By Steve Plunkett

Boaters and landlubbers alike appear to have put the kibosh on a proposal to add boat launches at Rutherford Park.

Only one person held up his hand signaling a desire to proceed at the end of a crowded outreach session Feb. 26 at the Downtown Library. 

“Who will be accountable for the opinions that you’ve heard here today, which is 99 to 1?” asked the boater who sought the show of hands.

Dan Grippo, the city’s municipal services director, said his department would carefully consider the input.

“Clearly no one here wants boat ramps, so it probably won’t go anywhere,” Grippo said. “Typically, from my experience here in six years, when the public speaks out, you tend to get what you want in the projects we’re in charge of.  … If you don’t want them, trust me, they don’t happen.”

The evening started off calmly, with consultant Mike Jenkins of Applied Technology and Management Inc. polling the room to determine that more than half the 150 attendees owned a boat, perhaps a quarter owned a kayak or paddleboard.

Jenkins went through the concept: adding two double boat launches to a centrally located spoil island in the park, along with a bridge to reach the island, converting the parking area to accommodate 67 boat trailers and seven cars without trailers, adding three boat wash-down areas.

Few residents were impressed.

“I don’t want to spend 2 miles of idle speed coming down to get to Palmetto Park Road and then go outside.  … That trip would add 20 minutes … each way,” said Bill Trinka, who wanted assurances that the double launch at Silver Palm Park would remain where it is.

Over and over, residents asked about Silver Palm. Jennifer Bistyga, the city’s coastal program manager, tried with little success to keep the discussion on Rutherford Park, the announced topic of the evening. While the session was open to the public at large, at the City Council’s direction Bistyga had made an effort to invite all Boca Raton boaters who held Silver Palm launch permits. 

Other residents were concerned about effects on the environment. Michele Peel, president of the Friends of Gumbo Limbo, cautioned that the proposed boat launches would be right across from the nature center.

“This is Gumbo Limbo’s backyard,” she said. “People come to get close to nature … to see animals that are living over in the … area, animals that are not compatible with having an active, motorized boat launch there. Those animals will disappear.” 

Still other concerns were raised about how boaters would ignore markings leading to the main Intracoastal Waterway channel 450 feet away and take shortcuts over seagrass, how trailer traffic would clog Northeast 24th Street and Federal Highway, and whether boaters and paddleboarders could coexist close by.

Bistyga passed out a survey for residents to fill out but did not have to go far to advise the City Council about what happened. Mayor Susan Haynie, Deputy Mayor Jeremy Rodgers and council members Scott Singer and Andrea O’Rourke were quietly watching the proceedings.

Overall, the gathering gave a collective thumbs-up to plans to remove exotic plants and restore Rutherford’s boardwalk and canoe trails. Several people complained about homeless people congregating in the park.

Gene Folden, chairman of the marine advisory board, said “it’s hard to say” how representative the session was of the city’s overall boating community, but that attendees had made their point.

“Their message was, they like their Silver Palm Park,” Folden said. 

By Mary Hladky

Key decisions on how to proceed with the proposed Midtown development have been pushed well into the future.

City Council members on Jan. 23 postponed a vote on ordinances that set a framework for how Midtown could be built.

Instead, they voted 4-1, with Mayor Susan Haynie dissenting, to have staff develop a “small area plan” for the Midtown area between Interstate 95 and the Town Center at Boca Raton, where the developer proposes a “live, work, play” transit-oriented development that would include 2,500 residential units where none now exists.

One problem, however, was that council members and the developer had no idea what a small area plan is. The idea had been advocated by council member Andrea O’Rourke after Midtown neighbors objected to the project, largely out of fears that Midtown would put a lot more traffic on already overcrowded streets. But she was unable to explain specifically what she was seeking.     Council members tossed into city Development Services Director Brandon Schaad’s lap the task of determining what a small area plan would encompass.

What became clear when Schaad presented his report at the Feb. 12 Community Redevelopment Agency meeting was that creating the plan will delay decisions on how Midtown can proceed until July at the earliest, and probably later than that.

Schaad’s proposed schedule would include public hearings in March and April to allow city residents to weigh in, analysis that would be completed in May, recommendations in June and a final report in July.

Schaad described the timeline as “aggressive.”

“We are not guaranteeing this is done in July,” said City Manager Leif Ahnell, adding that the city might need to hire a consultant to help.

Topics that would be considered include the mix of residential, retail and office, design of streets, ideas for a redesign of Military Trail, assessment of right-of-way needs, new infrastructure such as water and sewer lines and roads and how they would be paid for, and other matters such as open space, parking and allowable building heights.

Much of that, however, already has been done by the developer and city staff as the ordinances were developed.

“I am thrilled we are doing this, and I wish we had done this a year ago,” O’Rourke said.

Angelo Bianco, managing partner of developer Crocker Partners, declined to comment after the meeting.

