series - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-28T18:35:40Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/seriesAlong the Coast: Rising seas threaten wastewater systemshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-rising-seas-threaten-wastewater-systems2019-10-02T17:30:00.000Z2019-10-02T17:30:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960907065,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960907065,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960907065?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Related Story: Gulf Stream: Town wants to know <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/gulf-stream-town-wants-to-know-price-of-putting-in-sewers" target="_blank">price </a>of putting in sewers</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960907259,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960907259,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960907259?profile=original" /></a></strong><strong>Part Two:</strong> Old <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-old-septic-systems-are-entrenched-in-towns-but-fa" target="_blank">septic systems</a> are entrenched in towns but face claims they pollute | Ocean Ridge panel explores <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/ocean-ridge-panel-explores-options-for-town-wide-conversion-to-se" target="_blank">options</a> for town-wide conversion to sewer system | State requires small <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/ocean-ridge-state-requires-small-treatment-plants-to-get-regular-" target="_blank">treatment plants</a> to get regular oversight</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><strong>Part One:</strong> Cities <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-cities-rush-to-fix-aging-sewer-systems" target="_blank">rush to fix</a> aging sewer systems | How <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-how-sewage-flows" target="_blank">sewage</a> flows | Boca Raton's multi-year <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-boca-raton-s-multiyear-project-targets-older-unde" target="_blank">project targets</a> older underground pipes | Editor's Note: Sewage <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/editor-s-note-sewage-disposal-issues-leave-no-time-to-waste" target="_blank">disposal issues</a> leave no time to waste</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p><strong>By Rich Pollack</strong></p>
<p>Sea level rise isn’t just coming, it’s already here. <br /> Sea levels in South Florida rose an average of 3 to 5 inches between 1992 and 2015, according to estimates from the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact, and are expected to rise another 3 to 5 inches by 2030.<br /> The impact can be seen on coastal streets that flood during high or king tides and on beaches where storms like Hurricane Dorian eroded the sand and pushed the ocean closer and closer to the dune line.<br /> “Seasonal high tides are already higher than they’ve been in the past,” says Rebecca Harvey, Boynton Beach’s sustainability coordinator and the steering committee coordinator for the Coastal Resilience Partnership, which includes eight coastal south Palm Beach County communities. <br /> What most of us won’t see is the impact sea level rise is having underground. There, aging centralized sewage treatment systems and older septic systems — some dating back to the 1960s — are interacting with rising groundwater. <br /> For centralized sewage treatment systems, rising groundwater brought on by sea level rise will mean the potential for groundwater and stormwater to enter into pipes, forcing the systems to treat more water than planned. That could overwhelm the capacity of treatment plants and is likely to increase the cost of treatment, which would be passed on to users of the system. <br /> “It costs more money to treat, which means everyone pays more,” said Colin Groff, Boynton Beach’s assistant city manager for public services. <br /> Already municipalities are preparing for rising groundwater by lining pipes and enhancing lift stations to make them less susceptible to rising water levels. <br /> Sea level rise and the interaction between septic systems and rising groundwater is even more problematic. <br /> Simply put, sea level rise reduces the area of unsaturated soil between the bottom of a septic system’s drain field and the groundwater. That means there is less soil for the sewage effluent to percolate through. With reduced percolation, more nutrients — and more fecal coliform bacteria — can make their way into groundwater. <br /> “During times of elevated groundwater levels, septic systems cannot function as designed,” concluded a report produced by Miami-Dade County and released in November. “Improperly functioning septic systems can pose an immediate public health risk. There are also many financial and environmental risks, including contamination of the freshwater aquifer, which is the community’s sole source of potable water.” <br /> People who study climate change say municipalities can take steps to mitigate the problems. Although those steps vary greatly for centralized systems versus on-site treatment systems — septic tanks and package plants — they have a common denominator. <br /> All cost money, and that might not always be easy to come by — in part because what’s underground is not always top of mind. <br /> “If people aren’t seeing the impact, they may be less willing to pay for the infrastructure that’s necessary,” said Katie Hagemann, Miami-Dade County’s resilience program manager for adaptation and one of the contributors to the report. <br /> Miami-Dade, perhaps ground zero for sea level rise in Florida if not the country, is focusing on reducing the number of parcels with septic systems — estimated at more than 105,000.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960907463,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960907463,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960907463?profile=original" /></a><em>In preparation for sea level rise, municipalities can take a lift station such as this one and raise it more above ground, protecting the electrical panel inside the dark box from water damage. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Sea level rise and centralized systems</strong></span><br /> With groundwater levels increasing as a result of sea level rise, municipalities in south Palm Beach County are taking steps to keep their systems operating efficiently. <br /> Among the challenges facing centralized systems is the possibility of water from the outside entering into the pipes through ways known as inflow and infiltration. <br /> Although pipes in utility systems are often already immersed, increased groundwater can put additional pressure on gravity lines and that can result in more water entering the system through cracks or ruptures, Groff said.<br /> That infiltration could result in hundreds of thousands of gallons of water that doesn’t need to be treated entering the system every day. That would mean pumps having to operate more frequently to push water through sewage systems and centralized plants having to do unnecessary treatment that would stress their capacity.<br /> “If you don’t deal with it at the source, it can create a domino effect,” says Chris Helfrich, director of utility services for Boca Raton. <br /> To prevent intrusion, some local municipalities are lining older pipes with a thin epoxy-infused fabric that expands and hardens into a rigid liner. <br /> Another issue facing centralized systems is the inflow of stormwater from the surface through manholes. As streets flood during heavy storms or king tides, water can seep into gravity lines through holes in manhole covers. Those holes are necessary in most cases to allow gases from the lines to escape. <br /> In an effort to minimize inflow, some municipalities such as Boca Raton add a bowl-like device into the manhole to catch stormwater. <br /> Local utility systems are also taking steps to prevent water from entering lift stations by raising the concrete tops and electrical panels higher above ground. <br /> The cost to do both is minimal, Helfrich said.