City Updates on Brightline, FEMA Extreme Flood Maps and Presentations Dominate Council Mtg

As expected, Second Hearing on all of  the listed ordinances and their associated resolutions, as well as the Consent Agenda, were passed 5:0.

During Items of Resident Interest, Vice Mayor Litt described a meeting with PB State College, where students voiced concerns about the existing bus routes which drop off them off across from the campus on PGA Blvd and also on Campus Drive, forcing 400-800 students to cross these busy and dangerous thoroughfares daily. The City and Palm Tran will work to help and solve the issue.

The City Manager report included:

• Virgin/Brightline Train Crossing Update – City Engineer Todd Engle described the upcoming crossing closures for construction. The closures will begin in May, be staggered and are scheduled to be completed by July 3. The tentative dates can be found in this Palm Beach Post article, and updates will be published on the City website and on the Brightline website as well.  The representatives of the railroad were asked about the old FEC railroad ties which are the source of a lot of resident complaints. It was not clear that any direct action would be taken by Brightline. The fiber optic lines and cable lines (for all providers) will be located on the east side of the tracks. The second line of tracks will be built on the west side – until Kyoto Gardens Drive, where they will switch to the east side.
• FEMA Extreme Flood Maps – Mr. Engle continued with a report on FEMA flood zones. In 2017 the maps were updated and all units in PB Gardens were removed from the requirement of flood insurance. But in 2014 FEMA began a project to assess extreme floods – ‘500’ year floods where a worst case scenario with a ‘perfect storm’, king tides and other adverse conditions happen simulteously. In a recent public meeting on their new maps, 305 units in the City would once again would require flood insurance if there were mortgages on those units. The areas that would be affected are in Marina Gardens, Harbour Oaks, Nature’s Hideaway, The Meadows mobile homes and one road in Prosperity Oaks. The City will continue to monitor and be involved with the map changes, which will probably take several years to be approved.
• Litigation: City Attorney Max Lohman gave an update on the four different lawsuits brought forward by resident Sid Dinerstein on the City Charter.  Lohman wanted to address what he considered to be misinformation being spread on the subject. He said that the total cost to the City was less than $100K (although at a standard commercial rate it would have amounted to $250K). While the City prevailed in the last lawsuit appeal at the 4th DCA, Mr. Dinerstein plans to appeal to the FL Supreme Court. While Mr. Lohman would love to go before the FL Supreme Court, he didn’t think it likely that they would take the case. He proclaimed that Sid was representing himself, not the people, and it was in fact he, the City Attorney, who represents the ‘people’ in these cases as they passed the various amendments. As to the expense of the claimant – Mr. Lohman said that he understood that the attorney representing Mr. Dinerstein was working pro bono – so any misinformation one hears about what it cost to bring forward the suit was a lie by someone. Council Member Lane praised the City Attorney’s defense at the 4th DCA, but also defended Mr. Dinerstein as having good intentions in bringing forth the law suits. Mr. Lohman said he would update the Council on the status of the ongoing lawsuits with Forbes and TransformCo (the new Sears) in private.

Public Comment:

• 211 Helpline – Patrice Schroeder of the 211 Helpline out of Lantana publicized 211 Awareness Week from February 11 – February 17. She pointed out that as a crisis hotline, calls to the Veteran’s Crisis line roll over to 211, and that they have Veterans that can take those calls.
• Palm Beach County Library – Doug Crane – Dept Director for Palm Beach County Library gave a brief update: all late fines were dropped last year – if a book is lost then the person must pay for the book; the libraries will be a key resource in the Census as each branch has wifi as well as computers where people can complete their census forms; as in the past, the libraries will serve as early voting locations in the March, August and November elections.
• PGA Corridor – Steve Mathison, representing the PGA Corridor, voiced the organization’s support of the City’s Mobility Plan and related actions.

