Condos line the beach in Highland Beach. An analysis done by The Coastal Star of Palm Beach County property records shows 74 condos or co-ops located in Highland Beach. Of these, 38 were built prior to 1982. Google Maps

By Rich Pollack

Hoping to ensure that aging high-rise buildings in their town are safe, Highland Beach commissioners this month will discuss a recertification process that would require periodic studies to identify and quickly address structural deterioration issues.

Specifics of at what age buildings would be required to be inspected and at what intervals follow-up reports would be needed are undetermined, but Mayor Doug Hillman said those issues will likely be discussed at the commission’s special meeting on July 13.

The conversation and likely requirements — prompted by the collapse of the Champlain Tower South condo in Surfside — will be aimed at ensuring the future safety of residents living in multi-unit buildings on both sides of State Road A1A, which are constantly exposed to sea air.

“Recertification on a timely basis will help to identify potential life safety issues that otherwise might have been overlooked,” Hillman said. “In addition, the sooner a deteriorating condition is identified and corrected, the less costly the repair.”

According to a Coastal Star analysis of Palm Beach County property records, there are 74 condos or co-ops in the town, with 38 of those built before 1982.

Hillman said that it is reasonable to believe there are no records of structural inspections for many of the multi-story buildings in town that are over 40 years old.

“One would think that knowing the age of many of our buildings, we may have some issues that require attention,” he said. “It’s always better to be safe than sorry.”

For new construction Highland Beach requires a thorough inspection process that contains many facets including concrete testing. A comprehensive review of all inspections is necessary before a certificate of occupancy is issued.

Hillman said that should a recertification inspection process be approved, each condo association would be responsible for the study with the town’s building department being responsible for ensuring the studies are done and life safety issues are addressed.

Condos line the beach in Highland Beach. An analysis done by The Coastal Star of Palm Beach County property records shows 74 condos or co-ops located in Highland Beach. Of these, 38 were built prior to 1982. Google Maps

 By Mary Hladky

 The Beach Condominium Association of Boca Raton and Highland Beach anticipates new laws will be enacted that are intended to make condos safer and supports them.

 “We are expecting it,” said Beach Condo Association President Emily Gentile. “We have to have it. We just saw what happened in Surfside, and God forbid.”

 Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer wants rules that would require aging buildings to be inspected for safety.

Gentile sent a letter to all oceanfront condos in Boca Raton and Highland Beach that are members of her association on June 29, telling them to expect new regulations and urging them not to delay any needed repairs to their buildings.

“Do not kick the can down the road to save a few bucks,” she wrote. “See a problem, address it and fix the problem. Your association and residents will be much better off and protected.”

She recommended that the condos study their reserve funds and their boards line up an architect and engineering firm to advise them on maintenance and repairs. Even though Palm Beach County does not yet have an ordinance like Miami-Dade County’s requiring building inspections when they are 40 years old, Gentile said boards should hire firms to do such examinations.

“If the engineering reports or reserve studies show deficiencies, be prepared to correct the issues in a fiscally prudent manner as soon as possible,” she wrote. Safety repairs should get priority and be “addressed immediately.”

Gentile has received positive responses to her letter, and no pushback from condo associations objecting to more regulation.

“I have gotten ‘thank you, thank you. We appreciate this’,” she said.

 And while condo leaders are well aware of the Surfside condo collapse, they are not panicked that something similar could happen here.

 Most of the condominiums along the beach in Boca Raton and Highland Beach are members of the Beach Condo Association, she said.

 The 37-year-old organization has long provided condo boards with various types of information, including names of contractors, reserve specialists and engineers.

Condo board members are aware of their responsibilities, she said. “Our members are cognizant of what they need to do.”

It is critical, she said, that boards have documentation and show transparency on repair work that needs to be done.

Although the new rules likely will impose new costs on condos, that is one price of oceanfront living, she said.

“The beach has become a rather costly place to live,” she said. “It is not a place for people who don’t want to be hit with assessments or HOA fees. Maintaining the buildings cost money.” 

 Condos line the coast in Boca Raton. An analysis done by The Coastal Star of Palm Beach County property records shows 73 condos or co-ops are located on the barrier island in Boca Raton. Of these, 56 were built before 1982. Google Maps

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN PALM BEACH COUNTY PROVIDES UPDATE ON PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY

 On May 28, 2021, the City of West Palm Beach notified the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County (DOH) that elevated levels of cylindrospermosin, a cyanobacteria toxin, were detected in the City of West Palm Beach Water Treatment Plant, which is sourced by Clear Lake.

