Artigras Returns to the Gardens and new Par 3 City Golf Course

Highlights from the January 14th City Council Meeting

• Artigras (Feb 13 and 14) will be held at the North County District Park.  Noel Martinez, CEO and President of Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce briefly described the economic impacts. See “Artigras Moving Back to Palm Beach Gardens“.
• Covid-19 Vaccinations – Fire Chief Bryer outlined the preparations made by the City for the Jan 15th administration of 200 doses of Covid-19 vaccines to City residents (over the age of 65). The appointments sold out in minutes. He credited the work of Cory Bessette (Division Chief of EMS) with outstanding efforts in staying on top of all things ‘covid-related’ in the Gardens. The City is prepared to administer 200 doses, 6 days a week if there were supply. (Editor’s note – I happened to be on the website when the vaccination appointments went live and was able to make an appointment and receive my first dose on Jan 15. The process was extremely well organized and smooth, the staff was engaging, Chief Bryer was very visible greeting those waiting for their vaccines. Unfortunately, the City has not received any additional doses so far).  For the latest vaccine information from the City, see the City’s Covid-19 Vaccinations page here.
• Western Golf Course Expansion
  • Casey Mitchell, Director of Golf, presented the plans for a new Par 3 Golf Course and Clubhouse adjacent to Sandhill Crane Golf Course on land deed to the City as part of the Avenir development approvals.  See the Palm Beach Post article here.
  • Resolution 7, 2021 and it’s companion Resolution 13, 2021 were “Authorizing the issuance of the City of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Public Improvement Bond, Series 2021, in an amount not to exceed $14,000,000 to finance construction of an 18-hole par-3 golf course and related facilities.
  • Financial details of the bond were presented by Allan Owens, Finance Administrator.
  • There was significant discussion by City Manager Ferris regarding public ‘chatter’ and emails about the expansion. He appeared to be quite irritated with wrong information being circulated and wanted to ‘set the record straight’ outlining references to the intentions for the 115 acre parcel going back to 2013 and citing references to golf course expansion in various meetings with golf course residents, the study for the Sandhill Crane Golf Clubhouse improvements and other discussions over the years. The last reference he made, however, was 2016 – where the parcel was referenced to be used for ‘parks and rec‘.
  • Resident Rob Nanfro, making Public Comment, said that none of this history was included in the Resolution whereas many similar resolutions have included previous actions by staff and Council. PBC Commissioner Maria Marino, speaking as a professional golfer was pleased by the references to her work on the Clubhouse study and was in full support of the Par 3 Course which would be an asset not a liability and augment services already provided, such as a good driving range and other amenities and a practice facility.
  • Both Resolutions were passed with whole-hearted support and discussion by the Council 4:0.
• Resolution 14, 2021 – Prohibiting the use of polystyrene products on public property, directing City Administration to negotiate “No Polystyrene” provisions in applicable City contracts, and encouraging all residents and retail businesses within the City to reduce or eliminate the use of polystyrene products was passed 4:0. This was the resolution requested by Council after discussion in prior council meetings and the subject was most recently raised by Council Member Reed, and a couple of years previously by Vice Mayor Litt.

• Charlotte Presensky, Leisure Service Administrator – earned the National Recreation and Park Association “Certified Park and Recreation Executive” certification – which is the highest level a Parks and Recreation Professional can achieve, and only one of 250 such certified individuals in the Country. Congratulations to Ms. Presenky!

All other ordinances and the Consent Agenda passed 4:0.

Public Comment

• Commissioner Marino spoke briefly regarding Covid vaccinations, and the upcoming SR 7 Virtual Workshop on Thursday, Jan 28th.
• Rob Nanfro (candidate for City Council Group 2) introduced himself.

*** There were some last minute technical issues which prevented the secondary camera from recording the presentations from the meeting.  Here are links to the Power-point Presentations made at the January 14th meeting:

• Ordinance 1 2021 Fire Pension Amendment 1st reading: https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:6e899979-d67f-43c0-95ca-2dcffe814e30
• Ordinance 2 2021 Police Pension Amendment 1st reading: https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:c25556d7-d28c-4451-a21e-2385dee740c0
• Resolution 7 Series 2021 Bond- Golf Expansion: https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:9ad4522b-3c62-47c4-b599-2a08bdc76e90
• Western Golf Course Expansion January 2021 Council Presentation: https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:93d0006c-2616-4637-a053-537728cd112b

Why are workers chopping down oaks on a key Gardens road?

Why are workers chopping down oak and palm trees along Kyoto Gardens Drive, that great short cut to the Gardens Mall from Military Trail?

It’s all part of the massive plan for the new FPL office headquarters taking shape along Kyoto Gardens just northeast of the I-95/PGA Boulevard interchange. 

