Delray Beach City Commissioner Angela Burns won reelection when no one filed to run against her by the city’s Nov. 21 qualifying deadline.

Three candidates have qualified to run for the open seat now held by Vice Mayor Rob Long. Long has to resign his seat in December because he is running for state representative in a Dec. 9 special election.

The candidates hoping to move into his seat after the March 10 election are real estate broker Judy Mollica, attorney Andrea Keiser, and Frances-Delores Rangel, a city resident going on 60 years, who has served as the executive secretary to the commission.

Mollica is a member of the city’s Planning and Zoning Board, president of Friends of Delray and a board member of the private Old School Square Center for the Arts organization that used to manage the city’s cultural arts campus.

Keiser was named to the board of the Delray Housing Authority in January.

Rangel was named employee of the month in December 2016 for her role as executive secretary to the commission.

The City Commission has yet to appoint a temporary replacement for Long’s seat. The issue has been pushed to its Dec. 8 agenda. Any appointment will require the majority support of the four remaining commission members.

— John Pacenti

By Rich Pollack

Laura Thurston wanted to take her 2-year-old grandson to a playground with swings and slides and all things designed for small kids who just want to have fun.

A resident of Boca Highland Beach Club and Marina at the south end of Highland Beach, Thurston loaded up a stroller and made the mile-long trek to Spanish River Park, rather than drive and deal with parking rates that are $35 a day during the week and $50 on weekends for non-Boca Raton residents.

“It’s a lot to bring kids that far,” she said, adding that she raced home to accommodate an increasingly impatient toddler.

Thurston and several other Highland Beach grandparents, who point out that the town is a public playground desert, say Milani Park would be a great place for swings, slides and maybe a seesaw.

But when the Palm Beach County park opens some time in 2028, a playground will be nowhere to be found.

“There’s the missing component,” says Debbie Shulman Brecher, another Highland Beach grandmother. “People have expressed a desire for something for kids.”

County Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Cirillo says there will be things for kids to do — just not on playground equipment — at the 5.6-acre park straddling State Road A1A.

The roadblock, she said, is a 2010 settlement agreement between the county and the town that designates much of what can and can’t be part of the park.

“Although we did have community requests for a more traditional playground in the park, this park design is following the Stipulated Settlement Agreement and conceptual design approved by the town,” she said.

But the architects and engineers who are designing the park have included some elements with children in mind, she said.

“We did have several people reach out through our public meetings stating they are excited to bring their children and grandchildren to the park with them, so we are being intentional in the design to have experiences for intergenerational memories,” she said.

There will be wildlife appreciation and educational signage and elements along a boardwalk on the east side that Cirillo said will be “artistic and playful.”

The design process is ongoing, she said, and the design team has been discussing having areas along the boardwalk near trees “for reflection that are for all ages but could be considered more appealing to children.”

On the west side, near the wetland area, there will be a boardwalk with signage about the environment and history of the site. The area could also have an Art in Public Places installation, Cirillo said.

“I am excited to hear of the outcome in the new year of the Art in Public Places process and particularly how grandparents, children and grandchildren together may interact with the art selected,” she said.

An open green space on the west side of the park will be available for unstructured play.

Then, of course, there’s the beach, where kids can play in the sand and surf under the watchful eyes of lifeguards.

All of that is good, Thurston and Shulman Brecher say, but it’s not enough.

Thurston understands that the county is trying to make the park as much fun for kids as it can, but she would like to see it more interactive.

“Kids need to be kids,” she said. “Children want to run and scream — they don’t want to sit and talk.”

Shulman Brecher thinks she and Thurston are not alone in wanting their small town to be more accommodating to young children.

“I think a lot of people would like to have a place for kids,” she said.

Thurston is hoping the county can find ways to make the park more attractive to active kids while at the same time staying within the bounds of the settlement agreement.

A playground, she said, would give her grandkids an extra reason to want to go visit grandma.

“I’m just a grandmother who wants my grandkids to have a place to have fun,” Thurston said. 

Highland Beach resident Debbie Muller (left) donated money to help police acquire certified therapy dog Sparky, whose handler is Brittney Jarboe (right). Sparky’s main job will be to help police put people at ease. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

Sparky, Highland Beach’s new police therapy dog, isn’t just trained to heel, he’s also trained to help heal when a wagging tail can put someone at ease.

The latest in a number of certified police therapy dogs now making their way to police departments in Ocean Ridge, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and other area communities, Sparky is a magnet, attracting police officers and town employees who can’t wait to offer a friendly hand to sniff.

Soon the unassuming 2-year-old schnauzer-terrier mix and his handler and new best friend, Brittney Jarboe, will be available to assist police officers who come across residents or visitors who could benefit from Sparky’s comforting and supportive presence.

“He can be an icebreaker,” said Highland Beach Police Chief Craig Hartmann. “He can put people at ease when they talk to us.”

What police departments locally and across the country are finding is that police therapy dogs can reduce anxiety and stress and actually encourage communication.

In Highland Beach, with its large senior population, Sparky will be called on to follow up on welfare checks, where officers are often called to make sure a resident living alone, for example, is OK, according to Hartmann.

Sometimes those residents might just need a friendly voice — or in Sparky’s case an oscillating tail — to make them feel more at ease.

Sparky will also be used to help calm victims of a crime or an accident and to provide comfort to someone dealing with the loss of a family member.

“Therapy dogs just put people at ease when they’re in a situation,” Hartmann said. That includes police officers as well.
In Highland Beach, Sparky will have an added benefit. Since town police officers accompany the fire department on many of the calls, Sparky can also be available to help calm those going through medical emergencies — as well as their worried loved ones.

Sparky will be out and about often. He’s already been in attendance at a Town Commission meeting and will be at town events.

“This is a great way to connect with our community,” Hartmann said.

Sparky’s arrival in Highland Beach came partially through the generosity of resident and dog lover Debbie Muller, who helped pay for some of the program’s startup costs.

“The chief told me about the program and I was all for it,” said Muller, who tripled the donation that had originally been asked.

By John Pacenti

In an unusual December election, voters in Florida House District 90 will pick a new state representative.  

The Dec. 9 election choice features Democrat Delray Beach Vice Mayor Rob Long, Republican Maria Zack or independent Karen Yeh, who has no party affiliation.

The seat has been vacant since July due to the death of Democrat Rep. Joe Casello following a heart attack.