Upon notification, DOH responded and issued a Public Health Advisory within the same day. DOH coordinated with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to support the analysis of collected samples in the area and provided technical assistance for water treatment.

Following analysis of sampling results for June 1, 2021 and June 2, 2021, all results were below the Health Advisory Limit or non-detect for cylindrospermosin.

As such, DOH in Palm Beach County has determined that the water system can resume operations and all customers can use tap water for drinking.

Customers of this utility should flush their water systems for at least five to ten minutes prior to resuming use by turning on hot water taps and then cold water taps. Customers should also change water filters, including the one in your refrigerator and your ice maker. All ice should be discarded.

The City of West Palm Beach Water Treatment Plant has an interactive GIS map regarding service in their area. DOH, DEP and local partners continue to coordinate to ensure protection of public health.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

By Jane Smith

Delray Beach may have to pay slightly more than $1.8 million for health violations in its reclaimed water program.

The violations go back to 2007, according to the proposed consent order from the Florida Department of Health Palm Beach County. A consent order is a legal agreement between the department and the city settling the violations.

As part of the agreement, the city will have to publish a public notice saying it “cannot assure utility customers that the drinking water produced and distributed met the standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act for the period from inception of the reclaimed water service beginning in 2007 to the time reclaimed water was deactivated on February 4, 2020.”

Laurie Menekou, a spokeswoman for the city’s utilities department, wrote on June 3 in a text, “The city received a proposal from the DOH which we are in the process of reviewing.”

Delray Beach and its lawyers “can, should they choose to, negotiate with the Department,” wrote Alexander Shaw, department spokesman, in a May 24 email.

Eight of the 11 violations warranted a penalty more than $5,000, according to the consent order.

The highest penalty was assessed for 581 missing backflow preventers for a total of more than $1.3 million.

Reclaimed water is highly treated wastewater that is suitable only for lawn irrigation. Backflow preventers are needed at each reclaimed water location to stop the reclaimed water from flowing back into the drinking water system.

The city cannot use what has already been spent on bringing the reclaimed water project into compliance as a part of any negotiations.

The Department of Health became involved when a South Ocean Boulevard resident called on Jan. 2, 2020, to say she was not fully informed of a cross connection discovered in December 2018. Cross connections happen when the drinking water pipes are erroneously hooked into the reclaimed water pipes.

By Jane Smith

Four men will be interviewed on June 7 and 8 to become the permanent city manager of Delray Beach.

The candidates are Michael Bornstein, city manager of Lake Worth Beach and former town manager of Lantana; Terrence Moore, ex-city manager of College Park, Georgia; Joseph Napoli, city manager of Cooper City in Broward County and one of the Delray Beach city manager finalists in 2019 that led to the selection of since-terminated George Gretsas; and Leonard Sossamon, Port Richey interim manager who was fired in August 2019 as administrator of Hernando County, just north of Tampa.

They have a packed two-day schedule in Delray Beach.

On June 7, their day begins at 9 a.m. with a tour of the city with select department heads. At 11:30 the candidates will have lunch with all department heads. City commissioners are invited to attend.

At 1:30 p.m., the candidates will have one-on-one interviews with each commissioner and a citizen panel. Each commissioner selected two Delray Beach residents for the panel.

On June 8, the public and city employees are invited to meet the candidates in City Hall from 8:30 a.m. to 10.

At 10 the City Commission will interview each candidate for 45 minutes in the chambers. The interviews are open to the public.

The commission has a regular meeting scheduled to start at 4 p.m. on June 8. If a majority of commissioners agree on one candidate, the new city manager will be selected during that meeting.