But the delays increase the possibility of litigation. Attorneys representing Crocker Partners contended in November that some key changes city staff made earlier to the proposed ordinances were illegal or unconstitutional.

Bianco has long signaled that he and other property owners in the Midtown area have waited long enough for the city to create the rules by which they can develop the area.

The project has bedeviled city officials from the start. Crocker Partners drafted the proposed ordinances. But that prompted complaints that the developer had assumed control of a city process, and the City Council ordered staff last summer to take back the reins.

That caused delays as staff reworked the ordinances. The revised versions, which were tweaked again after the city’s Planning and Zoning Board offered recommendations, shocked the developer.

Landowners still could build 2,500 units, as originally proposed. But they could not be built until a new Tri-Rail station is operating in the heart of the project and until all street infrastructure is built, power lines buried and landscaping completed. Building heights were reduced to 105 feet from 145. 

One reason for the disconnect on Midtown is that city officials have not seen renderings of what the area redevelopment would look like. That’s because they don’t exist.

Crocker Partners wanted the ordinances in place so they know what will be permitted before they spend $1 million or more on site plans.

Bianco has tried in vain to reassure council members that once the site plans are created, they will have the opportunity to approve or disapprove them.

“We will come to you with a plan,” he said in January. “We need to know before we spend the time and money that we are doing something that is not wasteful. We need the rules. … In all other redevelopments, you get a set of rules first. Then you get a plan.” 

By Rich Pollack

Moviemakers and others who want to film in Highland Beach be warned: Town officials and the Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission will work together to welcome you — but there are a lot of rules you’re going to have to follow. 

The Town Commission partnered with the county’s film commission last month in an amendment to a 2013 interlocal agreement that provides filmmakers with a “one-stop-shop process” should they consider taking advantage of Highland Beach as a setting during their next project. 

In a resolution that passed unanimously, town commissioners agreed to strengthen the previous agreement, which lets the film commission be the first point of contact for those interested in filming in the town and serve as the liaison between the two groups. 

The filming company would be required to fill out an application for review by the film commission staff to see if the project is a good fit and  meets a dozen requirements set out specifically for Highland Beach.

Film commission staff would then contact the town manager and police chief to review the application and make sure Highland Beach gives the green light for the production to proceed. 

 County Film Commissioner Chuck Eldred says the rules specified by the town are among the toughest in the county.

“This is one of the most one-sided interlocal agreements about film and television permitting any community can adopt,” he said.

Sparked by complaints last year from residents about the production of a made-for-television movie about the mob and a subsequent party, the agreement with the county sets out 12 provisions. It also gives the town the right to block filming if leaders think the production would be disruptive or not a good fit for the community.

Among the requirements set out in the agreement are:

• Filming can take place only between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., with no filming on Sundays or town holidays without prior written approval from the town manager. 

• A parking plan and off-site parking and a lighting plan, if applicable, must be provided to the town manager for approval. 

• At least two days before production begins, filmmakers will have to notify in writing property owners within 500 feet of the production site when filming will start and how long it is expected to last. 

• Film crew members cannot trespass on neighboring properties.

• The town manager or film commissioner may require the filming crew to have onsite security in place. 

Eldred said as part of the process, the county film commission, an arm of the county’s Tourist Development Council, has authority to pull a filming permit if any of the provisions of the agreement is broken. 

Throughout the process, he said, the film commission will do the heavy lifting and work to ensure the best interests of the community come first. The film commission, he said, will continue to work with the town to make any other adjustments needed down the road. 

“The interlocal agreement takes the burden of reviewing permits and working closely with the filmmakers off of the town,” Eldred said. “We do all the work.” 

By Rich Pollack

Have some documents you need shredded? 

Want to sample food or get a deal on a used library book?

Or maybe you’d like to bring your kids to a scavenger hunt or get your pet registered in case he or she gets lost?

If you’re a Highland Beach resident, you can get all of those things accomplished at the town’s annual Spring Fling, set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 24 at Town Hall. 

“The Spring Fling is a free, fun-filled event for both adults and children,” said Town Clerk Lanelda Gaskins. “It’s a great way to meet and greet town commissioners, staff and other residents.”

The fling will be packed with things to do for everyone in the family, including pets. 

The town will provide free hot dogs, sodas, water and chips, and a variety of local food vendors will offer samples. 

Representatives from the Highland Beach Public Library will conduct a book fair, offering surplus books, and firefighters will show off the town’s new fire apparatus and offer free blood-pressure screenings. 

Returning this year will be the Proshred truck, which will shred paper documents from residents at no charge.

As it has done for the past few years, the Highland Beach Police Department will have staff on hand to photograph your pet and enter the picture and information into a department database to assist recovery should the pet become lost. 

There will be games for children and a scavenger hunt where kids can search out hidden candy. 

For more information, call Town Hall at 278-4548.