The House district encompasses a coastal portion of southern Palm Beach County, including Boynton Beach, Ocean Ridge, Briny Breezes, Gulf Stream and Delray Beach.

Long has served as a city commissioner since March 2023. No matter the outcome of the election, he was forced to resign his seat as of Dec. 9 in order to run.

He previously served two terms in a countywide elected role as a Palm Beach Soil & Water Conservation District supervisor, where he chaired the board for four years.

“After nearly a decade serving this community, I understand the issues firsthand and have the relationships to deliver real results for District 90 on day one,” Long said.

He has criticized Zack for living in Palm Beach and not residing in the district. Under state law, she can move to the district if she is elected. 

Zack defeated Bill Reicherter in the Republican primary in September.  She said moving  shouldn’t be an issue and she has been looking at several residences.

“I have worked specifically on creating solutions to end government corruption and prevent government corruption,” she said of her candidacy.

A main issue in the race is Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposal to put on the 2026 general election ballot a referendum to eliminate property taxes, the lifeblood to fund municipal governments.

Long has said he supports economic growth as opposed to property tax elimination.

Zack — a math professor turned political consultant — said she has been working with economists at the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank, and others on how to eliminate the property tax.

Yeh, the third candidate, does not support eliminating the property tax. “I think it’s very important for our firefighters and police to have local spending,” she said.

Yeh lives in Boynton Beach and is a former licensed real estate broker, a former teacher and has worked as an accountant and an auditor. She said her lifetime experience makes her the best candidate.

“Everybody says I can’t win because I’m not a Republican or Democrat,” she said. “All I want to do is concentrate on what is good for the local people.” 

Patrick Lamb plays the saxophone on the beach near his home in South Palm Beach. He’ll perform his longtime Christmas concert, which has a Charlie Brown theme, on Dec. 17 at Old School Square in Delray Beach. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

While Patrick Lamb loves living in South Palm Beach, he’s often somewhere else. He is a musician and vocalist, with two recent releases: Mint Condition and a remake of a Gino Vannelli hit, I Just Wanna Stop, which recently made No. 6 in the UK Soul Charts. He has a record label, Patrick Lamb Productions, and he owns Palm Beach Sound Co. 

“Ever since I was 19, I’ve toured all year long,” he said, estimating that he’s on the road about 100 days a year. “I’ve toured with Diane Schuur, Bobby Caldwell as part of his band, and as part of Gino Vannelli’s band the last 18 years. 

“Recently I’ve moved on from that, and I’m focused on my solo career” and namesake band.

Lamb has produced 250 concerts over the years. Entertainers he’s booked include Schuur, Sheila E., and Arturo Sandoval. “I’ve produced events for the Oxford Hotel, Bend, Oregon, for 14 years and I just did sound for John Lloyd Young, head of the Jersey Boys,” he added.

He’s a busy guy. On the day The Coastal Star interviewed him, he had just returned from Los Angeles, working with American Idol’s Randy Jackson on several songs. 

Music has held an important place in his life from early on, Lamb said. “I moved 12 times by the time I was 14, and at one of the schools, they had a recorder, and I just took a liking to it.”

Eventually, upon joining a school band, he was introduced to the saxophone. 

Then his grandmother Marie Maxwell got into the act, so to speak, when she gave him a saxophone she found at a garage sale. “It was rusty, brassy and looked like it had washed up on the beach. It was in a really old case with a belt around it,” Lamb said. 

“It would only play three notes. I played that for the first 14 years of my touring. It never played quite in tune, and I thought it was me, until I got endorsed by Cannonball Instruments. It took me a long time to get really nice instruments.”

Lamb moved from Portland, Oregon, to Florida with his wife, Joan, five years ago. Since then, he’s been making local connections. 

As part of that integration into the local community, he’s bringing to Delray Beach his longtime Christmas show, “Patrick Lamb’s A Charlie Brown Christmas Tour,” inspired by Vince Guaraldi’s score for A Charlie Brown Christmas, the 1965 animated television special that has become a Christmas staple.

“About 10 to 12 years ago, I was looking for a concept for a Christmas tour (with music that) everybody loves and that musicians love. I love Vince’s music and that became the program I chose.

“Anybody who has seen that program remembers the little dances in Charlie Brown, and we invite people to come down and dance and we have sing-alongs.”  

Lamb likes it when people come together around music, and for this show, he said, “Kids are singing and their parents get into the spirit of the whole event. I am in the happiness business, and everybody is smiling and having fun. That’s why I do this. I also do this for the awareness of the importance of arts and music in the schools. 

“I am following part of my mission in my life and my legacy.”

“Patrick Lamb’s Charlie Brown Christmas Tour” will come to the Amphitheater at Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., in view of Delray Beach’s 100-foot Christmas tree, from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 17. 

Lamb will be joined by his namesake band and the Young Singers of the Palm Beaches. A student band from the School of Rock will play a happy Christmas rock and roll set, and a student dance group from the Achievement Centers for Children & Families will perform. 

For tickets, priced from $27.37 general admission, go to events.delrayoldschoolsquare.com/event-details/charlie-brown-christmas.

— Christine Davis

Q: Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?

A: I’m from the Mississippi Delta. My childhood was a bit of an odyssey — my parents were teachers, and by the time I was 14, we had moved 12 times through Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and Texas. I went to first and second grade at Boyle Elementary in Boyle, Mississippi, and later studied under Andy Hardwick before earning scholarships to several colleges.

Constantly moving made me shy and uncertain at first, but in hindsight, it taught me independence and resilience. I eventually found my grounding in music — performing with the International All-Star Band, winning soloist awards at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, and studying under Dave Barduhn at Mount Hood College, who arranged for Stan Kenton.

A call from Diane Schuur changed everything and launched my touring career. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of performing with artists like Bobby Caldwell, Smokey Robinson and Gino Vannelli — what I like to call “a saxophonist to the stars” kind of journey.

Q: What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?

A: I’ve worked since my teens — everything from picking strawberries and cleaning roofs to parking cars and making pizzas. Every job taught me something about work ethic and humility.

Music has been my main profession since I was 16, but I’ve also always had an entrepreneurial streak. I founded a ticketing company that grew to over $50 million in sales, and later launched Palm Beach Sound, which I brought down from Portland, Oregon, when I moved here.

Now we live by the ocean near Eau Palm Beach, and I can honestly say I’m doing what I love — performing, producing and building meaningful projects that bring people together through music.

Q: What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today?

A: If you love music, get into a good music school and find mentors who challenge and inspire you. Always stay curious, humble, and hungry to improve.

