Sylvia Moffett votes NO on Rybovich Village

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Last night, the West Palm Beach City Commission, that has never seen a development project it didn't like, voted to double the density on North Flagler Drive by voting for the Rybovich Village project.  The vote was 4/1 with Sylvia Moffett dissenting. She called the density “inappropriate.” “We’ve got several high-rises on North Flagler that haven’t done anything much for Broadway. If they stuck to the comp plan and did 32 (units) to the acre, they’d still get a pretty good return.”

Sylvia Moffett, District 1 Commissioner
Term 2014 – 2016
Phone (561) 822-1390 | Email smoffett@wpb.org
Commission President
Prior to her election as commissioner, Sylvia played an active role in her neighborhood serving as secretary and as president of the Old Northwood Steering Committee, editing the Old Northwood Newsletter, and representing Old Northwood to the North End Coalition of Neighborhoods.

Rybovich Expansion

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The Related Group and Rybovich companies will be building six towers at the Rybovich Marina with 1059 residential units, 15000 square ft of offices, and 10000 ft of retail space.

While most of us would like to be concerned with having fun with corn eating contests, Derby Day and other exciting ways to spend one's time, we, on too many occasions, have to literally "fight city hall" for not listening to the people or going against our best interests.  Elected officials think about ways to get more money, usually from you, or dreaming up give-aways for developers for ad valorem and compromising residential neighborhoods. West Palm Beach can't get enough of development.

I think West Palm beach has a secret desire to be Ft. Lauderdale. If a developer even looks its way, wow, they have an orgasm.  All the rest of you must watch out because the city will get its 22 stories right next to the waterfront and/or across the street from where you live and they will give waiver after waiver to allow it or in the case of Lake Worth, figure out a way to build $17 million in infrastructure on your dime to wishfully attract development or encourage commerce at John Prince Park or overturn a vote of the people.

Rybovich tried to block the activists in Riviera Beach by seeking damages for $10 million but the voters in Riviera Beach said no to Rybovich in 2010 when more than 4,000 voters in Riviera Beach  voted to change the city’s charter to prohibit leasing space to Rybovich Superyacht Marina for a new megayacht refit and repair yard. It took a lot of hard work by residential activists at the time as they said it was their right to keep all of the marina open to the public. I was right up there, banner waving with them on November 5, 2010. At the time, Emma Bates, whose Citizen’s Task Force had opposed the Rybovich lease proposal, said “I don’t trust Rybovich.” Huizenga eventually decided to build on land that he owns.

This time it's the Rybovich Marina 14 acre expansion that will be voted on today in West Palm Beach. They say that it will improve the West Palm Beach Broadway corridor as well as the Northwood area. The promise (we know promises are always broken) of improving the area is not why the West Palm Beach council will vote to give Rybovich nearly double the residence per acre density. It's all about $$$$.

When passed today, the project will be humongous. This will be a big revenue boost to West Palm Beach just in permitting fees of mega millions but will generate $5.8 million a year in taxes. Look for a possible lawsuit but the mayor is not worried.  Of course she isn't...elected officials never are... and it's the same all over especially in the corruption capital of the country...they work diligently and change ordinances to get their way.

Read about it...

A Victory for the People - Emma Bates in Riviera Beach

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One of my "fans" posted here yesterday telling me to "get a life." This person is incensed about everything I write as we do not agree politically and he does not hide his hatred. However, "having a life" means different things to different people. It's not always about painting houses or volunteering at your local hospital or clean-ups in your neighborhood association. Sometimes it is just about contributing to the overall democratic process or anything you deem worthwhile.

Belonging to two political action committees has been an honor for me over the years. Save Our Neighborhood, Inc. and the situation in Lake Osborne Heights is still going on. This is what got me interested in Lake Worth in the first place. This land use has been political from the beginning--two outside land flippers wanting to obtain a favorable zoning to allow building against our code and an entire neighborhood trying to retain a single family neighborhood. We have had many factors against us but primarily it has been the politics behind the development crowd. This is something we have fought for years in Lake Worth. We believe that the single family neighborhood is sacrosanct.

Due to this last election, the developers have, once again, a stronghold on Lake Worth. They have had consistent campaigning for their side over the past five years and now are in control of our city. The anarchist element, although extremely minute, was blown out of proportion (a political maneuver) but helped their cause immensely. They recently kicked Panagioti Tsolkos off the Community Relations Board and then voted to sunset the entire board. They are now in the process of one final act of their own anarchism, getting rid of Cara Jennings on the Planning & Zoning board by making sure that appointed members are "qualified" even though it is the very same qualified people who made horrendous decisions in past years and are, in my mind, special interest groups/types. This political group has a cunning spokeswoman who does have a life and volunteers for everything imaginable. She is right out there and admired by many.

The other political action committee to which I belong is Citizens Come First. The last cause was the ballot initiative in Riviera Beach. Chair, Laurence McNamara, advised them on the language, on the number of words allowed in the ballot title and ballot summary and gave them the Public Land/ Public Vote charter amendment as a template for them to follow. On April 4, 2012, a final opinion, favorable to the people, was rendered by the Appellate Court.

It takes a lot of time, energy and money to win a cause and be on the right side of democracy. But more than that, it takes a profound belief that your cause is just. Emma Bates in Riviera Beach did just that when she petitioned the voters to have the right to vote on the marina development and keep the City of Riviera Beach from selling it. It was my pleasure to help demonstrate for her cause.

Here is the final opinion from the District Court of Appeal, 4th District.

Laurence McNamara said, "This is a victory for the people aided by Citizens Come First."