 By Steve Plunkett

An indigenous tribe that populated what is now Ocean Strand is casting a centuries-old shadow over plans to quickly turn the land into a minimal park.
An archaeology team’s discovery of an ax-like adze, fashioned from a whelk shell, and eight potsherds, or pieces of prehistoric pottery, makes the parcel eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. As a result, removal of the invasive Brazilian pepper trees overtaking the property will be more tedious — and more costly.
“All tree removal must now be done by hand and under the supervision of a representative from the archaeological group who provided the assessment,” Briann Harms, executive director of the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, told district commissioners at their May 17 meeting.
Additionally, the team recommended that vegetation “should not be pulled from the ground, but should be cut above the ground surface.”
Before Harms can price what the changes will cost, she said, she will submit a revised plan to the city, then recalculate square footages for asphalt and mulch path installation, and estimate the number of days needed for archaeological supervision.
“The revised plan allows for the cleanup of the central hammock by hand with archaeological oversight and provides for an ADA-accessible path into the park and to a picnic table near the current asphalt path. Mulch trails will be utilized in other areas of the park,” she said.
Harms also said the district should forgo removing Brazilian pepper on the north and south sides of Ocean Strand and concentrate on the center area where the path will be.
“For a pedestrian park it doesn’t seem the best use of taxpayer dollars,” she said.
Commissioners approved trimming the park’s $600,000 construction budget by almost $279,000 meant to cover machine-clearing of the exotic growth. They originally budgeted $75,000 in March 2020 for the whole project with hopes of opening the park by last September. Decisions to make Ocean Strand, located north of the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, accessible to people with disabilities and to pay for the city-required archaeology report added to the price.
Robert Carr, executive director of the not-for-profit Archaeological and Historical Conservancy, which conducted the $4,800 study, said Ocean Strand is “likely to provide valuable information about the prehistory of the area.”
“The discovery of the site does not preclude park improvements; however, the improvements should avoid direct impacts to the principal site area,” his group reported.
The principal site is roughly the western half of the parkland west of State Road A1A. Carr’s team did not study the beachfront portion east of the highway. The midden, or waste heap, is “dense with oyster shell, with some faunal bone and ceramics,” the archaeologists said. The sherds date the site to A.D. 600 to 1400.
Commissioner Craig Ehrnst asked whether the district could enlist volunteers to clear exotic vegetation and keep costs down.
“The midden thing looks like an obstacle, but I guess I look at it more as an opportunity,” he said. “It creates another special component of the whole park that will preserve it.”
Further development of the park will require up to $1 million for more archaeological studies and three to five years to complete, Harms said.
In the meantime, she said, a family that did not want to be identified yet wants to make a “significant” donation to the park in exchange for placement of a couple of benches and a plaque to remember a son’s untimely death.
She will ask the commission to approve a document detailing the contribution at a future meeting.

By Mary Hladky

Should Elon Musk’s The Boring Co. dig a tunnel to connect the city’s Brightline station to Mizner Park?
Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer has raised that possibility and is inviting the company to make a presentation to the City Council.
Thinking even bigger, he also suggested building a second tunnel that would connect to the Town Center mall, with stops along the way.
But that is a “very bold and expensive idea,” he told council members at their May 12-13 goal-setting session. A 1,000-foot tunnel to Mizner Park would be “more modest.”
Even at that, he has reservations and isn’t sure it’s a good idea.
“I have a lot of hesitancy. I don’t know if the public will feel as eager about a tunnel,” Singer said. “It is an idea to put on the table. I am not championing it as a must.”
Singer put forth his idea as South Florida engages in a bit of Elon Musk mania.
Miami Mayor Frank Suarez envisions a Boring Co. Brickell Avenue tunnel. That idea has since expanded to a possible transportation system connecting commuters from Brickell to Little Haiti, with stops in between.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis is talking to the company about tunnels as an alternative to a bridge for a commuter rail that would cross the New River. That idea has expanded as well to another tunnel from downtown to the beach, also with stops.
The reason for the interest is straightforward: Musk’s tunnels are relatively cheap. The two Fort Lauderdale New River tunnels would cost about $45 million. A bridge would be $445 million, the Sun-Sentinel has reported. An earlier proposal for a non-Musk tunnel was $3.3 billion.
But would it be cost effective for Boca Raton? Boring officials estimated the tunnel to Mizner Park would cost $10 million to $15 million, Singer said.
The city had considered an elevated pedestrian bridge to get Brightline riders safely across the FEC tracks and Dixie Highway into downtown. That project would have cost $7 million to $12 million, and city officials scrapped it. They now are finalizing much cheaper plans for an improved and safer walkway from the station to downtown.
Singer’s council colleagues didn’t rush to embrace the tunnel, but they were willing to learn more.
Council member Monica Mayotte said it is a “cool idea” worth investigating. Council member Yvette Drucker said she would like more information.
Deputy City Manager George Brown was less receptive. A city analysis of such a project “will be a nightmare,” he said. He immediately reworded his comment, calling it a “very difficult process.”