A professional music career is not a halfway commitment. It’s like the Olympics: the top 2% makes it, and that takes 200% dedication. If you must ask, “Should I do this professionally?” — the answer is probably no. Passion has to drive you, not convenience.

Q: How did you choose to make your home in South Palm Beach?

A: My wife, Joan, is from Florida and absolutely loves it here. When we first visited, we stayed at The Breakers and The Four Seasons to get a feel for the area — and we were hooked.

It took time to transition our businesses, but the community welcomed us with open arms. The teams at the Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority and Old School Square — especially Victoria DeSilvio and Laura Simon — have been incredible partners in connecting new community members and supporting the arts.

Q: What’s your favorite part about living in South Palm Beach?

A: Waking up, having coffee and watching the surfers. It never gets old.

Q: What book are you reading now?

A: The 50th Law: Overcoming Adversity Through Fearlessness. It’s a powerful reminder that fear is the only real obstacle between us and our potential. (The book is by rapper 50 Cent with co-writer Robert Greene.)

Q: What music do you listen to for inspiration and relaxation?

A: For inspiration, I listen to Emmet Cohen, Christian McBride and other incredible new artists pushing jazz forward. For relaxation, I go back to the classics — albums like Miles Smiles that never lose authenticity.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?

A:  “Argue for your limitations, and they’re yours.” I hear people talk about what they can’t do, and I think, “Then you’ve already lost.”

Another guiding truth for me is, “The only thing that matters is what’s true.” I’m not interested in red or blue — I just want what’s real.

And one more: “God makes a way where there is no way.” When I look at my life now, I could never have imagined where God was taking me. Honestly. He’s been there for me the entire time — even when I didn’t know it.

I was scheduled to climb Mount Hood in 1986 with my climbing team, but I twisted my ankle playing indoor soccer and couldn’t go. That climb tragically took the lives of seven students and two faculty — all friends of mine. 

I’ve also survived two dump truck accidents (yes, there’s probably a joke in there somewhere), a broken back in three places, and the challenges of a broken family, alcoholism, disillusionment and depression.

It is only through the grace of God that I’m here today.

Q: Have you had mentors or individuals who have inspired your life decisions?

A: A few stand out — Andy Hardwick and Michael Barranco in Jackson, Mississippi. My grandmothers, Marie Maxwell and Laura Ethredge, gave me unconditional love and stability during all the moving around. My grandfather, Otto Maxwell, was a Marine-turned-plumber who earned respect through quiet strength and integrity.

And most of all, my wife, Joan. She’s been the greatest influence — steady, grounded and full of light. Moving from Portland  to Florida was one of the best decisions I ever made, personally and professionally.

Q: If your life story were made into a movie, who would you want to play you?

A: Probably Joaquin Phoenix — he’s unpredictable, complex and intense enough to capture my journey.

By Rich Pollack

Two members of the Highland Beach Town Commission will be returning to their seats next spring after neither drew opposition before the filing deadline in November.

Mayor Natasha Moore, who as vice mayor filled the seat following the death of Mayor Doug Hillman in 2023 and who was elected without opposition to complete the term in 2024, will lead the commission for three more years.

Also returning is Commissioner Donald Peters, who will serve a second three-year term beginning in March.

Moore said she decided to run again to help the town continue its positive momentum and to ensure that projects Highland Beach has started are completed with the long-term interest of residents a priority.

She said that during the time she’s been on the commission the town has made progress in strengthening public safety, protecting the coastal environment, investing in infrastructure, and ensuring Highland Beach remains financially strong.

“My commitment is to keep Highland Beach safe, well-managed, and prepared for the future,” she said. “I’m grateful for the trust our community has placed in me, and I remain dedicated to serving with transparency, accountability, and a clear vision for what comes next.”

Peters said that he, too, wants to continue the progress the town has made in recent years.

“I love the town and I hope to help keep our theme of ‘three miles of paradise,’” he said.

The automatic election of both Moore and Peters to serve on the commission marks the third year in a row that Highland Beach commissioners have been chosen without opposition.

In March, Commissioner Jason Chudnofsky, who had run without opposition, began his first term on the commission, filling the seat vacated by term-limited Evalyn David.

The previous year Moore, Vice Mayor David Stern and Commissioner Judith Goldberg were all returned to their seats without opposition.

Commissioners and those who follow town government believe the lack of opposition to current commissioners is an indication that residents are pleased with the direction the town is moving.

Haynie

Criminal charges against former Boca Raton Mayor Susan Haynie were resolved by a plea deal nearly five years ago, but related ethics charges have remained open.

Now, the state Commission on Ethics has dismissed three of the most serious of those charges, but did not do so based on their merit.

Rather, commissioners had to dismiss them because of a new state law that took effect this year. It says that complaints filed against an official must be based on personal knowledge rather than hearsay.

Parts of the complaint against Haynie by Al Zucaro, publisher of the now-defunct BocaWatch blog, were based on news reports and not on his personal knowledge.

As a result, three of eight charges had to be dropped, according to ethics officials. Ethics commissioners unanimously did so at their Nov. 14 meeting without commenting.

Eliminated are charges that Haynie violated state law by concealing a business relationship with commercial property owners James and Marta Batmasian, and by voting on matters that financially benefited herself or the Batmasians.

The remaining charges accuse Haynie of filing inaccurate financial disclosure statements in 2012 through 2016. Those statements also concealed the relationship and her votes.

Haynie faces a reprimand and fines of up to $20,000 per violation, although she and the commission could reach an agreement on the penalty.

The ethics commission still must act on these charges, but has not set a date for doing so.

In the criminal case, Haynie pleaded guilty on April 1, 2021, to two misdemeanor counts of misuse of public office and failure to disclose voting conflicts. She was placed on probation for 12 months.

By happenstance, one of the ethics commissioners who voted at the November meeting is former Boca Raton Deputy Mayor Jeremy Rodgers, who resigned from the council in 2020 and now is a field chief technology officer for Armis, a cybersecurity company headquartered in San Francisco.

Rodgers, who was appointed to the commission in June by Gov. Ron DeSantis, told commissioners that the agency’s general counsel had determined that he had no conflict of interest and could vote.

— Mary Hladky

Manalapan will have no municipal election in March because the candidates for the open seats qualified without opposition.