The plan for the $67.9 million construction project calls for moving a road. 

Little-known RCA Center Drive, which runs north from RCA Boulevard and under PGA Boulevard, intersects with Kyoto Gardens Drive too near the FEC Railway tracks to allow a stoplight there.

And even though Florida Power & Light Co.’s preliminary studies showed the new intersection wouldn’t immediately generate enough traffic to justify a stoplight, FPL is spending the money now to move the road about 85 yards to the west. 

That means chopping down live oaks along Kyoto. A recent visit revealed seven new stumps west of RCA Center Drive and five east. It also means taking out some of the foxtail palms and hedges that decorate the roadway median. 

Traffic engineers will conduct studies after the six-story office building opens in 2022 to up to 1,000 employees to see if enough cars line up at the newly rebuilt intersection to justify a signal. 

In the meantime, FPL contractors are moving the road.

Workers are ripping out the concrete medians, tearing up sidewalks and chopping down the trees, many planted in the past five or six years. On Jan. 11, an earth mover in the median slowed traffic in one eastbound lane. In the other, a Mercedes-Benz crunched into the tailgate of a Toyota Tundra blocked traffic.

The new intersection will have a second northbound left turn lane and more room for cars to line up to turn but until it meets county stoplight criteria, stop signs will rule. 

The sidewalk along Kyoto Gardens will be 12 feet wide instead of 5. That means ripping up more landscaping lining the road. There’s already been some clear-cutting behind the landscaped hedge line planted a few years ago by FPL but it’s not clear if those hedges will be removed. FPL did not return calls Thursday and Friday requesting comment.  

 

Stunning new building

FPL’s new building — that long, low-slung concrete structure rising now on the 86-acre site east of Military Trail — could be a stunner. 

Built to withstand Category 5 hurricanes, drawings by architects Perkins + Will of Coral Gables show a sleek modern design that looks like an airship dropped into a forest clearing. The top four floors, which house the offices, seem to float over the bottom two floors, devoted to a cafeteria, workout rooms and other large meeting space.

The building sits south of a berm, already constructed, and dominates the view across the lake from the Kyoto Gardens bridge east of the Trail. It can be seen from southbound Interstate 95 and it’s southern face dominates the view on the westbound PGA Boulevard exit ramp off of northbound I-95.

 

Saving some trees, clear-cutting others

FPL previously cleared the entire site of non-native trees, saving pines and sabal palms that have dominated the property for decades, although thinned by a March 2017 fire. 

Moving the road means more clear-cutting of native trees, which took place the week of Jan. 11, to forge the road’s new path. 

Another path has been cleared through the forest on the southern perimeter, just below the elevated on-ramp to southbound I-95. The path will be paved for an internal perimeter road emptying onto RCA Center Drive. The main entrance is off of Kyoto.

Construction began in July, with building permits issued in 2020 showing an estimated cost of $51.5 million for the six-story building, $13.5 million for the three-story parking garage and $2.8 million for road work. 

Catalfumo built the road

The property, long held by the late insurance magnate John D. MacArthur, went to his foundation after his 1978 death. The Chicago-based board sat on it for decades before selling it to Dan Catalfumo as part of its liquidation of its north county holdings in 1999. 

To get the rights to turn the vacant property and another nearby tract into a commercial center, Catalfumo partnered with the city to build and landscape Kyoto Gardens Drive and RCA Center Drive in 2007. Building the roads, which included the rail crossing at Alternate A1A, cost about $5.6 million. The city kicked in about 40 percent because it wanted Kyoto to be four lanes instead of two.

But the economy went south and Catalfumo never built planned hotels, office buildings and stores on the huge site just west of the Gardens Mall. The developer lost the land to lenders.

FPL paid $24 million in 2011 for all but 4.2 acres, which it bought in 2018 for $4.9 million. 

In July 2013, the city gave the Juno Beach-based power company the right to build nearly 1 million square feet of office space on the site. 

Landscaping, some of which now will be removed, went up along the site’s perimeter after that. 

Plans show FPL intends to replant foxtail and sabal palms, live oak 12 to 18 feet high and even South Florida slash pines in the medians, along the roadside or throughout the property.  

 

Joel Engelhardt wrote and edited stories at The Palm Beach Post for nearly 30 years before departing in December. He lives in Gardens not far from the FPL office building site, known as PGA Office Center. He tried for two days to get FPL to return his calls to get its take on the tree-clearing. Not only would they not return his calls, they wouldn’t tell him the name of the appropriate spokesman for the project. You can email him at InTheGardensPBC@gmail.com.