Palmetto improvements
Another topic at goal-setting was improving the safety and appearance of Palmetto Park Road.
Beachside neighborhood residents and the city’s Planning and Zoning Board have lobbied the council to make the improvements. Those include traffic-calming devices, bicycle lanes, shade trees and crosswalks, and better walkability.
Council members agreed this should be a top priority but differed on how to get the job done.
Deputy Mayor Andrea O’Rourke forcefully advocated for the hiring of a consultant to do a comprehensive study on all the streets in the downtown to determine how to better accommodate pedestrians and cyclists.
Mayotte agreed that a consultant should be hired, but her emphasis was reducing downtown traffic by making it easier for people to get around without needing to drive.
Council member Andy Thomson, Drucker and Singer said the most pressing need is to make safety improvements on Palmetto Park Road that Beachside residents are advocating east of the Intracoastal Waterway.
Some of those changes could be made easily without the need for a major study, they said.
But since that stretch of the roadway is controlled by the county, no changes could be made without its approval.
“For me, the priority is to address the things we can do quickly,” Thomson said. That includes adding crosswalks and eliminating a few parking spaces at the intersection of Palmetto and A1A so that drivers have a clear view, he said.
O’Rourke and Mayotte said some quick fixes could be made without scuttling comprehensive planning.
New FPL light poles on the south side of Palmetto just west of A1A are a problem because they cut into the sidewalk, leaving less room for pedestrians. City Manager Leif Ahnell said putting the power lines underground would cost about $1.3 million. O’Rourke said it would be much less, but Municipal Services Director Zachary Bihr backed up Ahnell.
Singer raised the issue of fairness. If the city paid for undergrounding in Beachside, it would be unfair to other neighborhoods that want this done, he said.
“This is not about favoring a neighborhood,” O’Rourke said.
Mayotte agreed, terming it a “neighborhood safety issue.”
When council members rank their project priorities for the coming year in June, they will have a chance to make clear whether a majority favors a comprehensive plan for the downtown or a smaller project from the Intracoastal to A1A.

Celebrating the new garden are (l-r) Brightline President Patrick Goddard, City Council members Andy Thomson and Andrea O’Rourke, Mayor Scott Singer, council members Monica Mayotte and Yvette Drucker, Junior League President-elect Jamie Sauer, incoming Junior League Managing Director Samantha Eckhart, and Junior League President Cristy Stewart-Harfmann. Photo provided

By Mary Hladky

Brightline broke ground on May 10 for a new community garden at Meadows Park and a temporary parking lot that Downtown Library patrons will use while a train station and parking garage are under construction.
The upscale train company has not announced when it will begin work on the station, which will be located immediately east of the library along the FEC railroad tracks, but it is expected to be completed in 2022.
The station displaces the Junior League of Boca Raton’s community garden. In its negotiations with the city, Brightline agreed to spend up to $300,000 to move the garden.
The groundbreaking was a low-key affair, limited to a small group of City Council, Brightline and Junior League officials because of the pandemic.
“The community garden is an important investment to creating more sustainable and resilient communities. This is the first phase of construction activity as we work to bring Brightline to Boca Raton,” Brightline President Patrick Goddard said in a statement.
The Junior League and gardeners approved the Meadows Park location. The 1.4-acre garden will be larger than the previous one and will contain about 100 plots.
“We’re excited to be partnering with the city and Brightline on this new location for the community garden. We believe it will be a real asset to the community,” said Junior League President Cristy Stewart-Harfmann.
Brightline halted rail service between Miami and West Palm Beach in March 2020 due to the pandemic. Brightline said in January that it is likely to resume service at the end of this year.

By Steve Plunkett

Boca Raton City Council member Monica Mayotte wants to banish balloons from all city property as well as foam food containers and cups.
She broke the news at the May 17 meeting of the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, then introduced her proposed ordinance at the council’s May 25 meeting.
“I just wanted to let you guys know since you help us operate and maintain our parks,” she told the Beach and Park commissioners.
Commissioner Robert Rollins called the proposed ban “a great move.”
“I think it’s long in coming,” District Chair Susan Vogelgesang said.
Mayotte said her proposal would prohibit polystyrene foam containers “from being used on city property and at city events and also not (allow) balloons or confetti to be used in any of our city parks or any city property.”
Palm Beach County banned balloons at its beach parks in September 2017, and soon afterward Beach and Park Commissioner Craig Ehrnst began lobbying the city to do the same without success.
“I couldn’t understand why Boca wouldn’t at least follow the county on the Mylar balloons at a minimum because the Mylar balloons — we all support Gumbo Limbo — Mylar balloons and all the things that go with other plastics end up with the turtles, and that’s terrible,” Ehrnst said.
Mayotte said the public hearing and council vote on the proposed ordinance would be June 8, which is also World Oceans Day. Enforcement would not begin until Jan. 1, after a public information campaign.
During World Oceans Day in 2017, sea turtle specialists at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center showed a 20-foot-by-5-foot “blanket” they had taped together from 53 Mylar balloons they collected in five days of walking the beach.
The balloons, they said, would not disintegrate for 50 to 100 years, giving endangered turtles plenty of time to mistake them for tasty jellyfish.
In March 2019, Mayotte unsuccessfully urged her colleagues to ban the use of plastic straws. Instead, council members said they would rely on Boca Raton’s voluntary Coastal Connection program, which rates environmentally friendly restaurants.