The town has confirmed that the following individuals qualified for office in November as required, and that no one else filed in any of their respective races:

Commissioner Orla Imbesi (Seat 2)

Commissioner Dwight Kulwin (Seat 4)

Mayor Pro Tem Elliot Bonner (Seat 6)

All three were appointed to the commission when others resigned in 2023 because of Form 6, which required new state financial disclosures of elected municipal officials — requirements that were ultimately placed on hold due to a court challenge.

Their new terms, which start in March, expire in March 2028.

Imbesi works for several family businesses, Bonner is a Florida Power & Light executive, and Kulwin is a retired ophthalmologist.

— John Pacenti

OCEAN RIDGE — Don Young died Nov. 23 while in hospice care at his home in Ocean Ridge, with his family by his side. He was 89.

Mr. Young was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 12, 1936, to his loving parents, Donald John Young and Elizabeth Cowan Young. He was the elder brother and lifelong supporter and guardian of Tim. Tim’s struggle with serious health issues, which began with his birth, made Mr. Young empathetic to the difficulties and hardships of people from all walks of life.

Donald Soutar Young matriculated at the University of Michigan. This set the ground for a lifetime in Michigan, as well as a lifetime of devotion to all things “Blue.” The phrase “Ohio State” was not considered polite conversation in his company.

At Michigan, Mr. Young undertook intellectual pursuits and by senior year he was president of the Michigan Union, a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society and a Navy ROTC midshipman. 

While at Michigan, Mr. Young met Laila Sadi. It was love at first sight and led to their marriage after college. 

Following graduation with highest academic honors, Mr. Young was accepted at Harvard Law School but first entered the Navy. His service led to sea duty on a destroyer home-ported at Newport, Rhode Island. 

The couple’s quarters in Newport were well known among Mr. Young’s fellow officers as a place for an enjoyable story and cocktails; it is thought that the coordinates of their place were logged on the charts hung in the wardrooms of visiting Navy vessels. 

Following law school, Mr. Young accepted a position in the Detroit-based firm Dykema Gossett, where he rose to run the firm’s litigation practice. He mentored scores of young lawyers who went on to constructive careers, including prominent jurists. 

Mr. Young particularly promoted the career aspirations of young women attorneys, as he understood the significant roadblocks women faced seeking to build a substantive career.

Don and Laila first came to the Ocean Ridge area in the early 1970s, attracted by its low-key charm and stunning beauty.

He took important roles at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the ALAS legal/insurance group, the National Service Organization and as a founding trustee of the Florida Coalition for Preservation in Boynton Beach, where he helped lead the fight against untrammeled development of South Florida’s beautiful coastline.

Later in life, Mr. Young suffered from atopic dermatitis, a serious form of eczema. He joined the National Eczema Association and became chairman of its board. Today, we have effective treatments and far greater understanding of the disease, thanks to efforts he coordinated.

Mr. Young leaves behind his beloved wife, Laila; his children, Sarah and her husband; Jamie; and Donald and his wife, Jane; and his adoring grandchildren, Harry O’Donnell, Jack O’Donnell, Wheeler Young, Charlie Young and Honor O’Donnell.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers “and if anyone would wish to do so in Mr. Young’s memory,”contributions may be made to the National Eczema Association (www.nationaleczema.org).

— Submitted by the family

ALSO IN THE WORKS: Highland Beach is seeking state funds to install embedded lights on its A1A crosswalks, like this one in Deerfield Beach. The lights activate when a pedestrian pushes a button before crossing. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

Highland Beach is hoping the Florida Legislature will send $750,000 its way, with a lot of the money going to fix a problem it says the state created during its State Road A1A construction project.

In November, the town submitted a request for the funds to the legislature, hoping to use $300,000 to install embedded lights in the eight crosswalks on A1A — with the rest of the money going to resurface and raise the town’s 3-mile sidewalk.

The A1A project started almost a year and a half ago and is months behind schedule. But with the completion near, Town Manager Marshall Labadie says water sometimes floods the sidewalk because the surface of the highway has been raised too high, creating a safety problem.

Pedestrians are forced to walk on the shoulder to the traffic lane or the edge of the roadway, an area that is used by bicyclists and motorists.

“It’s a confluence of different kinds of users on a roadway that isn’t built for that,” he said.

In addition, Labadie said there are sections of the sidewalk that Florida Department of Transportation contractors improved but other sections that were not touched.

“The town may replace the whole sidewalk and move it up to standards,” he said.

The town manager said raising the sidewalk would keep water coming off the road in the swales.

“The goal is to reduce flooding on the walking path during smaller and more frequent rain events,” he said.

At least one town commissioner said raising the sidewalk may not be enough.

Commissioner Jason Chudnofsky said he supports the town’s request for the allocation but is not sure swales will be able to handle water from heavy rains coming off the raised road and the raised sidewalk at the same time.

“I would like to have an engineer come and tell me how this is going to solve the problem,” he said.

Chudnofsky believes if the swales are full, residents will be forced to walk in the shared portion of the road or in the water if bicyclists are using the 5-foot-wide bike lane.

“There’s something wrong with that,” he said.

Labadie said the town will be matching the $450,000 to address the sidewalk issue if state funding comes through.

The town manager said he hopes the town will be able to add embedded lighting to the town’s eight pedestrian crosswalks if the appropriation is approved. If the state doesn’t approve the funding, the town could consider funding the project on its own.

The town has already installed pedestrian-activated flashing signs at the crosswalks with lights that shine on the crosswalks. The embedded lights, also pedestrian activated, would add one more alert to motorists that a pedestrian is using the crosswalk.

Labadie said the town would wait until the A1A construction project is finished before installing the lights.

FDOT officials say the project is scheduled to be completed sometime in December, a number of months later than the original target completion date of this past summer. 

WELLINGTON — Charles Andrew Elmore, a reporter at the Palm Beach Post for 30-plus years and more recently a freelancer for The Coastal Star, died Oct. 30 at his home in Wellington, less than three months after diagnosis with metastatic colon cancer. He was 62.

He was a devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, friend, journalist and sports fan. 

Mr. Elmore was born on Sept. 13, 1963, in Titusville, where his parents — Mary Wallace Hollingsworth of Sylvania, Georgia, and Albert Earl Elmore of Forest, Mississippi — had been recruited to teach school during the “space boom.” His only sibling, John “Jay” Edward Elmore, was born in 1967. 

He spent his childhood in several Southern locales, including Nashville, Tennessee; Cleveland, Mississippi; Birmingham, Alabama; and his most cherished place of all, the beloved family cabin on Brier Creek near Sylvania. He graduated in 1981 from Prince Edward County High School in Farmville, Virginia, where he was editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and a three-sport athlete — in football, basketball and tennis.