Martino: Groundhog Day in the Gardens

After reviewing the Palm Beach Gardens January 14th agenda items,  Resolution 7, 2021 and Resolution 13, 2021, I felt as if I was experiencing the movie Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film. It centers on a weatherman that finds he is inexplicably living the same day over and over again while covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. However, I am really in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, not Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. In my opinion, Resolution 7, 2021 and Resolution 13, 2021, are not a comedies but tragedies of transparency failures. Like the cynical weatherman in Groundhog Day I feel as if I, too, am in a time loop of repeated City Council public transparency, communication, and openness transgressions and failures.

Resolution 7, 2021 authorizes the issuance of the City of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Public Improvement Bond, Series 2021, in an amount not to exceed $14,000,000 to finance construction of an 18-hole par-3 golf course and related facilities. According to the council meeting agenda the 18-hole par-3 golf course and related facilities will be discussed under Presentations by staff entitled “Western Golf Course Expansion” and during discussion of Resolution 13, 2021 which adopts a policy and plan for the expenditure of the proceeds from the Public Improvement Bonds – Series 2021 that were adopted by the approval of Resolution 7, 2021 earlier on the Regular agenda It approves the bond for a golf course in Avenir on 115 acres or so, of property owned by the City. This land was conveyed to the City by the Avenir developers as a condition of the development approvals.

What are the problems with the Resolutions above the City Council might ask? Many and varied I would respond. The lack of transparency, communication and openness with the Public are the main irritants.  To my knowledge, none of the above has been discussed in a public meeting by the City Council. Concurrently, the residents were not noticed or informed through advertised public meetings. Thus, we are ignorant of this extraordinary expenditure and massive new public project, plus, not knowledgeable of who hired the “consultants and experts” advising the City, as well as, the financial and contractual arrangements. We currently have a public municipal golf course on which we have budgeted and spent millions of dollars on new facilities and equipment in recent years. Is there a golfing capacity problem that has not been revealed? Why are we considering a new golf course in a private development? From my perspective, it is speculation and conjecture to state that various new western growth impact fees and revenues from this new course would cover the repayment of the bonds. The perpetual maintenance, future equipment needs and facility renovations, are future burdens that undoubtedly will have tax consequences to residents. This once again appears to be an Administrative and staff driven policy effort devoid of significant policy contribution by the City Council and with no consideration for information to the Public or input by us.

Why the Groundhog Day analogy?

• In 2013 and 2014 the City Council secretly began negotiations to allow for development of a $100,000,000 Major League Baseball stadium in the middle of prime residential areas of the City.
• In 2017 the City Council authorized a $30,000,000 loan for major City renovations to City buildings, new City facilities, and major recreational field and facilities, using the penny sales tax income as collateral.
• In more recent years the City Council has named a Park and City facility after Council members.
• In 2020 the City Council renamed the City Municipal Complex after the current City Manager.
• In 2020 the City Council, in a less than ideal location, allowed a prefabricated building to be placed in the beautiful Lake Catherine Park to be used as a restroom facility which ignored previous Council commitments to not allow any structures or facilities in the Park.

All of these City policy issues have a common thread, a repetitive loop, and déjà vu characteristics. All were quietly instigated by the Administration and staff with little to no City Council policy involvement until almost after-the- fact. In most cases there was little to no Public involvement, meetings, or input. All challenged the rights of the Public to transparency, communication, and openness. In most of these issues Gardens’ residents were canceled out.

First 2021 City Council Mtg on Jan 14 at 6pm

The first City Council meeting of 2021 will be held on Thursday, January 14 at 6pm. You can watch it livestreaming either during or after the meeting, if you are unable to attend.

Highlights:

• Artigras will be held at the North County District Park in Palm Beach Gardens on Feb 13-14, moving from Abacoa. This will be covered under Presentations by North County Chamber of Commerce and described in Resolution 12, 2021 on the Consent Agenda entitled: Supporting the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce’s decision to move ArtiGras to the City of Palm Beach Gardens.
• Resolution 7, 2021 – Authorizing the issuance of the City of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Public Improvement Bond, Series 2021, in an amount not to exceed $14,000,000 to finance construction of an 18-hole par-3 golf course and related facilities. This will be covered under Presentations by staff entitled “Western Golf Course Expansion” and during discussion of the Resolution on the Regular agenda approving the bond for a golf course in Avenir.
• Elections – there will be an election on March 9, 2021 for City Council Group 2 – the seat vacated by Maria Marino. Candidates are former Mayor Marcie Tinsley and Rob Nanfro.  The contract with the Supervisor of Elections for conducting the election is under the Consent Agenda Resolutions 1 and 3, 2021.
• Resolution 14, 2021 is being presented to the Council after much discussion at the last City Council Meeting: Prohibiting the use of polystyrene products on public property, directing City Administration to negotiate “No Polystyrene” provisions in applicable City contracts, and encouraging all residents and retail businesses within the City to reduce or eliminate the use of polystyrene products.