The welcome sign covers an entire wall at the new Customs building.  Rich Pollack/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

After years of planning and months of construction, a new U.S. Customs and Border Protection building at Boca Raton Airport is now complete, with operations expected to begin within several weeks.

The 4,400-square-foot facility was more than six months behind schedule because of construction and weather delays, but the city gave the agency a certificate of occupancy last month. It will be open to tours by community and business leaders this month. 

Following the open-house tours, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials will begin moving computers and other equipment into the building. 

“There’s been tremendous support of this project in the community,” said Clara Bennett,” the airport’s executive director. 

Boca Raton officials said the center would work as another avenue to promote the city.

“The new facility will be a benefit to international companies wishing to relocate to Boca Raton,” said Mayor Susan Haynie. “Plus it adds to our global presence.”

Bennett said that during the invitation-only tours, visitors would have the chance to see a facility with a contemporary and attractive design. 

“The goal was for it not to be a typical cookie-cutter building,” she said. ”We wanted it to be a modern, state-of-the-art facility unique to Boca Raton that represents where the airport is going in the future.” 

With a clean and open appearance, the facility has a modern design with a combination of metal and glass.

An eye-catching feature of the center is a large map of the world on a blue background with the words “Welcome to Boca Raton” on the wall. 

“It represents the international nature of the facility,” Bennett said. 

The $4.3 million station will make it easier for air passengers coming from outside the country to Boca Raton to clear customs. 

Now, planes coming from outside the United States planning to land at Boca Raton Airport must first stop at an airport with a customs facility, such as Palm Beach International Airport or Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. The passengers would then fly to Boca Raton Airport.

Bennett says the new Boca Raton center will enhance convenience for air travelers coming in from overseas, improve safety and decrease fuel costs because it will eliminate an additional landing and takeoff. 

The center will also serve boaters coming from overseas who need to clear customs. 

Once fully operational, the center will be open Thursday through Monday from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., considered the busiest times for international travelers at the airport.  Additional hours will be available at an extra cost but must be prearranged. 

While taxpayers fund customs facilities at Palm Beach International and Fort Lauderdale Executive airports at no cost to arriving travelers, Boca Raton Airport’s center will be a user-fee center, with travelers paying for the service.
The Airport Authority will pay Customs and Border Protection to operate the facility and will cover a variety of costs, including the salaries of assigned officers.

To recoup the estimated operational costs of $244,000 for the first year and about $205,000 every year afterward, the airport developed a fee structure that will enable it to pay for the service in approximately five to six years. 

Groundbreaking for the new center took place in July 2016, and construction was scheduled to wrap up within a year. A turnover in construction managers, as well as delays caused by Hurricane Irma, pushed back the schedule. 

Bennett said once the contractor is done with a checklist, customs officials would be taking over the final stages of preparation for a public opening. 

“The keys will be given to customs officials and they’ll begin moving in their hardware,” she said.  

By Steve Plunkett

The city’s historic Camino Real Bridge will close for a year to motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians while the 79-year-old structure undergoes long-needed repairs.

The connection between the barrier island and the mainland is set to close April 12. Detour signs will direct vehicular and foot traffic to the Palmetto Park Road bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway.

Broward County-based Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. submitted the winning low bid of $8.9 million to Palm Beach County, which is responsible for the bridge. 

The planned work includes minor widening of the fixed and bascule bridge elements and relocating the bridge-tender house from the south to the north on the island side. Also on the to-do list in the 253-foot-long project area are renovating and replacing the fender system, new mechanical equipment for the bridge, reconstruction of the roadway approaches and sidewalks and minor drainage improvements.

County engineers once hoped to tear down the bridge and replace it with a new, $44 million span, but learned during the permitting process that it was protected as part of a county historic district. 

“The new bridge will have a similar architectural design, the same clearance height and a similar railing,” Boca Raton says on its website.

The two-lane drawbridge handles about 7,600 vehicles a day, according to the county’s Historic Traffic Growth Table for 2017. By comparison, about 15,200 vehicles use the four-lane span at Palmetto Park Road, the table shows.

The Camino Real roadway was originally designed by architect Addison Mizner to connect the railroad station to the Boca Raton Resort and Club. In 1929 developer Clarence Geist put a temporary swing bridge at the end of the road to cross the Intracoastal. 

The Public Works Admini-stration built the permanent drawbridge 10 years later.

In 1997 the County Commission created the Camino Real Road and Bridge Historic District at the Boca Raton Historical Society’s urging. 

“What makes the area and these resources so important is Boca Raton did not evolve like other cities of its age, but rather was born of a grand conceptual plan” by Mizner, the county’s registry of historic places says.

The bridge, also known as the Boca Raton Club Bridge, is one of three in the county deemed “structurally deficient” by the state. The others are the Southern Boulevard bridge connecting Palm Beach and West Palm Beach, which is now being replaced, and the U.S. 1 bridge over the Intracoastal in Jupiter. The state is evaluating replacement alternatives for the bridge. 

