Today's city council workshop narrowed the list of potential buyers of their municipal golf course to GL Homes and Lennar (includes the golf course swap of Ocean Breeze). There were many good speeches by residents in support of the swap proposal but in the end there as discussion of acquiring the Ocean Breeze property via eminent domain, at a potentially lower pace than the $10 million price tag by Lennar.
In order to better examine the legal prospects of an eminent domain acquisition of the Ocean Breeze property the council decided to seek expert advice before deciding on the offers. At the end of this discussion councilman Mike Mullaugh stated that eminent domain would not apply since t requires that acquisition of the property can only be achieved via the e,intent domain recess which is NOT the case on the property since there is a current avenue of acquisition via the Lennar swap offer.
The other interesting event at this meeting was the proposed resolution by Jeremy Rodgers to bring public golf to Boca Raton which will be on the agenda for a vote at tomorrow night city council meeting. Golfers and Boca Raton residents will be closely watching this vote.
Next meeting for considering the sell of the glades road golf course will be January as the city seeks definitive information on the eminent domain issue. The Lennar representative and their attorney were visibly unhappy about the city's attempt to undermine their offer with the use of eminent domain.
Monday, November 21, 2016
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Greg Norman Coming to Boca Teeca?
At the recent meeting of the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District an announcement was made that a letter was received from PGA golf professional Greg Norman which expressed an interest in operating a leaning facility at the Boca Teeca golf course if the city or park district acquired and upgraded the facility. The park district has already indicated that they were interested in spending $10 million to upgrade the facility IF the city cooperated in the acquisition of the property.
The city had announced their intention to make a decision on this issue at their 11/22/16 meeting but the posted agenda does not include this issue on their agenda. What is the city waiting for? They watched the value of their current golf course plument the during the last recession, so they need to strike while the iron is hot and this unique opportunity is available!
The city had announced their intention to make a decision on this issue at their 11/22/16 meeting but the posted agenda does not include this issue on their agenda. What is the city waiting for? They watched the value of their current golf course plument the during the last recession, so they need to strike while the iron is hot and this unique opportunity is available!
Friday, November 11, 2016
Important Meetings/Save The Dates
The city has plans to announce the winning bidder for their current golf course on west glades road on Nov. 22nd at their 6pm meeting. Supporters are encouraged to call & email the city council members on a professional and persistent basis prior to this meeting in order to seek the acquisition of the Boca Teeca golf course property as a part of this transaction. This would be a Win-Win for the city and the residents. The city would receive $51 million from Lennar and the residents would get a championship level golf course that would be IN the the city that would be owned by the Beach & Park District. The Beach & Park District has stated that they would plan to spend approx &10 million on the improvement of this golf course which would be expected to bring this facility up to the high standards maintained by the District.
Residents are also encouraged to attend AND speak at the Nov. 22nd meeting as a strong show of support is critical to this process.
For more information and comments on this issue, please see the Facebook page of Boca Teeca (request to be a friend for full access on Facebook)
For more updates on citywide residential issues, please visit the web site of the largest residential organization in the city, Boca Watch, at www.bocawatch.org
Residents are also encouraged to attend AND speak at the Nov. 22nd meeting as a strong show of support is critical to this process.
For more information and comments on this issue, please see the Facebook page of Boca Teeca (request to be a friend for full access on Facebook)
For more updates on citywide residential issues, please visit the web site of the largest residential organization in the city, Boca Watch, at www.bocawatch.org
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Election Results
City Referendum on waterfront development on city land
- Residents WIN as they prefer to preserve green space instead of the proposed Houston's restaurant. An effort led by the chamber of commerce to defeat this proposal spent approx $300k to defeat this proposal, so thank you to the many residents who worked the early voting polls daily and the Election Day polls to defeat the chamber's political machine. At the city council meetings prior to the vote there were many residents who spoke for hours to encourage the city council to support their efforts, but city council refused their pleas and appeared to be supporting the chamber's effort to build another restaurant on the old Wildflower property as the city rezoned the Wildflower land in anticipation of approving the restaurant.
Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District
- Incumbents Earl Starkoff & Dr. Dennis Frisch were defeated by city-backed candidates Erin Wright (Hidden Valley resident) and Craig Ehrnst. Congratulations to the new commissioners who worked the early voting polling location every day with the support of local firefighters (Erin is married to a firefighter). In past communications with both new commissioners they have indicated their support for acquiring the Boca Teeca golf property by the District, so it will hopefully not have any impact our residential efforts to bring championship level golf back to the Public. The beach & park district has a long history of acquiring, improving and operating land that was threatened by development and this is their legislated mandate to serve the residents of the District. Public access championship golf within the city has not been possible for the last 40+ years, so this is a unique opportunity that should be supported by ALL elected officials.
For more details on city issues, please visit the web site of the largest residential focused organization in the city - www.bocawatch.org
- Residents WIN as they prefer to preserve green space instead of the proposed Houston's restaurant. An effort led by the chamber of commerce to defeat this proposal spent approx $300k to defeat this proposal, so thank you to the many residents who worked the early voting polls daily and the Election Day polls to defeat the chamber's political machine. At the city council meetings prior to the vote there were many residents who spoke for hours to encourage the city council to support their efforts, but city council refused their pleas and appeared to be supporting the chamber's effort to build another restaurant on the old Wildflower property as the city rezoned the Wildflower land in anticipation of approving the restaurant.
Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District
- Incumbents Earl Starkoff & Dr. Dennis Frisch were defeated by city-backed candidates Erin Wright (Hidden Valley resident) and Craig Ehrnst. Congratulations to the new commissioners who worked the early voting polling location every day with the support of local firefighters (Erin is married to a firefighter). In past communications with both new commissioners they have indicated their support for acquiring the Boca Teeca golf property by the District, so it will hopefully not have any impact our residential efforts to bring championship level golf back to the Public. The beach & park district has a long history of acquiring, improving and operating land that was threatened by development and this is their legislated mandate to serve the residents of the District. Public access championship golf within the city has not been possible for the last 40+ years, so this is a unique opportunity that should be supported by ALL elected officials.
For more details on city issues, please visit the web site of the largest residential focused organization in the city - www.bocawatch.org
Monday, October 10, 2016
New City Hall Complex Coming
The agenda for the upcoming city council meeting on 9/13 indicates that the city staff is recommending hirng an architectural firm in WPB, Song & Associates, "for professional planning & architectural services associated with the development of City of Boca Raton's Government Campus Master Plan." This will be considered as resolution #119-2016 at this meeting which starts at 6pm.
It appears that the city leaders have already decided how they are going to spend the $40+ million the city will receive from selling the current municipal golf course on Glades Rd. Is this what the voters of Boca Raton want from their local government leaders, that is, selling recreational facilities in exchange for a larger government complex?
It appears that the city leaders have already decided how they are going to spend the $40+ million the city will receive from selling the current municipal golf course on Glades Rd. Is this what the voters of Boca Raton want from their local government leaders, that is, selling recreational facilities in exchange for a larger government complex?
Local Election Endorsements
Boca Teeca residents encourage all Boca Raton voters to support Earl Starkoff & Dennis Frisch for re-election as commissioners to the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District. These commissioners have done an excellent job of building and maintaining the beaches and parks with our community and they should be re-elected based upon their commitment to continue working with the residents to meet their recreational needs in our growing city.
We also encourage voters to support the referendum on the waterfront properties which will provide more assurances of open space and access to the limited waterfront areas that are owned by our municipal government. This referendum was put on the ballot thanks to the efforts of many residents who were not pleased with the direction the city leadership was taking on the former Wildflower property. The entire city should support this referendum as an effort to show cooperation of all residents in the improvement of the residential character of our community.
We also encourage voters to support the referendum on the waterfront properties which will provide more assurances of open space and access to the limited waterfront areas that are owned by our municipal government. This referendum was put on the ballot thanks to the efforts of many residents who were not pleased with the direction the city leadership was taking on the former Wildflower property. The entire city should support this referendum as an effort to show cooperation of all residents in the improvement of the residential character of our community.
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Call City Hall
Lennar nor Wells Fargo bank are maintaining the vacant ocean breeze golf property according to city code requirements. Please call the city manager's office at 393-7708 in order to demand immediate action be taken to cut the grass and maintain the property. There is also a potential public health concern as the vacant property could be a breeding area for mosquitos that carry the Zika virus.
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