Consent Agenda also includes:

• Purchase award: Maintenance of Fire Alarm Systems – openly competed – 5 yr contract with no option to renew – $114K
• Purchase award: Parks and Grounds Equipment – piggyback/access contract – $71K
• Purchase award: Swipe Card Access for Fire Rescue Stations 3, 4, and 5 – piggyback/access contract – $140K
• Resolution 2, 2021 – Project Gator – “The Business Development Board (“BOB”) has approached the City of Palm Beach Gardens (“City”) to request an Economic Development Employee Incentive Grant and expedited permitting through the Targeted Expedited Permitting Program for “Project Gator.” “Project Gator” is focused on designing, developing, and marketing a full line of autonomous air and surface treatment devices and falls within the medical device/technology targeted industry. The company is evaluating key positions across the U.S. and determining whether it should locate its national headquarters in the City of Palm Beach Gardens…..””Project Gator” is requesting an Economic Development Employee Incentive Grant in the amount of $300,000 and expedited permitting through the Targeted Expedited Permitting
  Program. The company intends to create 100 new jobs in Palm Beach Gardens over the next three years, with the new jobs having an annual average wage of $140,000. A capital investment of $7.075 Million will occur with the Project within three years to modify an existing building in the City of Palm Beach Gardens. “
• Resolution 6, 2021 – Project Branch – “Conceptually approving economic development incentives for “Project Branch” to include an Economic Development Employee Incentive Grant and expedited permitting through the City’s Targeted Expedited Permitting Program”….””Project Branch” is requesting an Economic Development Employee Incentive Grant in the amount of $165,000 and expedited permitting through the Targeted Expedited Permitting Program. The company intends to create 55 new jobs in Palm Beach Gardens over the next five years,
  with the new jobs having an annual average wage of $175,000. A capital investment of $550,000 will occur with the Project within five years to modify an existing building in the City of Palm Beach Gardens. “
• Resolutions 8-10, 2021 – Approving Avenir Site Plan Pods 6-8 respectively.
• Resolution 4, 2021 – moving the July City Council meeting to Thursday, July 15, 2021

Public Hearings and Resolutions also include:

• Ordinance 1, 2021 (first reading) – An amendment to the City of Palm Beach Gardens Firefighters’ Retirement Trust Fund. Required due to IRS changes and “the proposed amendment will have no actuarial impact on the cost of the Plan.”
• Ordinance 2, 2021 (first reading) – An amendment to the City of Palm Beach Gardens Police Officers’ Retirement Trust Fund. Required due to IRS changes and “the proposed amendment will have no actuarial impact on the cost of the Plan.”
• Ordinance 3, 2021 (first reading) – A City-initiated request to update the 5-Year Schedule of Capital Improvements (Table 9A) and the Palm Beach County School District’s Summary of Capital Improvements Schedule (Table 9B) of the Capital Improvements Element (CIE) of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, in accordance with Section 163.3177(3)(a)5.(b), Florida Statutes.
• Ordinance 14, 2020 (second reading and adoption) – “This Land Development Regulations (LDRs) text amendment is a City-initiated request to amend Section 78-159. Permitted uses, minor and major conditional uses, and prohibited uses. of the City’s LDRs to permit an accessory dental or medical laboratory use to professional office use as a Minor Conditional Use within the General Commercial (CG1) zoning district, subject to the standards outlined in a new Note 0)(47.2)” “On November 5, 2020, the City Council adopted Resolution 72, 2020, expressing support for the relocation of National Dentex, LLC corporate headquarters and laboratory to the City of Palm Beach Gardens. National Dentex, LLC has expressed its desire to relocate to the Seminole Shoppes site, zoned General Commercial (CG-1 ).”
• Resoluton 13, 2021 – “Adopting a Policy and Plan for the Expenditure of the Proceeds from the Public Improvement Bonds – Series 2021. – see Resolution 7, 2021 in Highlights. “Through the adoption of Resolution 7, 2021, the City Council has issued $14,000,000 Public Improvement Bonds – Series 2021 (the “Series 2021 Bonds”). The City Council desires to adopt a formal policy and plan that authorizes the City Manager to expend the bond proceeds to construct the capital improvement projects included in the plan and any other supporting or necessary infrastructure he deems necessary and prudent. This proposed policy and plan includes approval of the capital improvement projects to be funded with the Series 2021 Bonds; provides a mechanism to facilitate and expedite the construction of the projects; and amends the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget to reflect the Series 2021 Bonds proceeds and the proposed spending and financing plan, and authorize the City Manager to solicit, negotiate, and execute any and all documents, contracts, and/or legal instruments he deems necessary and prudent to complete construction of the capital improvement projects included in the plan.”

Please check the agenda before the meeting for additions or modifications.