Greenlines, new to Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, specializes in board shorts made with organic and recycled fabrics. The company gives part of its profits to nonprofits such as the Surfrider Foundation and Clean Ocean Action. Photo provided

By Christine Davis

Greenlines opened up at 439 E. Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach in late November, making its way here from Montauk, N.Y., and Fair Haven, N.J. It’s a family business started in 2009 by brothers Jerry and Sam Delaney along with Sam’s wife, Colleen, all of them surfers. The stores specialize in board shorts made of recycled and organic fabrics, for men, women and children. 

The stores give a portion of profits to nonprofit organizations such as the Surfrider Foundation and Clean Ocean Action.  

“Our first store is in Montauk and our customers told us we had to check out Delray,” says Sam Delaney. “We looked for a location here for three years. We are really excited. Delray Beach is a great downtown and we love the community.” 

He says the store plans to host events with local photographers, filmmakers, artists and surfboard shapers who share their feelings about the ocean and surfing. For more information, visit greenlines.com. 

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A lot is going on at The Elephant’s Foot Antiques. It’s Marvin Ray’s 55th anniversary as co-owner of the store, Ronald French’s 40th anniversary as co-owner, and they just sold one of their three warehouses. “We got an offer for the building that we couldn’t refuse,” French says. 

And because the 5,000-square-foot warehouse was chock full, a sale is underway that will continue through March, at 1813 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, noon to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

All those years in the business add up to a labor of love, French says, and mean keeping up with trends. “With all the changes that have occurred, especially in the antique and decorating fields because tastes constantly evolve over time, it’s a little hard to forecast the next hot items.

“We used to sell pine, then the Pierre Deux look, and then the English country house look, but quality rules, and people come back to quality and that’s why our business has worked out for us. We have quality merchandise and select things to choose from.” 

Right now, he says, what’s hot with the sale is a nice selection of English and Scottish chests of drawers. And if you can’t find what you want at the warehouse, stop by the 6,500-square-foot store at 3800 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach.

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The 256-room Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center, at 5150 Town Center Circle, was recently sold by CWI Boca Center Hotel, managed by Carey Watermark Investors, to an affiliate of New York-based AVR Realty for almost $69.3 million, according to public records. The buyer obtained a seven-year, $60 million mortgage, with $35.8 million from Manufacturers & Traders Trust Co. and $24.2 million from Synovus bank. 

The Marriott last traded for $57.7 million in 2014, and underwent a $7 million renovation. The hotel was built in 1987. Dimension Development was named the new management firm for the hotel. AVR Realty is an investment and development company led by Allan V. Rose.

                                ***

Lang Realty recognized its top agents and teams of 2017 at a special awards breakfast on Feb. 6 at the Waterstone Resort & Marina. Many were agents who cover the coastal South County area. They include: Diamond Award winner Barbara Hill; Diamond Team winners the Pearl Antonacci Group, founded by Brian Pearl and Vini Antonacci, and Tom and Beth Walsh; Ruby Award recipients Aristi Constantin, and Allyson Sullivan; Ruby Team winners Scott and Julie Warner; and Emerald Award recipients Olive Belcher, Julie Giachetti and Warren Heeg.

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Oprock Boynton Fee LLC, a company tied to Rockwood Capital, just sold a Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Boynton Beach at a loss, property records show. Boulder Hotel Boynton Beach LLC, a company tied to Delray Beach investor Malcolm Berman, paid $19.6 million for the 170-room hotel at 1401 and 1601 N. Congress Ave. The deal includes space leased to KLA Schools of Boynton Beach, a preschool, and a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant. 

The site last traded hands for $27.8 million in 2007, according to property records. The hotel was built in 1988. Berman is a former chairman of Fairfax Savings in Baltimore, according to published reports. 

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Boynton Beach-based Source1 Purchasing, a procurement services organization, was featured in a recent issue of Hotel Management magazine as one of the 2017 Top Purchasing Companies. “We are proud to be listed on Hotel Management’s list,” said Scott Hoffmire, the company’s CEO and president. “Our purchasing power, as evidenced by our No. 2 ranking in the category, is strong, which means our clients benefit from the best pricing and benefits available.” This is the company’s eighth year on the list. 

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In February, the former CEO of Vacation Break U.S.A., Kevin Sheehan, and his wife, Tracy Crane, sold their oceanfront home at 1003 Hillsboro Mile, Hillsboro Beach, for $13 million to Al Hendrickson, president of Al Hendrickson Toyota, a car dealership in Broward County. 

The home was listed by Coldwell Banker agent Sheryl Hodor with an asking price of $18.5 million. She also arranged the deal with the buyer. Sheehan and Crane bought their 11,700-square-foot mansion in 1997 for $4 million and paid $1.3 million for an additional 50 feet of oceanfront in 2001, records show.

