Today is the 2nd scheduled meeting at the city Planning & Zoning advisory board regarding the request for an extension of the development approvals which date back to 12/11/07. These approvals are scheduled to expire on 4/12/15, so the attorney representing the receiver for Wells Fargo bank has applied for an 18 month extension. At the previous meeting in January the bank requested a delay in the consideration of this request since the Palm Beach county traffic engineers would only grant an extension until the end of 2015 which the bank's attorney did not believe was sufficient time for the buyer of the loan (in foreclosure since March 2010) to complete the foreclosure and apply for the required building permits.
Traffic is a major consideration of this previously approved 211 unit townhouse development that would have the only entrance and exit on Jeffrey St./Clint Moore Rd. - at the bottom of the east side of the bridge over I-95. How many additional automobiles will travel along this already congested area of NW 2nd Ave.? Many residents may not be aware that NW 2nd Ave. from Jeffrey St. to Yamato Rd. is already considered a failing road based upon established traffic standards. The section of NW 2nd Ave. north of Jeffrey St. to Hidden Valley Blvd. has experienced an increase in traffic over the past several years which has resulted in this section also nearing a failing grade.
A failing grade is relative to traffic standards which is based upon the health and safety considerations of both the motorists and the ability of emergency vehicles to travel the road in case of an emergency. Considering the demographics of the population of the Boca Teeca area, is it worth the risk of delaying an emergency vehicle to respond to a serious health situation of a resident in which time is of the essence in potentially saving a life?
Boca Teeca residents have long opposed the widening of NW 2nd Ave. to 4-lanes, BUT if the condo leaders continue to support the development of this project, are they placing their neighbors at risk for approximately the $200/unit which they hope to extract from the new property owner? There were several condo associations that agreed to support the development in 20007 in exchange for monetary benefits that amount to a total of $350,000 which was never paid under the terms of the agreement with MCZ Centrum Florida OwnerV, LLC as the previous owner of the property. Technically this company is still the owner of the property but in 2011 the LLC voluntarily dissolved their company's ability to do business in the state of FL.
It is time for the city to act in the best interest of the health and safety of all residents in the area and not a few shortsighted condo leaders who refuse to admit that they are not acting in the best interest of their neighbors by continuing to see a small financial benefit that was negotiated with the defunct company over 7 years ago.
By opposing the extension of this 7-year old approval all residents that are impacted would be able to review plans with a new owner. Ideally, the new owner would simply want to improve the clubhouse and hotel and operate the golf course as a destination resort with access to the only championship level golf course located within the city limits of Boca Raton. Since the first professional golf course manager, Arnold Palmer group, took over at the direction of the receiver, there have been a large increase in the number of paying customers and the financial statements recorded by the receiver have demonstrated an improvement that would allow the golf course to remain operating on a successful basis.
Let's preserve our green space and stop the increased traffic congestion that posses as health and safety hazard to our neighbors.
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