Presentations included several charity related topics:

• The West Palm Beach Veterans’ Resource Center was presented with a check for $39,025.97 from the 2019 Mayor’s Veteran Golf Classic
• Closest to the Pin – Sandhill Crane’s Golf Club’s ‘Closest to the Pin’ for Charity is celebrating it’s first anniversary – donors give $5 collected at the golf course for the competition event for that month, and the winner receives 20% and the charity receives 80% of the proceeds.
• Police and Fire Rescue Foundation – In 2018, the Palm Beach Gardens Police Foundation’s mission was expanded to include the City’s Fire Rescue services whereupon the Palm Beach Gardens Police and Fire Rescue Foundation was formed.
• Operation 120 Inc – Empowering Female Veterans,  discussed the issues of female veterans and how they were often more reluctant to seek help than their male counterparts, because many times they are single parents and afraid that they could lose their children in the process. The organization has found acquired its first housing unit. See Operation120 for more information.

A discussion on a resolution regarding awareness and opposition to anti-semitism was postponed for more in-depth discussion next month.

Next City Council Meeting on Thursday Feb 6 at 7pm

The next Palm Beach Gardens City Council Meeting will be held on Thursday February 6th at 7 pm.

While the agenda appears to be quite lengthy – all of the Ordinances under Public Hearings are for 2nd Reading and Adoption,  (along with their associated companion Resolutions), and all the Ordinances passed with no opposition on 1st reading.

At the end of the agenda, under Items for Council Action/Discussion, is an item to Discuss A Request from the Americans Against Anti-Semitism for a Resolution by the City of Palm Beach Gardens to denounce the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS) as an anti-Semitic attempt to delegitimize Israel.

Unrelated to the February Agenda – along with the Presidential Preference Primary to be held on March 17, 2020, Palm Beach Gardens will be having a Municipal Election for City Council Group 3.   PBG Watch has profiles of each of the two candidates along with their responses to questions posed to them. See more in March 17th Council Election – Candidate Profiles  and our Voters Guide.  Please VOTE!

Announcements and Presentations include:

• Mayors Veterans Check Presentation
• Update on the One Year Anniversary of the Closets to the Pin Charity Event
• Palm Beach Gardens Police and Fire Rescue Foundation Support of the Veteran’s Hospital
• Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services Award

Consent Agenda includes:

• Purchase Award – Replacement of Playground at Joe R. Russo Athletic Complex – Piggyback/Access contract with no option to renew – $133K
• Resolution 14, 2020: Conceptual Approval for Economic Development Incentives for “Project Greenacres.” – Conceptually approving economic development incentives for “Project Greenacres” to include local support for the State’s Qualified Targeted Industry Tax Refund Program and Expedited Permitting through the City’s Targeted Expedited Permitting Program. “UPDATE On January 9, 2020, the City Council of the City of Palm Beach Gardens adopted Resolution 9, 2020, that granted conceptual approval for economic incentives for “Project Greenacres” to include local support for the State’s Qualified Targeted Industry Tax Refund Program of $30,000 and expedited permitting through the City’s Targeted Expedited Permitting Program. Since the adoption of Resolution 9, 2020, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) has finished its review of the proposal and is recommending an award of $7,000 per job. This award will increase the City’s local support match of 20 percent to $43,400. Staff continues to recommend approval based on the DEO recommended award. If approved, an economic development agreement will be brought to the City Council for final approval.

Public Hearings of the Ordinances are itemized on the agenda.

Please check the agenda for any changes or additions prior to the meeting.

March 17th Council Election – Candidate Profiles

In March, as you go to the polls to vote in your party’s Presidential Primary, Palm Beach Gardens ballots will also have an election for the City Council Group 3 seat.

Three seats were up for re-election this year, but Mayor Mark Marciano in group 1, and Vice-Mayor Rachelle Litt in group 3 were un-opposed at the end of the qualification period, and thus re-elected by default.