                                ***

A contemporary-style home at 901 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach, was recently listed by Christian Angle Real Estate for $28.9 million. With 100 feet on the ocean, the 12,000-square-foot home comprises five bedrooms, five bathrooms and two half-baths; features include a boardwalk to its own beach. According to public records, William Powers bought the home in February 2015 for $19 million. At that time, the home had just been completed: built by Mark Timothy Homes, designed by Affinity Architects and interiors by Marc Michaels Interiors.

                                ***

This estate on South Ocean in Manalapan recently sold for $24 million. Photo provided

An ocean-to-lake estate at 900 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, sold for $24 million, recorded in mid-February. The buyer was Goldstar 2018 LLC at 1185 Sixth Ave., New York, a limited liability company associated in public records with Solil Management. The seller was 900 South Ocean Blvd. LLC, a Delaware-based company managed by Charles Davidson, co-founder of Wexford Capital. Broker Christian Angle of Christian Angle Real Estate represented the seller. Agent Betsy Green of Douglas Elliman Real Estate acted for the buyer. Davidson’s LLC bought the property for $7.02 million in 2011 from the estate of the late Henrietta King, wife of boxing promoter Don King. After tearing down the original home, he hired Farrell Building Co. to construct the mansion. 

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  The Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce’s 56th anniversary Delray Affair on April 13-15 will feature historical and contemporary activities this year, produced by Old School Square, the Downtown Development Authority and the Historical Society. 

Sponsored by Delray Honda, the Old School Square Beer & Wine Garden will return. Featured partners are Islamorada Beer Co., Rock N Roll Tequila, Monster Energy, Republic National Wines and PRP Wine International. The event spans 10 blocks in downtown Delray Beach on Atlantic Avenue, and admission is free. For more information, visit www.Delrayaffair.com.

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The Greater Boynton Beach Chamber’s 5K Small Business Bow Tie Run will take place April 14 at the Boynton Beach Mall, 801 Congress Ave. Registration will start at 6:30 a.m., and the run and walk will start at 7:30. The price to participate is $30, plus a $2.50 sign-up fee. The family-friendly 5K Run is competitive and timed. For sponsorship information, call the Chamber at 927-7331 or email chamber@boyntonbeach.org.

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Trish Duebber has assumed the Boca Raton Museum Art School’s new position as coordinator of youth programs, which are designed to provide studio art experiences to  after-school and summer programs for children and teenagers.

 “Businesses are seeking to hire people who have arts backgrounds  — creative thinkers,” Duebber says. “As more tasks become computerized, trends are shifting toward hiring more people who can bring new perspectives to solving problems. And that’s exactly what students gain by having the freedom to create art.”

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The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County will host a luncheon and talk, “Reality of Sea Level Rise,” from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.  March 21 at the Atlantis Country Club, 190 Atlantis Blvd., Lake Worth. The guest speaker will be John Englander, an oceanographer, consultant and expert on sea-level rise. 

He has served as chief executive officer for the International SeaKeepers Society and the Cousteau Society. He has authored a bestselling book, High Tide on Main Street: Rising Sea Level and the Coming Coastal Crisis, which Politico listed as one of the top 50 books to read. 

Tickets are $25 until March 14, and $35 after that date. RSVPs are requested at www.lwvpbc.org or by calling 968-4123.

Send business news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

By Mary Hladky

A 48-unit luxury condominium, one in a long line of downtown projects awaiting city approval, has gotten the go-ahead for construction. The project, 475 Royal Palm, won unanimous approval Feb. 26 from Boca Raton City Council members sitting as Community Redevelopment Agency commissioners.

In January, the city’s Community Appearance Board unanimously recommended approval, and the Planning and Zoning Board agreed with a 6-1 vote.

The developer, Boca Raton-based Group P6, plans three 100-foot towers, each with 16 units. Parking for condo owners, guests and employees of the Morgan Stanley office building north of the condo will be in an underground parking garage.

The 201 parking spaces exceed the 184 required by the city. Seven parking spaces will be available to the public in the garage, and four more on the street. Nearly 45 percent of the project site will be open space, more than the 36 percent required.

Group P6 and RLC Architects have included public art, including a pineapple mosaic in a nod to the city’s history of pineapple cultivation and additional mosaics that represent the four seasons and the city’s slogan as “a city for all seasons.”

Council members and two members of the public who spoke in favor of the project praised the buildings’ design.

“It is a beautiful property,” said one neighbor. “It will be quite an addition to the neighborhood.”

Council members imposed three conditions for their approval.

If the city decides speed bumps are needed to calm traffic on Royal Palm Road, the developer will pay for them or reimburse the cost if the city pays for them. The developer already had offered to pay.

The project is not now designed for valet parking. If the developer wants to add that, city staff can approve the site plan change. If disagreements arise, the matter will come back to the council for a decision.

The developer will pay a School Board-imposed impact fee of nearly $18,000. The council required that the money go to the city, which will determine how the money is spent on Boca Raton public schools.