Mr. Elmore graduated magna cum laude from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, where he majored in English. He served as editor-in-chief of The Sewanee Purple his senior year of college. During his college summers, he interned at The Washington Times and The Atlanta Constitution. 

If there are natural-born journalists, Mr. Elmore surely was one. He was a true believer in freedom of the press, journalistic integrity, and the centrality of both for a democratic society. At age 10, he persuaded his teacher to let him start a newsletter, The Fifth-Grade Times, which prominently featured his editorial columns expressing disappointment and dismay over President Nixon and the Watergate scandal.

Mr. Elmore became a business reporter for The Palm Beach Post in 1986, accepted a position with The Atlanta Constitution in 1987, and, after marrying Jenifer Lynn Bobo in 1988, he worked for a year as a foreign freelance reporter while the couple traveled the world during his wife’s Thomas J. Watson Fellowship.

Mr. Elmore returned to The Palm Beach Post in 1989 and worked for the paper until his retirement in 2019. He wrote news and feature stories for multiple beats and sections. He served for a time as the Post’s Tallahassee bureau chief; covered multiple Grand Slam tennis tournaments including Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the French Open; and handled special investigations along with his business and government news coverage. 

More recently, he reported on a freelance basis for the Town-Crier in Wellington and The Coastal Star.

He received numerous awards for his coverage, including a National Headliner Award in 2003, a Best of Cox Award in 2001 from the Post’s then parent company, and multiple first-place awards in annual competitions — including one in January from the Florida Press Club for his 2024 Coastal Star piece on predatory parking rates in downtown Delray Beach private lots.

He loved history, true crime narratives, detective fiction, stoic philosophy, rock and blues music, stand-up comedy, the many Jack Russell terriers that he and Jenifer adopted, and, of course, sports. He was a passionate, lifelong fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and the University of Virginia Cavaliers men’s basketball team.

Besides his wife and brother, Mr. Elmore is survived by daughters Martha Hollingsworth “Holly” Elmore of San Francisco and Shelby Elizabeth Elmore of Stuart; son Andrew John Elmore of Wellington; and many extended family members.

He was preceded in death by his mother in 1997 and his father in 2016.

A funeral service was held Nov. 4 at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Wellington, with burial Nov. 8 at Screven County Memorial Cemetery in Georgia.

Donations in Mr. Elmore’s honor may be made to Journalism Funding Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the depth, diversity and sustainability of local journalism, at www.jfp-local.org.

— Submitted by the family

By Rich Pollack

The Highland Beach Police Department recently reached a major milestone, having achieved a “flawless inspection report” from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation for the second consecutive time.

Highland Beach Police Chief Craig Hartmann said that three inspectors from the commission, which provides accreditation status to police departments throughout the state, found that the department scored perfectly on a detailed set of standards and regulations during the recent inspection.

The chief says accreditation is a coveted recognition of a department’s overall excellence, competence and professionalism.

“The residents and employees of Highland Beach can take pride in knowing that their agency represents the best in law enforcement,” he said.

Hartmann said the inspectors spent three days in town reviewing the department’s policies and procedures and checking to make sure they are followed. The team also reviewed the department’s training process and spent time interviewing members of the department as well as some residents.

“This is our barometer to show how we’re doing,” the chief said.

The commission, which recertifies departments every three years once they become accredited, found the Highland Beach agency to have a flawless inspection in 2022 as well as this year.

The department first became accredited in 2016 and was also recertified, but not as flawless, in 2019.

The Highland Beach police’s success in achieving flawless inspections, the chief said, is due in large part to the efforts of training and accreditation manager Eric Aronowitz, who oversees the process.

Hartmann said he was especially pleased to hear the inspectors share his staff’s views about the culture in the department.

“They made it a point to comment on how impressed they were with the culture they felt exists in the department and the level of commitment they saw,” he said. 

Visitors admire the new mural by artist Brian Butler and read the words and phrases that can be projected onto the Count de Hoernle Amphitheater at Mizner Park. Photo provided

As part of the city’s centennial celebrations, a new mural created by artist Brian Butler is now displayed on the Mizner Park Amphitheater stage doors.

Officials unveiled the “Ode to Boca” mural on Nov. 25 during a ceremony hosted by the city’s Public Art Boca program in collaboration with the O, Miami poetry organization.

The mural showcases key city features, including Addison Mizner architecture, the Intracoastal Waterway, a sunbather on a beach, a sea turtle and a ship.

Attendees met Butler, who is based in Miami, and saw poetry created by city residents in honor of the centennial.

Residents were encouraged to write five-line poetic tributes to the city, with the number of words in each line based on residents’ ZIP code numbers.

Words and phrases from the poems will be projected onto the stage doors after sunset.

The event was one of the last that will celebrate this year’s centennial. On Dec. 6, the city will debut new public art at Wildflower Park and bring back the Mi Casa, Your Casa swings that drew many residents to the Intracoastal park downtown earlier this year.

The new amphitheater mural replaces one that was first displayed on the 30-by-60-foot stage doors in 2021. That mural, titled “On Stage,” featured a musician and a dancer and was created by West Palm Beach artist Eduardo Mendieta.

— Mary Hladky

Candace Friis and her son, Phil Friis, have been part of the five highest-priced home sales in Gulf Stream in 2024 and 2025, including a town-record $39 million deal. Photo provided

By Christine Davis

When it comes to knowing the Gulf Stream real estate market, Candace and Phil Friis are second to none.

The mother-son duo, agents with the Corcoran Group, have been involved in the top five residential transactions in the town over the past two years.

That includes the all-time top price for a home in Gulf Stream — the $39 million, June 2024 sale of the oceanfront home at 3223 N. Ocean Blvd., where they  represented both the buyer and seller.

“We’re a great team,” Candace Friis said, grateful that the youngest of her three children had the same interest in the real estate market.

“It’s the best ever,” she said of their working relationship. “He’s got my back all the time. And I’ve got his back.”

 The two in October were part of the $15.914 million sale of 8 Driftwood Landing, which was the fifth-highest sale in town during 2024 and 2025. Once again, they represented the buyer and the seller.

The other three top sales in the past two years:

• The second-highest purchase price was $22 million for 3435 N. Ocean Blvd. in September, with the Friises representing the seller, Bon Property LLC. The home actually makes the recent top-priced list twice — in fourth place as well — with the team also having brokered its April 2024 sale for $21 million.