By Mary Hladky

Boca Raton City Manager Leif Ahnell has warned council members that the city faces a potential $20 million budget deficit in two years.
Of most concern is that revenue the city gets annually from the Community Redevelopment Agency is about to dry up.
The city will receive $13 million from the CRA this year. By the 2023-24 fiscal year, the CRA will no longer make payments to the city. The CRA is scheduled to cease to exist in 2025.
The relationship between the city and its CRA, which was created in 1980 to eradicate downtown blight, is complicated. But for budget purposes, the CRA is required by state law to reimburse the city for the cost of police, fire and other city services in the downtown.
Another issue is police and fire pension costs. Ahnell told council members on April 26 and again at a council goal-setting session on May 12 that the pension plan’s investment returns are underperforming the market significantly.
The pension plan was expected to earn an 8.6% return last year, but realized 4.1%. The previous year, a 4% return was expected, but it earned 3%. The underperformance is expected to continue, he said.
“The firefighters and police are very concerned about it,” Ahnell said.
It also appears that the police and fire pension fund’s management and consulting fees are “significantly greater” than those of other pension funds, he said.
The city soon will spend $2.4 million to shore up the fund.
The pension plans for the city’s general employees and executive staff do not pose a similarly high drain on the city’s budget.
“We cannot continue to absorb these kinds of shortfalls,” Ahnell said. “It will become a challenge to balance next year’s budget.”
The pension board has eight members, with four appointed by the City Council. Police officers and firefighters each appoint two members. The Coastal Star was unable to reach a pension board official.
While the city makes appointments, it has no other control over how the board operates or invests its money.
The potential deficit doesn’t mean the city is going broke. It can cut spending or raise taxes to balance the budget. But the city is very proud of its low tax rate, so a tax hike seems very unlikely.
Ahnell cautioned council members to be mindful of the potential deficit as they make spending decisions.
The city is growing and so needs to increase services such as police and fire protection. As it adds new parks, it must hire new employees. The city also will bear the expense of pending projects, including the construction of the new Wildflower/Silver Palm Park, building a parking garage for the Brightline station and taking over the operations of the Boca Raton Golf and Tennis Country Club that was donated to the city.
Planning for a new government campus has been placed on hold because of the pandemic, but at some point the city will replace the aging and outdated police department and City Hall buildings. Ú

By Rich Pollack

Highland Beach commissioners have reluctantly agreed to settle a lawsuit stemming from actions by the town’s planning board dating back to 2017 and involving the height of boat lift pilings.
As part of the settlement, the owner of waterfront property agrees to reduce the height of 10 wood pilings from 12 feet high to 7 feet and the town agrees not to enforce its contention that the pilings should be no more than 4 feet tall.
In addition, the property owner, 1006 Grand Court LLC and Richard Touchette also agree to pay $2,500 for the town’s legal fees.
At a meeting last month, town commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the settlement with Commissioner Evalyn David casting the no vote.
Even the commissioners who voted to approve the settlement did so with reservations, understanding that some residents in the Boca Highland Beach Club and Marina fear the loss of their view should a large boat be placed on the lift.
In voting against a settlement, David said she thinks it sends a wrong message to the community.
“We need to say you can’t interfere with the quiet and enjoyment of someone else’s property,” she said
Mayor Doug Hillman, who like David lives in the Boca Highland community, noted that the property owner will be cutting 5 feet off the current pilings, which will then be just 3 feet higher than the town’s request.
“It’s not perfect but we don’t live in a perfect world,” he said. “Compromises have to be made.”
Hillman and Vice Mayor Natasha Moore used the case to re-emphasize the importance of town boards’ doing due diligence before making decisions.
“The proper research has to be done before a vote comes to the board,” Hillman said.
In the case of 1006 Grand Court, the town’s planning board twice approved the project as early as 2017, but the town’s building department stopped construction from continuing once 12-foot-tall pilings were installed.
When the property owner came back to the planning board and asked to be allowed to keep the pilings at 12 feet, the request was denied.
The planning board later denied the owner’s request to have the pilings at 7 feet, which led to an appeal to Palm Beach County Circuit Court.
In court filings, the lawyer for the property owners said part of the problem is that the town code addresses the height of dock pilings but not boat-lift pilings.
“The confusion arose because the initial application showed four-foot pilings for the dock which the town assumed also applied to the pilings for the boat lift,” attorney Scott Weires wrote.
Town Manager Marshall Labadie said that part of the problem was that the town, which has a full-time planner on staff now, did not have one at the time.
“This should have been caught but it wasn’t,” he said.
The town is in the process of amending the code to address the height of boat-lift pilings, he said.
“This is an unfortunate circumstance,” Commissioner John Shoemaker said. “It shouldn’t have happened but it did.”