In group 3, incumbent Councilman Matthew Lane is being challenged by alternate Planning and Zoning board member Chelsea Reed.

To help you make sense of who these candidates are and what they would do if they win, we asked each of them to describe themselves to our readers by answering 5 questions:

1. Why do you want to be on / stay on the Council?
2. What do you see as the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing Palm Beach Gardens now and in the near future?
3. What involvement have you had in the issues that the council has faced over the past few years?
4. What is your “vision” for the city?
5. What else would you like the voters to know about you and your candidacy?

Further information and links to their websites can be found in our online voters’ guide, and a printed copy of these profiles can be had at the [PRINT] link to the right of the title (above).

The following is how they responded:

Group 3
Matthew Lane	Chelsea Reed
1. Why do you want to be on / stay on the Council?
Matthew Lane:  It has been my honor and privilege to serve on the Palm Beach Gardens City Council during the last three (3) years. During my term in office, the Chamber of Commerce named us the “Top City to Live in Florida.” This is the result of the efforts of our Council, and years of hard work by the Mayors and Council members who served before us. I want to continue the work that we have done to make Palm Beach Gardens the exceptional place that it is.	Chelsea Reed:   I love everything about my beautiful hometown of Palm Beach Gardens, since I am 50 and our City is 60 years old, we grew up together. We face tremendous development, and as a council member I will contribute with experience AND heart, as I have already been involved in bettering our city and county as a leader on impactful boards and committees. I will be an advocate for what residents and businesses deserve: expanded mobility, safe connected streets, sustainable growth and a prosperous economy with a clear view of our needs. My appointed board positions on PBG Planning, Zoning & Appeals as well as my seat as Vice-Chair of the County Transportation Planning Citizen’s Advisory, combined with my life-long local history of raising a family, and running businesses here, makes me the best choice for this election. I will represent our citizens’ needs and voices, providing thoughtful, authentic, and consistent communication.
2. What do you see as the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing Palm Beach Gardens now and in the near future?
Matthew Lane:  We need to keep the leadership team in place that made this City so special, and retain our excellent police, firefighters, administrators and staff.	Chelsea Reed: Strengths Our strength is reflected in our recent #1 ranking as ‘Best Cities to Live In’ on the State Chamber of Commerce list. From our 12 Golf Courses, new North County District Park and extensive athletic programs, to our attractive and growing PGA Corridor; our City is one of the most welcoming places to live. Combining these amenities with our award-winning public safety departments, our city staff, lauded for exceptional planning, effective budgeting and dedication to quality – we are even more attractive. The Chamber ranking showed our quality-of-life metrics such as commute time, median earnings and percentage of degree-holders in the state are among the best. Our population’s poverty level is one of the lowest in the entire state of Florida. Weaknesses: Our weaknesses are potential byproducts of our strengths. Growth brings problems that are nice problems to have, but the city needs to be proactive in anticipating future needs and implement the necessary solutions well in advance. As we continue to attract new residents, we face issues with access to all levels of housing, education, and public safety with increases in traffic. Our essential service and first responder workers need to be able to live nearby, not only for the pleasure of enjoying our #1 rated City in Florida, but to also allow them to be community stakeholders, increase neighborhood safety and decrease commuter traffic. Opportunities: Forward thinking about the next few decades will help us grow. Working together with the city manager and PBG staff, our County and State agencies like TPA, DOT, combined with input from our residents, we can implement responsible budgeting and maintain the character of our Tree City and green space. We must focus on our PGA Corridor becoming a connected urban environment, while mitigating traffic issues in our growing western communities. Our Mobility Plan, combined with the opportunity for a future Tri-Rail Station, and adoption of ‘Vision Zero’ will all provide ease of access to transportation, helping us get around with a beneficial effect on future traffic pressure points. Threats: The challenge for Palm Beach Gardens is growth. The city must prepare and plan meticulously. We have to anticipate traffic before it arrives with our increasing population, we must assess safety needs well ahead of natural disasters, and we absolutely must consider our actions’ effects on our environment. I believe in rewarding and encouraging forward thinking, and buoying businesses that combine growth with environmental stewardship. Merging economy and sustainability will help us secure a healthy future for our City, our water and our air.