• The $21.625 million sale of 1443 N. Ocean Blvd., better known as the Lila Vanderbilt Webb estate, in September ranks third. The Friises represented the buyer, Commodore Gulfstream LLC, which purchased the house from the family of the late Robert Ganger.

What’s it like holding the town’s priciest sale?

“It is an honor to have represented the highest sale ever for Gulf Stream, surpassing our previous record representations and continuing to solidify this exclusive enclave as one of South Florida’s most coveted locations,” Candace Friis said.  

The home itself did have something to do with it.

Phil Friis credited “the exceptional location, substantial size and breathtaking views of the property” for helping it bring top dollar.

***                             

Developer and former Manalapan Mayor Stewart Satter has rethought how to market his ocean-to-lake property in town at 1960 S. Ocean Blvd. 

Last January, he listed it for $285 million, as a proposed new-construction mansion that buyers could customize.  

Those plans were for a 54,570-total-square-foot estate with an eight-bedroom main house and guest house on the lakeside parcel, with a beach house on the ocean side. A tunnel under State Road A1A would connect the two parcels. 

Satter is now also listing the property at $75 million as a land offering to go with the plans he had drawn up last year. 

Douglas Elliman listing agent Nick Malinosky confirmed: “Based on the feedback from last season from interested buyers about acquiring the land as well as the from the brokerage community, we are offering it both ways.”

***                              

Mark Pulte of homebuilder Mark Timothy Inc. sold his newly built, 14,000-square-foot mansion at 701 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach, for $59 million in October. The buyer was the 701 South Ocean Trust with BNY Mellon as trustee. 

This beats the city record-setting sale this past July, a 12-bedroom, 19,055-square-foot residence at 2325 S. Ocean Blvd., which sold for $51.12 million.

On more than an acre with 120 feet on the ocean, the six-bedroom estate at 701 S. Oceanwas crafted by Mark Timothy Luxury Homes with interiors by Jeffrey Strasser. Pulte acquired the site in 2020 for $11.05 million and completed the home in 2023. 

It was listed by Pascal J. Liguori and Carmen N. D’Angelo of Premier Estate Properties. Pascal J. Liguori and Antonio G. Liguori of Premier Estate Properties represented the buyer. 

***                              

Saily Perkins sold her Delray Beach oceanfront seven-bedroom, 9,761-square-foot mansion at 1171 S. Ocean Blvd., for $29.625 million. Perkins is the widow of AshBritt Environmental founder Randy Perkins. 

The new owner is Sunset Pine Trust, with attorney Elana Bronson as trustee. The home  last traded for $18 million in 2021. 

Built on the 0.9-acre site in 1994, the home was recently renovated by builder Mouw Associates with interiors designed by Marc Michaels Interiors. Agents Nick Malinosky and Michael O’Connor of Douglas Elliman represented the seller in the deal, while the Matt Moser and  Nick Gonzalez team at Serhant worked with the buyer.

***                              

Florida Atlantic University’s Arthur and Emalie Gutterman Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education recently hosted its annual Educator Awards Dinner at the Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center. The dinner celebrated the work of K-12 teachers supported by the Gutterman center and honored the 2024 Gutterman Family Outstanding Holocaust Educators.

One of the honorees was from the Palm Beach County School District, Lisa Brown of Lake Worth High School.

***                              

American Heritage Schools announced  “Niche” rankings for the Delray Beach campus, which rated No. 1 in four Palm Beach County categories: Best Private K-12, Best College Prep Private High Schools, Best High Schools for STEM, and Best Boarding High Schools.

Niche’s ranking factors include SAT/ACT scores, the quality of colleges students consider, and student-to-teacher ratio, among other criteria. 

***                               

Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science received a $1.5 million donation from the Aaron Family Foundation and technology company Ubicquia to create the Ubicquia Innovation Center for Intelligent Infrastructure.

 The center will help design and utilize technologies, like industrial sensors and artificial intelligence, that aim to improve how utilities, cities and businesses manage their infrastructure through digital tools.

***                              

Rick Maharajh, CEO and founder of the Boynton Beach Chamber of Industry & Commerce, announced an effort to support the relief in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.  

“The BBCIC has a proud member, Playa Paraiso Jamaica Bed and Breakfast, located in Hanover, Jamaica. I have personally been in touch with the owners and will continue to do so and to reassure them that they have our support,” Maharajh said.  

“We have partnered with Car Accident Referral Services, a BBCIC member, along with Dutch Pot Jamaican Restaurant, to provide this joint relief effort. Please join us in supporting all our friends in Jamaica.” 

They are looking for tarps, work gloves, generators, flashlights (including solar-powered flashlights), large trash bags, tents, canned/nonperishable foods, industrial sponges, water, first-aid kits, batteries, sleeping bags, new clothing and toiletries. 

Boynton Beach resident Samantha Ramnarine, owner of  Car Accident Referral Services, is heading up the collection efforts. To donate, call her at 954-249-5858 to make arrangements. 

  ***                              

The nonprofit Institute for Regional Conservation has launched a new initiative, “Reviving Urban Nature.” As part of this effort, the institute partnered with Boca Raton’s Office of Sustainability to restore scrub habitat at Gopher Tortoise Preserve in Boca Raton. 

At two recent events, volunteers planted scrub species that included gopher apple, narrow-leaf silkgrass and large-flower false rosemary. These plants provide habitat for endangered gopher tortoises and other species that depend on Florida’s scrub ecosystem. 

The preserve is not open to the public yet, so look for future announcements from the city of Boca Raton to see these planting areas. 

***                             

Boynton Beach Vice Mayor Woodrow Hay was recently awarded an honorary lifetime membership to the Boynton Beach Chamber of Industry & Commerce. Hay was first elected to the City Commission representing District 2 in November 2007. He also served as mayor in 2012-2013 after being appointed to fill a vacancy in that office, and he has served on the planning and development board for the last eight years.

Hay has been involved with community organizations that include the Committed Citizens Concerned About Our Children, the Boynton Beach Housing Authority, the United Way Palm Beach County and the Jean Cobbs Sickle Cell Center in Delray Beach.

***                            

Among Michelin Key distinctions, two area hotels won “keys” in 2025. The Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach won two keys and the Tower at The Boca Raton won one key.

