Avenir Town Center Phases 1 and 2 Get Go-Ahead

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August 6, 2022

The August 4th City Council meeting began with a couple of presentations:

• Noel Martinez, President & CEO, Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce – described the regional Disaster Resilience Action Plan – developed to ensure that neighborhood businesses are equipped to recover quickly from natural and/or other disasters.  The plan development was funded by a grant and was produced with involvement by 10 municipalities and many local businesses.  The evolving plan can be seen here.
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  District 30 Appropriations

  State Senator Bobby Powell – FL Senate District 30 – gave an update on his impressions of the last 2 sessions (regular and special).   He also showed an appropriations chart with the municipalities and organizations receiving state funding, $500K of which is going to Palm Beach Gardens for Storm Water System Improvements.

Public Comment – was made by Michael Winter – President and Founder of the Palm Beach North Athletic Foundation – a 501c3 representing the ‘private’ side of funding for the indoor athletic sports-plex planned for Gardens North County District Park.

The City Manager Report included:

• • The 9th consecutive year that Km! Ra, the Director (and he is the entire) Purchasing Department received the Excellence in Procurement Award.  Congratulations!

• Candice Temple,  Public Media Relations Director
  • Showed a video about the City’s EV charging stations – produced by her intern, Ryan, who just received a degree in video production
  • Informed the Council and Public about the availability of the Proposed FY 2022/2023 Budget for viewing via the cloud-based opengov platform and providing the public with a lot of new ways to look at the data.  It can be seen here.

The Consent Agenda passed 5:0.

Regular Agenda Ordinances and Resolutions:

• Ordinance 8, 2022 – Adopting New Section 18-1. Minimum Notice for Residential Rental Payment Increases. and New Section 18-2. Penalties.  Second reading and adoption 5:0
• Ordinance 9, 2022 – Landscape Irrigation Conservation Regulations – City Attorney Max Lohman – described that the SFWMD had changed to year-round regulations a couple of years ago and created a model ordinance that they wanted to promulgate throughout municipalities in the region.  When Council Member Tinsley suggested a couple of modifications, the response by others on the Council and Lohman and City Manager Ferris was that every other city/county are passing the wording unchanged.  So First reading passed 5:0 unchanged.
• Resolution 45, 2022 – Amendment to the PGA National Commerce Park PUD – New buildings (grand-fathered in) are being added to the site, by Accelus who is moving their headquarters to the site.  Public Comment was made by Michelle Composto, Mindy Logue and Tony Pajune – all living in properties directly across from the Commerce Park.  Their primary concern was traffic on Northlake between Military Trail and Bee Line Hwy – and did not want any additional development approved until the issues with traffic on Northlake are remedied.  There were also issues with landscape buffering.  Council and staff explained that the property and assumed traffic was previously approved and the plans actually required less traffic.  Additionally –  council requested an additional EV charging station and a review of the landscaping/buffering and future Art in Public Places for the Commerce Park.  The resolution passed 5:0.
• Resolution 46, 2022 – site plan approval for phases 1 and 2 of Avenir Town Center – Ken Tuma, Urban Design Studio described the plans for the roughly 52 acre project, which will include many restaurants, a Publix, and pharmacy and is intended to be a vibrant town center which will also serve Ibis and the Acreage, accessible to pedestrians, golf-carts and vehicles.  Phase 3 will include 250 townhomes and was not part of the resolution.  The Paseo will be a feature with green spaces and walkways – to the center.  After a lot of positive discussions, the resolution passed 5:0.