Group P6 is working on two other downtown projects. The 24-unit, 327 Royal Palm luxury condo at 327 E. Royal Palm Road has been approved and is under construction. The developer has proposed Concierge at 22 SE Sixth St., west of Federal Highway, for senior residents. It would have 110 memory-care, assisted-living and independent-living units. 

A Forster's tern takes a bath in the surf. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

It was literally a day for the birds.

The morning was cold, windy and blanketed in fog, challenging teams of bird-watchers engaged in the National Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count.

“It was a weird weather day,” says Chuck Weber, a local television journalist who coordinates the bird count within a 15-mile radius centered near the intersection of Jog and Hypoluxo roads. “There were certain species that didn’t pop up on count day, although some may have been active later in the day.” 

Despite the weather, what Weber and the 80 counters in his circle found during a day's work was fairly good news for birds — as well as for the people who like having them around. 

In all, the 20 teams identified about 143 species during the latest count, just one fewer than in the previous year. They spotted 17,425 individual birds, an estimate at best — about 500 more than were counted the year before. 

The stability in the number of species is comforting, considering a variety of variables — especially the loss of habitat — is problematic for some birds. 

For instance, a pasture near Wellington, where eastern meadowlarks had been spotted during previous counts, is a residential development this year. 

 “We didn’t get any eastern meadowlarks this time,” Weber said. 

The upside is that many developments are attracting other species, in large part because of open green areas, trees and shrubs that offer habitat for different avian groups.

“Meadowlarks may be gone, but maybe phoebes and shrikes will be moving in,” Weber said.

 Some years ago as many as 160 species were counted in the area that Weber’s team covers during the annual census. Then, 10 to 15 years ago, that number was down to the mid-to-high 130s. 

The rebound now, Weber says, is partly because of restoration efforts led by Palm Beach County, including work in the Lake Worth Lagoon that has created 11 acres of mangroves and two acres of oyster reefs. 

With the restoration has come the return of oystercatchers and other species, he said. 

Other county projects, including the development of Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay Wetlands, both west of Boynton Beach, have also attracted a variety of birds.

“If we didn’t have those areas our count would probably be down,” Weber said. 

Jan Conley, Rick Schofield and David Conley gather in Gulf Stream for the Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count. 

Along coastal Palm Beach County, from Delray Beach to Sloan’s Curve in Palm Beach, the Dec. 30 bird count included many of the expected groups as well as a few surprises such as the number of sandwich terns and the presence of frigate birds despite the fog.

Observers, many with binoculars and some with cameras, made their way across golf courses, beaches and natural areas and saw common birds such as royal terns and laughing gulls.  

Veteran birder Rick Schofield’s five-person team spotted 53 species along the barrier island from Delray Beach to the Boynton Inlet, down from 56 the previous year. The number of birds counted, however, increased from about 1,500 to about 1,600. The weather, habitat and the nature of making estimates can complicate year-to-year comparisons, but the counts indicate a degree of stability. 

Rick Schofield checks out a gull feeding in seaweed at Boynton Beach Oceanfront Park. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

At the Boynton Inlet, Weber's and Schofield's team members discovered several birds they’d been hoping to find, including sandwich terns. They saw seven of the plunge-diving birds. “To see so many sandwich terns is unusual,” Weber said. 

For birders David and Jan Conley, who are visiting from Wisconsin for the season and joined Schofield’s team, spotting frigate birds and gannets was a highlight. 

“We were hoping to see frigate birds this trip and we saw several of them,” Jan Conley said. 

The Conleys have participated in the South Florida count a handful of times.

There was also good news for owl fans, with all four species of owls found in South Florida included in the latest count. 

Among these were burrowing owls, which hadn’t made it into Weber’s numbers for several years.

“Recently, it’s been tough to find them in the count circle,” he said. 

Once Weber has compiled all his numbers, they’ll be reviewed by a state compiler and submitted to an international database. 

Startled by a passing jogger, pigeons, gulls and terns take flight together after resting on the shore south of Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. 

About the Christmas Bird Count

During the 1800s, when Americans thought there was a never-ending supply of wild birds, there was a tradition of organized hunts to see how many birds hunters could kill. 

Since photography had not matured as a study technique, artists like John James Audubon usually killed their subjects.

In 1900, ornithologist Frank Chapman suggested that a count of living birds would provide a census of birds and help to preserve them. The Christmas Bird Count was born.

The National Audubon Society administers the annual Christmas Bird Count. With more than a century of data, the CBC is considered  the most reliable yardstick of the health of birds in North America.

The process is simple: Small groups of bird watchers use guidebooks, spotting scopes, binoculars and sometimes cameras to count and identify  birds in the same locations year after year.  This census is compiled first at the local level and then national level.

A snowy egret feeds in a retaining pond at Woolbright Road and A1A in Ocean Ridge.