By Rich Pollack

Highland Beach’s Nativity scene — stationed on the front lawn of Town Hall during the holidays — could be history.
A nearby large menorah could also be banished should the town follow the request of a national organization that argues for the separation of church and state.
“We’re being pushed to remove any religious symbols from town property,” said Highland Beach Town Manager Marshall Labadie.
No decision has been made regarding what will be in front of Town Hall come the holiday season, but town officials say their options may be limited because of precedents set in previous court cases.
“It really comes down to what the commission and the community wants,” Labadie said.
The question of whether Highland Beach can have a Nativity scene on town property was raised in February when the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to Mayor Doug Hillman requesting that the town remove it.
“A local Highland Beach resident reported that during this past winter season the town of Highland Beach’s municipal complex had a nativity scene on the front lawn,” the nonprofit organization’s staff attorney Chris Line wrote.
Unaware that the town also had a menorah on the property at the same time, Line wrote that it is “unlawful for the town of Highland Beach to maintain, erect or host a holiday display that consists solely of a nativity scene thus singling out, showing preference for and endorsing one religion.”
Reached last month, Line said his organization of 35,000 agnostics and atheists would have an issue even with the menorah on the property because the town would still be singling out specific religions and endorsing religion as opposed to non-religion.
An option for the town, he said, could be to keep the menorah and the Nativity scene but then allow all religions to have symbols on town property.
That could be a thorny issue for the town and may not be a practical option, Labadie said, in part because of space.
Line said the town would be wise to just remove the Nativity and menorah rather than trying to accommodate all religions.
“It’s much easier if the government doesn’t get involved in putting up religious displays,” he said.
Highland Beach is still studying options, but Line said the town could face legal action from his organization if it continues to have the Nativity and menorah on the lawn.
“It’s definitely an issue that could be litigated,” he said.
Labadie said the town’s Nativity scene had been lent to nearby St. Lucy Catholic Church in the past but was returned in recent years after the church purchased a new one. He said the town could consider offering the scene to the church.
He said the town could also consider modifying an agreement it has with the company that provides the menorah on a lease-to-own basis.
Highland Beach would still have a robust holiday display at Town Hall, he said, that would include lights and a decorated tree.

By Mary Hladky

The city and the Boca Raton Arts District Exploratory Corp. are moving closer to inking a deal that would allow a $130 million performing arts complex to be built on city-owned land in Mizner Park.
City Council members made clear that they favor BRADEC as they brushed aside two rival proposals on May 10 and directed city staff to continue negotiations.
The city was legally required to request additional proposals because it would be leasing city land to BRADEC for many years if an agreement is reached.
Naftali Group, a New York City-based development company, said it would redevelop and redesign the Mizner Park Amphitheater and build a mixed-use project on an adjacent 1.8 acres of city-owned land. That could include residential, retail and offices.
But none of the company’s many projects has included a cultural arts center, Executive Director Gary Cohen said.
AEG Presents, a Los Angeles-headquartered national concert promoter and venue management company that provides programming at the amphitheater, said it would operate and do programming for the amphitheater and develop cultural venues on the 1.8 acres.
Both companies said they would not request any funding from the city. AEG Presents said it did not intend to share event revenues with the city, although this could be negotiated.
Their proposals were not specific. Cohen acknowledged being “late to the game,” saying his company only recently learned the city was accepting proposals and did not have time to present a more comprehensive plan.
BRADEC’s submission, in contrast, ran to 242 pages, including appendices.
After the presentations, a long line of BRADEC supporters urged council members to complete a deal with the organization.
All five council members said they favor BRADEC because it is a local company with ties to many of the city’s cultural organizations.
“I like the fact they are a community-based organization and they have support from our arts-based organizations,” council member Monica Mayotte said.
BRADEC has “unbelievable community support,” Deputy Mayor Andrea O’Rourke said.
“Your zeal and passion and support is clear,” said Mayor Scott Singer. “My concerns are financial. You have addressed that by forgoing city funds.”
“BRADEC. Let’s get going on that,” said council member Andy Thomson.
BRADEC proposes completely renovating the existing 3,500-seat amphitheater and adding indoor and outdoor performing arts spaces, a rooftop terrace and more parking.
This would be financed by donations from cultural arts supporters and corporations that have long wanted such a facility in the city.
The $130 million price tag includes a $12 million endowment, $4 million reserve and $4 million for working capital.
In its most recent submission, BRADEC said it has identified 147 “high-potential” donors, including 19 who have the ability to contribute well in excess of $1 million and 17 who could contribute at least $1 million. A majority have shown an interest in becoming involved in the project.
Another 359 potential donors don’t have a connection to the project but have a “philanthropic track record” in Boca Raton and Palm Beach County, the submission states.
In another Mizner Park matter, council members on May 11 gave the go-ahead to the Boca Raton Museum of Art to demolish the western portion of the colonnade that runs along both sides of the amphitheater.
Eliminating the colonnade will improve access to the museum and its sculpture garden. Museum officials also plan to add landscaping and new lighting and to repave the museum’s entryway.
The city is requiring the museum to put a fence in place when the amphitheater is hosting events to prevent people from slipping in without buying a ticket. The fence can be removed when it’s not needed.
Art museum Executive Director Irvin Lippman expects the work will be completed in September, just ahead of the Oct. 16 start of the Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru exhibition that begins its world tour at the museum.