The Michelin Key awards, introduced in 2024, recognize “the most outstanding hotels in our selection,” similar to how Michelin stars denote restaurants. The selection process involves anonymous inspections by Michelin Guide experts, who choose from a list of more than 5,000 properties. One key signifies a “very special stay with high comfort and great personality.” Two keys denote “an exceptional stay with premier service and design.”

Christine Davis writes business news and can be reached at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

The Boca Raton City Council unanimously approved Camino Square’s second phase after the project’s builders agreed to include more retail and less residential.

The Nov. 17 vote of the council, sitting as Community Redevelopment Agency commissioners, came one month after they put the project on ice until landowner Kimco Corp. and FCI Residential Corp. revised plans.

The changes they made were small but enough to secure the council’s blessing on grounds that they would bring more people to the site and enliven it.

The number of residential units dropped from 394 to 374 and the amount of retail increased from 8,632 square feet to 23,368 square feet.

The project also would include a bigger interior courtyard and pocket park fronting Camino Real.

Project attorney Ele Zachariades said she hopes the builders will be able to lease some of the space to a restaurant that would have outdoor dining.

The previous month she told council members that, despite years of trying, the builders were unable to attract retail because a gas station blocks the view of the property from the street so people won’t know retail is there.

The vote came six years after the council approved the first phase of the project at 171 W. Camino Real. It included two eight-story apartment buildings with 350 units that are now almost fully leased.

At the time, the second phase, located on the western side of the 9.1-acre tract, was to focus on retail. Since then, the plan was changed to add two more eight-story apartment buildings and a parking garage.

— Mary Hladky

Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer began his pitch to New York City businesses even before the November election, when Zohran Mamdani was only a candidate for NYC mayor. Screen grab provided

By Mary Hladky

Now that democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani decisively won the Nov. 4 New York City mayoral election, Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer is doubling down on his efforts to lure companies here.

Betting last summer that company officials would flee the Big Apple to escape higher corporate taxes and a new tax on the wealthy that Mamdani has called for, Singer embarked on a media blitz and spent $70,000 of city funds on a huge Times Square billboard touting Boca Raton.

With Mamdani’s mayoral win no longer a hypothetical, Singer once again has blanketed conservative media outlets, Palm Beach County newspapers and TV stations, and social media with his pitch to relocate.

“Another message this morning from New York business owners looking to move to @CityBocaRaton,” he wrote on X the day after the election. “Expected to be a busy day. Many companies already have made the move. If you’re thinking about it now, we can help!”

Asked about what response the city is getting, Singer said, “With expected regulation, tax increases and a potential change in policing that will affect New York business leaders, we received inquiries right after the election results and expect more inbound calls.”

While city officials can’t say how many of those inquiries will result in relocations, five companies committed to coming to Boca Raton during this year’s third quarter, before the election. The two that have been announced so far are not from New York City.

“Five in a quarter is pretty impressive,” said Jessica Del Vecchio, the city’s economic development manager. Four pay six-figure salaries, and one falls slightly below that.

The announced companies are ADMA Biologics — headquartered in New Jersey and a manufacturer of specialty biologics for treatment of immunodeficient patients — which is establishing a Florida campus in the city; and BioStem Technologies, relocating to the city from Pompano Beach, which develops advanced wound care products. The others will be named once negotiations are completed.

Del Vecchio said staff compiled a list of vetted companies that might be open to a move to Boca Raton and gave that to Singer to make the pitch.

Singer’s frequent social media posts touting his efforts have drawn blowback from some city residents, who accuse him of exacerbating overdevelopment and clogged roads by drawing more people to Boca Raton.

In response, Singer has said he does not intend to bring a big influx of new residents. He also said the goal is not necessarily to attract large corporate headquarters. Regional or back offices would be fine.

‘The buzz is real’
Yet Singer is not alone in sensing opportunity to attract companies with well-paid jobs.

Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner launched his own Times Square billboard in November to attract New York businesses, the Miami Herald has reported.

The billboard, paid for by real estate developer Russell Galbut, shows a Miami Beach lifeguard stand with the message: “Miami Beach is open for business. Everyone welcomed! Mayor Steven Meiner.” A second billboard is in the works.

The Business Development Board of Palm Beach County is well ahead of both mayors.

It launched its Wall Street South campaign 15 years ago to lure financial firms away from New York. Major companies that opened offices in the county include Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, Citadel and Elliott Management.

Immediately after Mamdani’s election, BDB president and CEO Kelly Smallridge was fielding calls from companies, prompting the board to reactivate its Wall Street South campaign.

The effort includes the board’s own billboard in Times Square that says, “Dear NYC, it’s not you. It’s me,” reflecting that companies are willing to leave for greener pastures.

“The buzz is real,” Smallridge said. “The inquiries certainly had an uptick since the election.”

Smallridge said it’s too soon to say how many companies will relocate since that’s a lengthy and expensive process. Some possibly are waiting to see if Mamdani follows through on his taxation plans.

But they are kicking the tires. “Companies are inquiring about what offices are available, public and private schools, the permitting process…” she said. “They are calling us for exploratory conversations.”

Realtors see interest
Similarly, several Realtors contacted by The Coastal Star are seeing increased interest from New Yorkers. But unlike the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was a buying surge, the pace is slower.

“Despite the social media chatter, this isn’t a frenzy. It’s deliberate, calculated and very real,” Steven Presson, who is with the Corcoran Group, wrote in a Facebook post.

“The migration wave is coming again — just not as a sprint,” he wrote.

“This time, it’s a marathon. But make no mistake: South Florida will once again be the clear beneficiary.”

While the COVID surge was prompted by health concerns and related lockdowns, the current interest is the result of Mamdani’s election, Presson wrote. For some affluent residents and business leaders, that has prompted them to speed up their decision to buy in Florida, he wrote.

In the post as well as in an interview, Presson told of a recent client who toured four properties and bought a $3 million home in the Manalapan area as a way of establishing a toehold in Florida. Within three years, he expects to make a more significant purchase.

“With virtually every buyer from the Northeast, we spend a portion of every showing talking about the dynamics of New York City and how they are concerned and how things have changed,” he said.

Joseph Liguori, broker/owner at Premier Estate Properties in Boca Raton, concurs that a smaller wave is coming.

“The pandemic was the tsunami,” he said. “Now significant waves have been coming in periodically since then.”

Most of the people who wanted out of New York, whether for tax, political or economic reasons, already have left, he said. But he is seeing an increase in people making inquiries and plans to look at properties.