Muscovy ducks appear to be chatting at The Little Club in Gulf Stream.

(l-r) Kimberly Agnello, of JM Family Enterprises; Mark Warren, of the Warren Family Foundation; Gordon Gilbert, founder of Gumbo Limbo Nature Center; and Lisa Davis, of JM Family Enterprises. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

Friends of Gumbo Limbo, the volunteer support organization for Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton, will raise a collective glass to the Sea Coast Toast in anticipation of the fundraiser being the biggest to date.

Brandon Canute, development manager for the Friends, said the guest list, the number of sponsors and the amount of proceeds all are expected to increase when the event comes to the Boca Country Club on March 24.

“We’re raising more money than we’ve ever raised before,” Canute said, noting that the Sea Coast Toast netted $40,000 in 2017, compared with $20,000 in 2016. “We more than doubled in one year, and it allowed us to do new, better things.”

The Friends expanded its scholarship program for students pursuing environmental careers and invested additional dollars in marine research at Florida Atlantic and Nova Southeastern universities. Intracoastal Adventures, an on-the-water educational program taken by canoe, kayak and paddleboard, was created. The Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Facility also received a boost.

“I feel like the Friends don’t have the same visibility as other friends groups,” Canute said. “For me, it’s a way to kind of put our name and our mission out there.”

The evening begins with a cocktail hour and a raffle, as well as a silent auction that includes a ride for two on the Goodyear blimp, a trip to New York City to see Hamilton (and meet the cast), and a culinary tour of Tuscany in Italy. A multicourse dinner will be served, and dancing to the music of Jimmy Stowe & the Stowaways will follow.

“This is our fundraiser,” Canute said. “Supporting Gumbo Limbo Nature Center gives you an opportunity to learn about the ecosystem and how it affects us. I think having Gumbo Limbo here and being able to bring your kids here for free to experience the environment adds value to your day. Despite all of the development going on, this is a sliver of the past.”

If You Go

What: Sea Coast Toast

When: 6 to 10 p.m. March 24

Where: Boca Country Club, 17751 Boca Club Blvd., Boca Raton

Cost: $125 to $150

Information: Call 544-8608 or visit gumbolimbo.org/seacoasttoast

Florida Atlantic University benefactor Fara Love has made another gift to the school’s commercial music program, which doubles the Jerry and Devon Love Endowed Commercial Music Scholarship. The scholarship, which supports three students annually, was created in memory of Fara Love’s husband, Jerry, and their daughter Devon.

“Jerry, a music-industry veteran, was instrumental in the creation of Hoot/Wisdom Recordings, FAU’s record label,” said Michael Zager, founder and director of the commercial music program. 

“Devon was very artistic and had a great love of music and the record business," Zager said. "While losing a daughter and then a husband in two years is difficult, their legacy will live forever because of Fara’s generosity.”

Added Fara Love, “We have witnessed many wonderful, talented students graduate from Michael Zager’s program. Music was a very strong, happy bond between Jerry and Devon. Music is what joins the heart and soul together and it will happily continue through these students.”

Jewish Women's Grant Wishes event

The Jewish Women’s Foundation of South Palm Beach County will have its Granting Wishes event at 5:30 p.m. March 14 at Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca Raton.

Not only will guests find out who will be awarded the grants, they also will hear from Denise Albert and Melissa Musen Gerstein, who co-founded The MOMS.

“We are delighted to have Denise Albert and Melissa Musen Gerstein as our 2018 Granting Wishes guest speakers,” said Amy Rosenberg, who is co-chairing the event with Randee Rubenstein. 

The MOMS lifestyle brand is featured on TV, radio, podcasts, online, in print and in taxicabs.

“Their Mamarazzi town-hall events provide mothers and media with access to celebrities to discuss meaningful parenting topics,” Rosenberg said. “Denise chronicles her ongoing journey with breast cancer and was the recipient of the 2017 Susan G. Komen NY Impact Award.”

The reception includes wine, hors d’oeuvres and dessert. Tickets are $85. Call 852-3188 or visit www.jewishboca.org/grantingwishes.

Cruises benefit All Hands

ICruise.com, a retailer for cruises and travel services based in Delray Beach, raised $10,000 for All Hands Volunteers, an organization dedicated to rebuilding communities hit by natural disasters.  

ICruise.com donated a portion for every Caribbean cruise booked from October through December, in partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

Lang donates to Red Cross

As part of its commitment to give a percentage of home sales to charity, Lang Realty has donated $5,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

 “This is our way of helping the many people directly affected by last year’s back-to-back hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria,” said Scott Agran, president of Lang Realty.  

Mounts Botanical’s Friends plan fundraiser

Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden will have  its biggest annual fundraiser, the Mounts Spring Benefit, on April 8, to support educational programs. 

Programs include the exhibit “Washed Ashore: Art To Save the Sea.”

Tickets are $175 and can be purchased by calling 233-1757. Sponsorships and underwriting opportunities also are available.