For full advisory:

Final Draft PHA 5.28.21 (006).pdf

Jason Miele, a marine interdiction agent with Customs and Border Patrol, retrieves evidence from the fishing boat carrying the migrants that ran aground at the St. Andrews Club and Gulfstream Park. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

Twenty-nine Haitian nationals were arrested early Monday after the 45-foot sport fishing boat they were in came ashore at Gulfstream Park and the St. Andrews Club. 

Border Patrol agents said two of the people aboard the boat were taken to the hospital for treatment. One of those individuals was released to Border Patrol custody while the second person remained hospitalized with non-life threatening issues.

Those arrested were taken to the Border Patrol station in West Palm Beach where they were interviewed and processed for removal.

“The U.S. Border Patrol is investigating this case alongside our Department of Homeland Security partners and will seek to prosecute any individuals who are identified as smugglers,” Border Patrol Agent Adam Hoffner said in a written statement.

Authorities said the sport fishing boat apparently ran into trouble and sent a distress call prior to making landfall straddling the property line between the park and St. Andrews.

“This is a treacherous journey from Haiti and we continuously warn migrants about the dangers associated with traveling by sea,” Hoffner said.

Boynton Beach police said they received a call at 4:30 a.m. alerting them to the boat just offshore. Police from Gulf Stream, Ocean Ridge, Boynton Beach and Delray Beach joined deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in securing the area until Border Patrol agents arrived.

Teams from the U.S. Coast Guard were also involved, issuing an urgent marine information broadcast to notify local mariners to assist if they could. A boat crew was dispatched from the Coast Guard’s Lake Worth Inlet station and a cutter was also sent to the area. A helicopter was dispatched from Miami to help as needed and to make sure all aboard the boat remained safe until Border Patrol agents were on the scene.

“We appreciate the support from our state and local law enforcement partners who were able to help us safely secure the scene,” Hoffner said. 

Boca Bash, the annual party on Lake Boca Raton drew thousands of boaters Sunday, Apr 25, 2021 following its cancellation last year due to COVID-19. Photos by Tim Stepien

Related story: Thousands of boats, plenty of alcohol and skimpy suits | Boca Bash 2021 Photos

Philanthropists Leon and Toby Cooperman stand in front of a rendering that provided a backdrop for a ceremonial groundbreaking on the campus of Boca Raton Regional Hospital, part of Baptist Health. The Coopermans are donating $25 million to build a freestanding facility to house medical specialty clinics and physician offices along with an ambulatory surgery center and orthopedics program. Part of the ‘Keeping the Promise’ campaign, the donation brings the total raised to nearly $200 million in the past few years. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Third-grade students at Gulf Stream School took a ‘Step Back in Time’ to see what getting an education was like between 1870 and 1912.

 Teacher Nancy Moore reads and explains to the students about life in the early years of Florida.

Bridget Barbieri gets help with her braids from Georgia Rudisill while wearing a dress that her grandmother Margaret Di Nanno created. Bridget exclaimed, ‘I love this class, we are getting to experience what life was like then, not just read about it in a book. I can’t believe how hot these long dresses must have been in the summer.’