 

 

Styrofoam Use on City Property Dominates Council Mtg

The December City Council meeting was relatively brief, at just over an hour in length. All agenda items passed 4:0 including:

• Budget amendment – 2nd reading and adoption
• Expanding alcohol sale hours to begin at 7am from the previous 8a (the subject of much discussion in two prior council meetings) – 2nd reading and adoption
• Amending Land Development Regulations to add laboratory, dental or medical use to office, professional and business use – driven by National Dentex, LLC plans to move into Seminole Shoppes (formerly Carl’s Plaza) – first reading
• Site Plan Approval for the Club House at the Regency (The Pearl) at Avenir residential community. For an update on Avenir in general – here’s a recent Palm Beach Post article.

Tony Bedala, Palm Beach Gardens Youth Athletic Association President updated the Council on progress in the last year and thanked both staff and the Council for their support. He in turn was honored by the Council and presented with a large photo of the City Park (which action was entirely off screen on the livestream of the meeting).

City Manager Ferris’s report included:

• Purchasing Department (and Director) Km! Ra was awarded both an excellence in procurement award in November, and the UPPCCA agency certification award for 7th year in a row in December.
• The City has filed for around $291K from the Municipal Cares Reimbursement Program (PBC) to reimburse municipalities for ppe/equipment/information covid19 related expenditures not in budget.  See this WPTV piece on the program.
• The first 2021 City Council Meeting will be on Thursday, January 14.

Public Comment was made by Brendan Rodriguez, President of the Student Government Association for Palm Beach State College, Gardens Campus (2020-21) – thanking the Council and specifically Council Member Chelsea Reed for her involvement with their Panther Talk initiative in the creation of educational videos on Sustainability.

Sustainability dominated the last fifteen minutes of the hour long meeting. Council Member Reed asked that the City adopt a policy eliminating polystyrene or styrofoam products from city property (only). She had previous discussions with City Manager Ferris and City Attorney Max Lohman. The City website recently started a Sustainability web page as well. Vice Mayor Litt and Council Member Marciano were also in favor. Mayor Woods wanted staff input on impacts to the City and he didn’t want a ‘heavy hand’ on how the City serves drinks and take-out at their facilities. City Manager Ferris pointed out that the facilities don’t use styrofoam at all except at the golf course and senior center. He also explained that an ordinance is a law and needs enforcement and fines. After discussion, the Council will leave it to Ferris and Lohman to figure it out whether it should be a proclamation or resolution and they will bring back a proposal for the Council to consider.

Last 2020 PBG City Council Mtg on Dec 3 at 6pm

The next Palm Beach Gardens City Council meeting will be on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 6pm. You can watch it livestreaming either during or after the meeting, if you are unable to attend.

Announcements and Presentations lists a PBGYAA Update by President Tony Badala (Palm Beach Gardens Youth Athletic Association)

New Business includes:

• Ordinance 14, 2020 – First Reading – “A City-initiated request to amend the City’s Code of Ordinances at Section 78-159. The proposed amendment will permit Laboratory, Dental or Medical use as an accessory and Minor Conditional Use to Office, Professional or Business use in the General Commercial (CG-1) zoning district.” This change is being initiated due to desire of National Dentex, LLC to relocate into the Seminole Shoppes site. “The tenant space would occupy approximately 35,000 square feet, divided into 25,000 square feet of professional office and 10,000 square feet of dental laboratory to create dental devices utilizing 30 technology. National Dentex, LLC intends to make a significant capital investment in their corporate relocation to the City, employing highly-paid individuals and training dental professionals from around the world. The City of Palm Beach Gardens aims to address modern and evolving trends in the medical, dental, and laboratory sphere of advancements in technology. This City-initiated amendment serves to acknowledge and encourage National Dentex, LLC and similar office-based corporations with medical or dental laboratory components to develop and grow in the City of Palm Beach Gardens.”
• Resolution 70, 2020 – A request by Toll Southeast LP Company, Inc. for Site Plan approval for a Clubhouse Facility and associated recreational amenities for the Regency at Avenir residential community (Pod 5).

The Regular Agenda also includes 2nd Reading and Adoption of:

• Ordinance 11, 2020 – Budget Amendment
• Ordinance 12, 2020 – Modifying the Hours of Sale of Alcoholic Beverages.