Real Men who bake sought

Guys who love to create culinary masterpieces and share them with others will want to sign up for the eighth annual Real Men Bake and Rock at the Sock Hop, set for March 19. Presented by the Woman’s Club of Delray Beach and benefiting several nonprofits, the event is at Old School Square in Delray Beach. Time is 6 to 9 p.m. Guests at Real Men Bake and Rock at the Sock Hop will have a chance to sample all of the creations and vote for their favorites. Prizes will be awarded.  For information, call 843-6821 or visit realmenbake.eventbrite.com.

Send news and notes to Amy Woods at flamywoods@bellsouth.net

Climbing the success ladder of a different kind, a long and impressive roster of CEOs and executives participated in the inaugural CEO Build by Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County and had the privilege of dedicating a home. A team of 70 volunteers helped construct, by raising $175,000 and putting in valuable hours, a residence for a low-income South County family. PHOTO: The CEO Build team included Doug Fash (far right) of coastal Boca Raton. Photo provided by Carlos Aristizabal

A sold-out crowd of 200 celebrated in the church hall with a four-course meal followed by dessert. Gino DeMarco and Josephine Dolce then provided beautiful harmonies of Italian favorites. The seaside parish under the direction of the Rev. D. Brian Horgan is celebrating its 50th year. LEFT: (l-r) Chairs Dominick and Ann Conte and Emilio and Suzanne Petti worked tirelessly for months to organize the event. Photo provided 

UNICO Highland Beach offers scholarships to 12th-graders graduating from Palm Beach County high schools. A chapter member who has chosen to remain anonymous has pledged up to $5,000 if other members match the amount. ‘We are off to a great start,’ said Gail Guy, scholarship chairwoman ABOVE: Guy (right) receives a $1,000 check from Rosaria and Vincent Gismondi. Photo provided

More than 100 supporters, along with local dignitaries, were invited to ‘Washed Ashore: Art To Save the Sea,’ which runs through June 3 at the public garden. The exhibit showcases giant sea-life sculptures made from marine debris and graphically illustrates the plastic pollution in the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. ‘The primary role of Mounts Botanical is to educate and inspire people about the importance of nature and the environment — how it impacts the everyday life of everyone, and how we are all responsible to preserve and protect this precious gift for generations to come,’ said Rochelle Wolberg, the garden’s curator-director. RIGHT: (l-r) Michael, Orli and Elaine Zimmerman in front of Priscilla the Parrot Fish. Photo provided by Jacek Gancarz

Boca Raton’s Promise presented its fifth annual event to honor community leaders' understanding and action in breaking the silence of mental health. Awards were presented in categories ranging from youth counseling to film production and social media. ‘The ripple effect of these dedicated, passionate and compassionate honorees reaches wide and deep to benefit so many in our community,' said Rita Thrasher, co-founder of Boca Raton’s Promise. ABOVE: (l-r) Gerda Klein, Thrasher and award winners Michael Kane and Dr. Bruce Saltz. Photo provided by Gina Fontana

Good humor was in abundance during the Delray Beach Public Library’s 12th installment of the fundraiser that has become a fan favorite for its creative, casual, fun-filled night of comedy, cocktails and dinner-by-the-bite. Headliners were Don Gavin, known as the ‘Godfather of Boston Comedy,’ and Kevin Flynn, a well-known stand-up comedian and ESPN host. The event raised more than $75,000. LEFT: (l-r) Cash Cade, Brenda Medore and Leigh Adair. Photo provided 

Music legends The Temptations provided special entertainment at the 56th annual black-tie gala, which  raised more than $1.6 million to enhance patient-care initiatives. A sold-out crowd of more than 1,200 paid tribute to Honorary Chairs Stanley and Marilyn Barry, Christine Lynn and Richard and Barbara Schmidt. The masquerade-themed décor featured elegant Venetian-style masks, rich jewel-toned linens, candle-lit centerpieces and dramatic drapery.

TOP: Dolores  and William Woolley. 

MIDDLE: Bob Sheetz and Debbie Lindstrom.

BOTTOM: Margaret Mary and John Shuff. 

Photos provided by Downtown Photo

Guests at the condo's 2018 splash-filled affair enjoyed a beautiful afternoon and a visit from former residents Howard and Beverlee Schnellenberger. 

ABOVE: (l-r) Gillian McMullin, Mark Brody, Peter McMullin and Beverlee Schnellenberger. BELOW: Legendary football coach Howard Schnellenberger visits with dog Megan.

Photos provided

About 300 people turned out to bike, run and walk in support of the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County. Participants had the option of biking 20 or 42 miles, running or walking a 5K, or doing a 1-mile family walk or ride. The event is expected to raise $70,000. ABOVE: (l-r) Event leaders Margaret Blume, Steve Carr, Kristin Calder, Len Gray and Larry Katz. Photo provided