavement, not permitting water any place to go. We may someday have the same problem as we continue to pave Palm Beach County.

Houston went through a great growth spurt where developments were approved without thought to where they would drain. New developments send water into older areas. We may experience the same problem if we continue with these endless developments that are farther and farther west.

DREW MARTIN, LAKE WORTH

Editor’s note: Drew Martin is the conservation chairman of the Loxahatchee Group of the Sierra Club.