Consent Agenda includes:

• Purchase Award – Gardens Park Sports Lighting Retrofit to LED – Piggyback/Access Contract – $485K – non-renewable
• Purchase Award – Installation of Gardens Park Sports Lighting Retrofit – Piggyback/Access Contract – $190K
• Purchase Award – Public Safety Uniforms (Fire/Rescue) – Openly Competed – 5 year contract with no option to renew – $380K
• Purchase Award – Stormwater Infrastructure Maintenance and Repair Services – Openly Competed – 5 year contract with no option to renew – $890K
• Resolution 67, 2020 – Lease of a John Deere 310SL Backhoe for the Community Services Department’s Public Services Division from Dobbs Equipment, LLC and financed through the Dealer. “The Florida Sheriffs Association, through its Cooperative Purchasing Program, has an existing contract with Dobbs Equipment, LLC that the City can access for the purchase of the new backhoe. The City will access this contract to take advantage of volume discounted pricing and to save on the administrative costs of soliciting its own bid. “…”Three (3) annual payments of $22,996.00, with the first payment due at the beginning of the Lease.
• Resolution 68, 2020 – The subject request is to allow the Alton Town Center within the Alton Planned Community Development (PCD) to have a total of 41 special events per calendar year of 2021 , 2022, and 2023. The maximum number of events permitted by the City of Palm Beach Gardens Code Section 78-187 for commercial/office plazas with 11 tenants or more is 12 special events per calendar year. This request is effectively increasing the number of special events per calendar year by 29, for a possible total of 41 special events yearly. The proposed allowance does not imply that 41 events are guaranteed take place per year, but rather intends to give the Applicant the ability to hold up to 41 events in a year if desired. This request does not serve to approve any specific special event and does not waive the required permit and subsequent review for each special event. Staff supports the Applicant’s request for additional special events to be held within the Alton Town Center for the years 2021 , 2022, and 2023.

Please check the agenda before the meeting for additions or modifications.

Workforce Housing Study and Proposal Accepted

The November Council Meeting was the first with a complement of four Council Members. The fifth (Group 2) position will not be filled until 2021. (If no one ‘jumps in the race’ by the end of November, former Mayor/Council Member Marcie Tinsley will be automatically deemed to have been elected.) All were present in Council Chambers for the meeting. At the conclusion of the meeting, Vice-Mayor Pro-tem Rachelle Litt was ‘voted’ in as Vice-Mayor and various committee memberships that were previously attended by now County Commissioner Maria Marino, were assigned to others on the Council.

The topic(s) of Workforce Housing – Study and Report, CDBG Cares Act funding, and the updated five year plan for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) were presented as a single presentation by Joann Skaria, Planning Manager, AICP of the Planning and Zoning Dept. The talk covered Resolutions 63, 2020, Resolution 64, 2020 and Resolution 66, 2020 on the agenda.

Workforce Housing – The study covered a lot of possible solutions. Following are those that were recommended by the study and staff. “Staff recommends that upon adoption of this report, the City Council direct staff to proceed with the necessary recommended solutions, Comprehensive Plan Text Amendments, Land Development Regulations Text Amendments, and/ or Standard Operating Procedures, depending on the unique solution, outlining specific parameters and processes in order to move forward with the implementation.” Resolution 66, 2020 passed 4:0.

Workforce Housing Solutions
1. Non-Residential Square Footage Intensity Bonus – Recommended
2 . Residential Density Bonus – Recommended
3. Housing Trust Fund – Recommended
4. Impact Fee Credits – Recommended
5. Waiver of Building Permit Application Review Fee – Recommended
6. Expedited Permitting – Recommended
Page 16 of 17
7. Accessory Dwelling Units (AD Us) – Recommended
8. Community Contribution Tax Credit Program (CCTCP) – Recommended

Cares Act funding allows the $483K in covid-19 related funding to be applied to housing assistance (rental/mortgage) to residents whose livelihood was directly affected by Covid. The following chart shows the distribution of those funds as passed in Resolution 63, 2020.

 

The CDBG Five-Year plan was approved along with the proposed project for the first year – an infrastructure project (water lines) for Mary Circle and Dania Drive. Resolution 63, 2020 passed 4:0.

All other Ordinances/Resolutions passed 4:0. Of note:

• Ordinance 12, 2020 – First Reading – documented the change of Alcohol Sales in the City from 8am to 7am
• Resolution 62, 2020 approved changes to the McDonald’s at Promenade Plaza including two drive through lanes and improved landscaping.

Next City Council Mtg on Thursday Nov 5 at 6pm

The next Palm Beach Gardens City Council meeting will be on Thursday, Nov 5 at 6pm. You can watch it livestreaming either during or after the meeting, if you are unable to attend.

Announcements and Presentations: Workforce Housing Study and Report, CDBG Cares Act Amendment and CDBG Consolidated Plan.