But with or without Mamdani, the South Florida market is strong, he said, with buyers paying $10 million to more than $60 million for a home.

Jackie Feldman, with ONE Sotheby’s Realty in Boca Raton, also agrees a mass exodus from New York won’t happen.

But she knows many people there, and says younger ones with families are leaving the city and moving to suburbs like Westchester County. Older ones who leave are coming to South Florida.

“I think this will be a significant trickle effect,” she said. “Most people are terrified about what will become of New York City.”

Speaking of Mamdani’s policies, she said, “The people who are high net worth, they don’t want to live like that. The changes that are going to come to New York City are too drastic for these people to accept. They want to live the way they have been living, and unfortunately that will change significantly for them.”

Mamdani plans to raise the corporate tax rate to 11.5% to bring in $5 billion that will fund his other initiatives such as free child care, and a 2% tax on New Yorkers earning more than $1 million annually.

The City Council on Nov. 18 unanimously approved the second phase of the Residences at Martin Manor construction project that will double the number of low-income housing units in Boca Raton.

The apartment complex at 1350 N. Dixie Highway, formerly known as Dixie Manor, now is named in honor of Lois Martin, a community leader and educator who passed away in 2022.

After years of planning to upgrade the dilapidated complex, which dates to the 1940s, a groundbreaking ceremony for the first project phase was held on Aug. 25. That three-building phase replaces the 95 units now on the 10-acre site.

The second phase on the south end of the site includes two buildings with a total of 105 units. One of the existing buildings will be preserved to become a museum devoted to the history of Dixie Manor and a community center.

The Residences at Martin Manor is in the Pearl City section of Boca Raton, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The first phase is under construction now. Once it is completed, work will begin on the second phase.

Tenants living in units on the north side have been moved into available south-side units or relocated elsewhere, but all tenants of the entire complex have the right to return, if they so choose, once the project is completed.

The housing complex is operated by the Boca Raton Housing Authority, which has partnered with Atlantic Pacific Communities, a subsidiary of Atlantic Pacific Companies, on the reconstruction.

— Mary Hladky

By Steve Plunkett

Federal appeals judges in Atlanta have handed Boca Raton an early holiday gift: The city will not have to pay more than $1 million in legal fees to the owner of a vacant beachfront parcel who has spent years trying to secure a building permit.

At the same time, they have taken away the “right” to build on 2500 N. Ocean Blvd. that property owner Natural Lands LLC had won from U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith.

Smith had ruled in March 2024 that Natural Lands “has the right to build a single-family, detached dwelling” on the site “subject to satisfying the city’s CCCL variance criteria.”

But, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided last month, “under our precedent, Natural Lands does not have a viable (federal) claim because it did not use the available and adequate State remedy to address its alleged injury.”

“Accordingly, the district court erred in granting relief on Natural Lands’s procedural due process claim. We reverse and remand to the district court with instructions to dismiss the claim,” the appeals court said Nov. 17.

Because the due process claim was not properly before the district court, that court “abused its discretion in awarding Natural Lands attorney’s fees and costs related to that claim. Thus, we reverse the district court’s fee award as well,” the ruling concluded.

The case began in 2011 when the landowner first applied for a building permit.

In December 2015 the City Council caused a public outcry when it approved a zoning variance to allow something to be built at 2500 N. Ocean, an 88.5-foot-wide lot. City rules normally require lots at least 100 feet wide.

Natural Lands planned to build a 48-foot-tall, 8,666-square-foot single-family home at the site and obtained a Notice to Proceed from the state Department of Environmental Protection in October 2016.

But the council on July 23, 2019, denied a variance to its Coastal Construction Control Line, which limits building east of State Road A1A.

Natural Lands filed its federal lawsuit in October 2019 alleging bias among City Council decision-makers, suggesting a potential procedural due process claim.

At the trial, Smith found that Mayor Scott Singer’s “bias was clear” and he would have to recuse himself from any future decisions on whether to give Natural Lands a CCCL variance.

Also ordered to recuse themselves were Council members Andrea O’Rourke and Monica Mayotte, who were similarly found to be unfairly biased. But both have been term-limited out of office, as Singer will be next March.

On appeal, the city argued that Smith erred in granting judicial relief based on the procedural due process claim because an adequate state remedy, certiorari review of the council decision by the Palm Beach County Circuit Court, was available.

“We agree,” the federal appeals court said.

Its decision has not made its way to Smith’s calendar yet.

Lawyers for Natural Lands had filed documents with Smith seeking $1,034,253.50 plus interest for attorney’s fees and $28,841 in costs. The court denied the requests while the appeal was pending.

Natural Lands and the city met for a “planning advisory review” of its site plans on July 22. But the landowner has not applied for a building permit.

Meanwhile, in the wake of Smith’s ruling, the city and Azure Development LLC paused two contentious lawsuits in August 2024 and the City Council two months later granted a CCCL variance for a home on the beachfront at nearby 2600 N. Ocean Blvd. Azure had already won rulings in state court saying council members’ previous decisions were biased.

Azure applied for a permit last April to build a four-story, single-family home approximately 38 feet tall with 6,931 square feet of enclosed space, down from the originally proposed nearly 49-foot height and 14,270 square feet. The city is reviewing the application.

As part of the deal, Azure agreed to pay its own attorney’s fees, estimated to be in the $1 million range.

Boca Raton’s surfer dudes and dudettes will have to keep on looking for spots with good waves.

The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District voted 3-2 on Nov. 3 to reject a private firm’s proposal to build a surf park in North Park, which surrounds the Boca Teeca condominium complex north of Yamato Road.

“It’s a beautiful project. I just don’t think it’s the right location,” said Commissioner Bob Rollins, who surprised his colleagues by asking for the vote, because the item had only been on the agenda for the board to receive an update.

Two weeks later, commissioners decided 5-0 to scrap other proposals — for a recreation and entertainment complex and for a golf-related facility — all on the west side of Northwest Second Avenue, and conduct a “new, statistically valid” community needs assessment in coordination with the city before reissuing a request for bids.

They left alone a proposal the Boys & Girls Club is working on to build a state-of-the-art facility there.

For the surf park, commissioners said Boca Teeca residents bombarded them with emails opposing Boca Surf Park LLC’s project and the noise and traffic it would bring.

The company said it would spend $50 million building the surf park without district help if the project had been accepted. It would have paid the district at least $600,000 a year in payments in return for a 49-year concession agreement with two 25-year renewals.

— Steve Plunkett