3. What involvement have you had in the issues that the council has faced over the past few years?
Matthew Lane:  As a member of Council, I have been directly involved with all the people and all the issues that the Council has faced during my time in office. I voted: a. against over development of our City. b. against projects that would lead to traffic congestion c. in a fiscally responsible manner to keep our taxes low d. to make our schools safe e. to protect our environment f. to provide exceptional recreational facilities g. for term limits My greatest pleasure has been the extensive constituent service that I have performed during my term in office.	Chelsea Reed:  As an appointed Board Member of Palm Beach Gardens PZAB, I vote on all issues that will then go to City Council, and thus have tremendous experience in development petitions, variance requests and appeals made to our city on issues regarding land development regulations. As Vice-Chair of the Transportation Planning Agency (TPA) Citizens Advisory Committee, I represent all of District One and I am directly responsible for providing the TPA with a “citizen’s eye” view of all transportation, mobility, street and road concerns in Palm Beach County. I am honored to be Palm Beach Chamber North’s “Volunteer of the Year,” which shows my support of commerce, a prosperous economy and local business development. I have chaired or founded several Chamber Committees which have direct and positive impact on Palm Beach Gardens, such as the Sustainability Subcommittee, Healthcare Committee and Artigras Recycling Committee. Lastly, I assisted our Palm Beach Gardens Fire Department in the development of their Strategic Plan. Recent ride-alongs with Fire Department 63 and tour of our PBG Police Department further reinforced my belief that safety and resilience must always be our first consideration.
4. What is your “vision” for the city?
Matthew Lane:  As Council members, we need to preserve the quality of life that we currently enjoy in the City of Palm Beach Gardens. We need to maintain our standard of excellence in the police, fire, planning and zoning, finance, and recreational services that we provide. Good is not sufficient. Excellence is our standard in the services that we provide and the constituent service that we perform.	Chelsea Reed:  Much like families and individuals make plans for their future as they mature, we must plan similarly for our maturing 60-year-old city, creating a vision for what we’d like to see in a 90-year-old Palm Beach Gardens. We can’t predict the future, but can look to other busy and prosperous cities to see what has succeeded. This educated approach, merged with preserving the beautiful culture of our area, is the answer. We need robust business, sustainable growth, proper traffic planning, and our primary focus must always be on our safety and our health.
5. What else would you like the voters to know about you and your candidacy?
Matthew Lane:  As your Councilperson, I am known for: a. exceptional constituent service (usually within 24 hours) b. working to make our schools the best they can be c. diligent preparation, asking the hard questions, and voting with integrity I am proud to announce I have received the endorsements of: FORMER MAYOR JOE RUSSO FORMER MAYOR MARCIE TINSLEY FORMER MAYOR DAVID LEVY COUNTY COMMISSIONER HAL VALECHE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DAVE KERNER FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER KAREN MARCUS STATE REPRESENTATIVE RICK ROTH FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE PATRICK ROONEY, JR. FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE SHARON MERCHANT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BARBARA MCQUINN FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER ANNIE MARIE DELGADO BIZPAC For more information about me, please visit my website at www.votemattlane.com	Chelsea Reed:  The best part of running for office has been knocking on thousands of local doors. I have listened to the hopes, frustrations, and dreams our residents have for our City, and I sincerely want to help make things even better! My focus on others and my sincere desire to connect, will add an accessible component to our Council. I believe in the voice of our community and I want our unparalleled city to stay beautiful and always maintain the character of my beloved home. As a local business owner, parent, and volunteer, my life is woven into the fabric of my hometown.  I offer a depth of history and an inspiring vision for the future of Palm Beach Gardens.