Using an old-fashion washboard and bar soap, Finley Williams got to experience household chores. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Hurlburt named vice mayor

By Dan Moffett

A divided Town Commission appointed Kristine de Haseth to serve a second one-year term as Ocean Ridge’s mayor during a sometimes fractious 31/2-hour meeting on April 5.
The vote was 3-2.
Commissioners Susan Hurlburt and Martin Wiescholek joined de Haseth in endorsing her for the office. Steve Coz and Geoff Pugh both voted for Pugh.
The voting broke down the same way for vice mayor, as the commission chose Hurlburt over Pugh.
The meeting and mayoral appointments affirmed the philosophical differences that shaped the March election. Coz and Pugh have criticized the commission’s direction, saying it passed too many ordinances that burdened individual homeowners and encroached on their property rights.
De Haseth and her two allies have argued that a proactive approach is warranted to manage the robust construction and renovation in the town and preserve its character.
“The town is on a positive track,” de Haseth said. A priority in her second term as mayor, she said, will be advancing the five-year capital improvement plan that includes major upgrades to the town’s stormwater infrastructure.
Pugh, who served as mayor for six years until leaving the commission in 2018, led the four commission candidates in the March 9 election with 440 votes and de Haseth finished second with 364.
Newcomers Carolyn Cassidy had 348 and John Kramer 148.
Wiescholek reminded residents that the election results have no direct bearing on choosing a mayor and often in previous years the candidate with the most votes didn’t get the job.
He appealed for civility and cooperation in the wake of a contentious campaign.
“I was shocked in a town of 2,000 residents to have a political battle going on of that proportion,” Wiescholek said. “What I don’t want to see in our town as a general rule is that we use false or misleading statements to divide and make a political point.”
He said, “We are all neighbors, first and foremost.”
In other business, it’s been two years since commissioners approved a plan for an A1A crosswalk near the Crown Colony Club and Fayette Drive, and three years since homeowners groups started lobbying for action, citing concerns for pedestrian safety.
The project is slowly winding its way through the bureaucracy in Tallahassee, Town Manager Tracey Stevens said. Town staff is addressing Florida Department of Transportation concerns about lighting requirements and removal of trees and hedges from the right of way, Stevens said.
The FDOT rejected the town’s first permit application for the crosswalk, but staff is reapplying and “working to overcome the obstacles,” Stevens said. The town also has reached out to state Rep. Mike Caruso, R-Delray Beach, for assistance. Stevens said she cannot guarantee that the state will approve the plan, but is hopeful the project can move forward.

The north end of the Gulf Stream Golf Club is bounded by State Road A1A and Golfview Drive. The planned new reverse-osmosis water plant and water storage tank (highlighted in yellow) would join two existing maintenance buildings. Google Maps photo

By Steve Plunkett

Will it be noisy? Will it smell?
Those are the two questions that Town Manager Greg Dunham hopes to head off as the Gulf Stream Golf Club seeks permission to build a reverse-osmosis water plant on site to irrigate its expansive 100 acres of fairways and greens.
The plant and a proposed 600,000-gallon storage tank would go on the club’s maintenance area just south of Golfview Drive near the intersection of Polo Drive.
Ryan Swilley, the golf course’s superintendent, told town commissioners April 9 that the site is 285 feet from the nearest home and is obscured by existing buildings and dense vegetation.
The golf club is permitted to use 150 million gallons of water per year but averages only half that from its private well just north of Place au Soleil, Swilley said. That water, drawn from the surficial aquifer 300 feet below, does not require treatment to be used for irrigation. The reverse-osmosis plant would tap the brackish water of the Floridan Aquifer 1,200 feet underground, and in doing so would save potable resources, he said.
Dunham said he and Assistant Town Attorney Trey Nazzaro toured Manalapan’s water plant only to “randomly smell” a sulfur odor. Private golf courses that employ reverse-osmosis technology include the Everglades Club in Palm Beach and Lost Tree Club in North Palm Beach.
Resident Cuppy Kraft asked commissioners how Gulf Stream would determine whether noise or smells were unacceptable.
“I live right next to the Little Club’s kitchen and the odors are awful,” she said.
Nazzaro said whenever the town receives three complaints from three separate households within 30 days over noise or odors, it hires a specialist to investigate.
The golf club operator will return to the Town Commission in May in an attempt to get a “special use exception” to let it build the plant.
Commissioner Paul Lyons, who lives on Polo Drive three lots north of the proposed site, might be expected to take a keen interest in the plan. But he recused himself from a vote in March involving the Gulf Stream Golf Club, noting that he also sits on its board of directors.
In other business, commissioners:
• Were told another vehicle, unlocked and with the key inside, had been stolen. Police Chief Edward Allen said the theft appeared “targeted,” with the perpetrator walking straight to the Cadillac Escalade parked at the Gulf Stream Golf Club, hopping inside and driving off. Stolen vehicles are a recurring crime in the town.
• Approved spending $49,613 for a modern sound system for the commission chambers.
“Especially during COVID, we found out how much we needed to upgrade our audio/video when we tried to go virtual with our meetings,” Dunham said.