This presentation encompasses much of the content of the agenda, covering:

• Resolution 63, 2020 – An application to submit the City’s Consolidated Plan Fiscal Years 2020-2024, Annual Action Plan Fiscal Year 2020-2021, and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing.
• Resolution 64, 2020 – A City-initiated application to submit a substantial amendment to the One-Year Annual Action Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Program Year (PY) 2019. Adoption of the City’s Workforce Housing Program
• Resolution 66, 2020 – Consideration for Approval: A City-initiated Resolution to adopt the City’s Workforce Housing Program. The report is included in the resolution which can be read here.  Workforce housing has been a ‘hot’ topic for awhile now and “City staff has been assessing the need for workforce housing policies and solutions in addition to reviewing the existing provisions and accomplishments for several years. For reference, the City’s median household income is $81,508.00 (which equates to a workforce range $48,905.00 to $97,810.00). In 2019, staff engaged Strategic Planning Group to provide support to staff in creation of a Comprehensive Workforce Housing Plan.

Also on the Regular Agenda:

• Ordinance 12, 2020 – First Reading: The City Council has determined it is necessary to amend the City’s Code of Ordinances at Chapter 6 – Alcoholic Beverages, Section 6.2 – Hours of sale. to expand the hours of sale from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m
• Resolution 62, 2020 – A request by SRE Holdings LLC 9880 ALT A1A for a Site Plan Amendment to add an additional drive-through lane with a menu board sign and to modify the site’s landscaping and parking lot for the McDonald’s restaurant within the Gardens East Plaza Planned Unit Development (PUD) (a.k.a. Promenade Plaza). The PUD is part of the Gardens East Planned Community Development (PCD) and is generally located east of Alternate A1A on the north side of Lighthouse Drive.
• Ordinance 11, 2020 – First Reading: This Ordinance amends the FY 2020 Budget in the following areas: 1.) adjusts projected revenues for significant positive variances in building permits and federal grant reimbursements; 2.) adjusts projected revenues for negative COVID-19 impacts on state revenues and electric franchise fees; 3.) records an additional transfer to the Recreation Special Revenue Fund to offset revenue losses caused by the COVID19 pandemic; 4.) revises road impact fee projections taking into account revenues and projects that were transferred to the new Mobility Fee Fund and records a $200,000 transfer from the General Fund to make up for estimated shortfalls resulting from these newly revised road impact fee projections; and 5.) adjusts revenues and expenditures to reflect the accounting entries required to record the capital lease of equipment.
• Ordinance 10, 2020 – 2nd Reading and Adoption: City-initiated Text Amendment to the Future Land Use element of the City’s Comprehensive Plan to incorporate a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) objective and associated policies based on the recommendations included in the City’s TOD Master Plan, prepared by the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council.

The Consent Agenda includes:

• Resolution 69, 2020 – moving the first City Council Mtg in January 2021 to Thursday, January 14, 2021.
• Resolution 61, 2020 – Approving a Grant of Easement in favor of Seacoast Utility Authority for the installation, operation, maintenance, and service of a public water supply well located at the Lake Catherine Sportsplex.
• Resolution 65, 2020 – Supporting the Wolfpack CubeSat Development Team at the Weiss School in their mission proposals to NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative.
• Purchase Award – openly competed – This Agreement created a pool of pre-qualified vendors for future spot-market quotations for minor residential repair and rehabilitation work under the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The contractors included in the pool are available to the City for quotations on work projects at the homes of qualified applicants under the Program. When a project is identified and a Statement of Work developed by the City, the contractors are provided with the information and asked to submit quotations to perform the work. The work is awarded via Purchase Order to the vendor offering the lowest price. – 5 year contract – $700K – no option to renew
• Purchase Award – The City’s existing Agreements for Professional Services under Florida Statutes Consultants’ Competitive Negotiations Act (CCNA) expired on September 30, 2020. A new contract is needed to allow the City to procure these services for current and future projects. Under the CCNA, these professional services must be procured exclusively based on qualifications and not pricing. These services include architectural, engineering, and other professional categories of work. 5 year contract with no option to renew – $5 million.
• Purchase Award – Each year the City has several construction projects that must be performed to repair and/or maintain infrastructure in addition to its ongoing Capital Improvement Program. This Agreement allows the City to contract at established rates for these miscellaneous public works construction projects. The prices and rates are fixed for the five-year term of the Agreement. Examples of the types of work contemplated include sidewalk repairs, stormwater pipe installation and repairs, road construction, striping of roadways, and Capital Improvement Projects as needed. Openly competed, 5 year contract with no option to renew – $10 million.

Please check the agenda before the meeting for additions or modifications.

Vice Mayor Marino Heads to the County Commission

The October 1, 2020 City Council Meeting was the last for Vice-Mayor and former Mayor Maria Marino who won the County Commission District One seat in August.  The council held a goodbye ceremony coupled with a city-produced short film showing highlights from Ms. Marino’s almost two-terms in office.  Here is the Palm Beach Post coverage.  We of PBGWatch also join in thanking Maria for her contributions to the City and wish her all the best in her new role as County Commissioner.

City Administrator Ferris had one item to report.   The City has undertaken an initiative to implement  ‘Cultural Competency’ training- dealing with racism in the workplace.  Sheryl Stewart, HR Administrator and the department’s consultant – Barbara Cheives, President of Converge and Associates Consulting, made a brief presentation.

Public comment was made by a resident requesting that the Council consider allowing alcohol sales at 7am instead of at the current 8am ordinance.  He raised the same issues previously discussed by Mayor Woods in September regarding the impact to those heading out early (eg professional fishermen) having to buy beer outside of the Gardens before heading to their respective marinas.  At the end of the meeting during Council Discussion, the Council directed City Attorney Lohman to bring a new ordinance to the Council next month moving in the permitted sales time to 7am.

Other actions included the approvals of the members and alternates for AIPP, Parks and Rec, and PZAB boards.

The Council decided not to appoint someone in the role of council-member in Vice-Mayor Marino’s place but to leave the spot empty until the March 2021 City Election.  There is currently only one person who has opened a campaign so far – former Mayor and Council member Marcie Tinsley.

Should you know of any other potential candidate – election qualification information can be found on the City’s Election site.  Here are some specifics from the site:

Group 2 – To fill unexpired term until March 2022.

Notice of Candidacy:
• Qualifying by Petition begins on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. and ends
on Friday, November 6, 2020, at noon. This is also the deadline for submitting signed
petitions to the City Clerk for verification.
• Qualifying by Filing Fee begins on Monday, November 16, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. and ends
on Monday, November 30, 2020, at 4:30 p.m.

The next Council meeting will be held on November 5th at 6pm.

 

Martino: “Gardens Outhouse” at Lake Catherine Park

MacArthur Boulevard in southeast Palm Beach Gardens is one of the most pleasant, peaceful, and attractively landscaped roads in the City. It is designed with traffic calming as one of its primary goals. The taming of vehicular movements is produced and enhanced by MacArthur Boulevard’s narrow lanes, selective on-street parking, signaled pedestrian cobbled and colored crosswalks, and its meandering median. MacArthur Boulevard’s beautifully landscaped median divides a roadway lined with gorgeous 25-year old oak trees in the landscaped swales guarding, hovering, and shading over pedestrian walkways, particularly, on the west side. It is home to the famous John D. MacArthur Banyan Tree on its south end, the Lake Catherine Sports Complex on the southeast streetscape next to Howell Watkins Middle School campus as the school meanders to the northeast. On the west side moving north from the Banyan Tree is the smart landscaping of a commercial property followed by the equally attractive streetscape of the Lake Catherine housing development. Continuing north one encounters the crown jewel of MacArthur Boulevard, the passively beautiful Lake Catherine Park with its gorgeous lake, tree lined walking path, Palm Beach Gardens Women’s Club Honor Park tree preserve, and other aesthetically pleasing fauna and passive amenities.

However, all of the above has recently been disrupted by what, in my opinion, was and is a callous and unforgivable decision by the City. Without notice or justification to the Public and without discussion at an advertised regular City Council meeting, the City has erected a glorified “outhouse” in the Lake Catherine Park. Further compounding the disrupting decision was the poorly selected location fronting and facing onto MacArthur Boulevard acting as an advertisement for offsite customers. To accommodate the “Gardens Outhouse”, and without regard for the streetscape and environment of MacArthur Boulevard and Lake Catherine Park, the City continued its uncaring and insensitive actions by shamefully cutting down to ground level two of the 25-year old Oak trees that umbrella the west pedestrian walkway and removing Park landscaping. From my perspective, these are thoughtless acts that have irreparably harmed the serenity of Lake Catherine Park and the tranquility of the surrounding neighborhood.

What other courses of action were available to the City one might ask? Well, if for some reason there was a public outcry for rest room facilities at Lake Catherine Park, which to my knowledge there was none, the City should have publicly noticed the Park property of its intentions and held an advertised City Council meeting to allow for neighborhood comment, discussion, and understanding. The City could have continued to honor the long standing commitments that were made by past City Councils not to have any buildings, facilities, or active recreational equipment or offerings that would affect the native passivity and peacefulness of Lake Catherine Park. Further, Lake Catherine Park is a fairly large park with more unobtrusive areas that should have been considered other than the poorly chosen ultimate location. Finally, if this facility was vital to the success of Lake Catherine Park at this location, which again in my humble opinion it is not, simply facing the entrances and water fountains of the facility to the interior of the park rather than to MacArthur Boulevard would have been a much more palatable choice.

It is my observation that in the last decade or so the City Council has methodically reduced its meetings with Gardens residents which has created transparency issues. An unhealthy communication problem has reared its ugly head. It is exacerbated when only one regularly advertised City Council meeting per month is held. This lack of transparency and communication has produced a list of serious breaches of confidence with the residents over the years. The “Gardens Outhouse” at Lake Catherine Park is the latest.

 

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