<br /> Although it’s possible for rising groundwater to push pump stations up, buoyance issues aren’t common, Helfrich said, in part because water in the wet wells of the stations adds weight.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Sea level rise and on-site treatment systems</strong></span><br /> Sea level rise, at some point, likely will have an impact on how well many of the 50,000-plus septic systems in Palm Beach County work, especially those closest to the ocean. <br /> “On the barrier island there could be a big problem with on-site systems, whether septic systems or package plants, because it doesn’t take much for them to be under water,” Groff said. <br /> In conventional septic systems, effluent from tanks enters into a drain field and then percolates through soil where many of the nutrients, such as nitrogen, as well as fecal coliform bacteria, are removed naturally before the effluent reaches the groundwater. <br /> Florida requires that the layer of unsaturated soil — the area between the bottom of the drain field and the top of the water table — be 24 inches deep. As groundwater rises, however, according to the Miami-Dade County report, that layer of soil may no longer meet the depth requirement in many parts of Miami-Dade. <br /> The report best explains how rising sea levels will affect that process and cause septic systems to malfunction.<br /> “Because much of the treatment of wastewater relies upon the unsaturated soil below the drain field, treatment and disposal are less effective as more of the soil becomes permanently saturated with rising groundwater resulting from sea level rise,” the report says. “A higher groundwater table reduces the volume of soil available to treat and dispose of the wastewater, which increases the likelihood of failure and contamination.”<br /> One of the challenges with septic systems is that failure is not always easy to detect. Toilets will still flush and homeowners will be unaware that groundwater levels are too high to ensure effluent is effectively treated. In some cases, if groundwater levels are extremely high, residents may notice squishy wet spots on their lawns. <br /> “If you can’t see it, chances are you don’t know it’s happening,” said state Rep. Mike Caruso, R-Delray Beach, whose district includes parts of coastal Palm Beach County. <br /> Researchers who put together the Miami-Dade County report, which was sparked by a request from a county commissioner and is one of the few comprehensive reports examining sea level rise and septic systems, estimate that more than half of the septic systems in that county are periodically compromised during storms or wet years. <br /> That number is expected to rise from 56% now to about 64% by 2040, according to the report. <br /> While drinking water provided by public utilities is not threatened by failed or compromised septic systems because of the disinfectant process, well water can easily be contaminated.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960907095,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960907095,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960907095?profile=original" /></a><br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Preparing for sea level rise</strong></span><br /> Throughout South Florida local governments are preparing their centralized systems for sea level rise. Most municipalities are using the latest technology to examine sewer pipes to make sure they haven’t been damaged by tree roots, corrosion or age.<br /> In south Palm Beach County, municipalities formed the Coastal Resilience Partnership and received grants to help cover the cost of a comprehensive climate change vulnerability assessment. The eight area governments that have signed an agreement to pay for the cost of the study are Boca Raton, Highland Beach, Delray Beach, Ocean Ridge, Boynton Beach, Lantana, Lake Worth Beach and Palm Beach County.<br /> While most communities are being proactive, they still face challenges — one of the biggest being the expense of preparing for an event with a timeline that is difficult to identify.<br /> “There’s a need to work before we see the impacts and we’re not able to predict how soon those impacts will come,” Hagemann said. <br /> In fact, the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact — a collaboration including representatives from Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties — is in the process of updating projections on how soon seas will reach certain levels.<br /> One factor to consider in doing those calculations could be the increasing prevalence of strong tropical systems approaching the coast.<br /> A recent study conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration concludes that sea level rise combined with tropical storms could create even greater problems for septic and sewer systems because the two together will push more water into coastal areas than either one would individually.<br /> In Miami-Dade, conversion from septic to centralized sewer is perhaps the most viable option, and the county is looking at how to pay for it and where to begin.<br /> In Ocean Ridge, where residents depend on septic systems and package plants, a Septic to Sewer Citizens Advisory Committee is looking at the feasibility of converting to a centralized system. <br /> “It is obvious that action must be taken to protect our environment and quality of life in Ocean Ridge, but what action?” asked Vice Mayor Don MaGruder, who has been attending meetings of the coastal resiliency partnership.<br /> In Gulf Stream, town leaders are asking their engineering consultant to look into the feasibility of septic-to-sewer conversion. <br /> Caruso, who earlier this year sponsored an unsuccessful bill calling for periodic inspection of septic tanks, says the time for action is now. <br /> “We need to rethink our infrastructure and make accommodations for sea level rise,” he said. “It’s expensive — but we can’t ignore it.”</p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;"><strong>More on sea level rise</strong></span><br /> The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has an interactive website that lets you find a specific location and then allows you to see models of potential sea level rise.<br /> <a href="https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/slr.html">https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/slr.html</a></p></div>Along the Coast: Old septic systems are entrenched in towns but face claims they pollutehttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-old-septic-systems-are-entrenched-in-towns-but-fa2019-09-05T14:00:00.000Z2019-09-05T14:00:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960897085,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960897085,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960897085?profile=original" /></a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960897455,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960897455,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960897455?profile=original" /></a><strong>Part Three:</strong> <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-rising-seas-threaten-wastewater-systems" target="_blank">Rising seas</a><strong> </strong>threaten wastewater systems <strong>|</strong> Gulf Stream: Town wants to know <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/gulf-stream-town-wants-to-know-price-of-putting-in-sewers" target="_blank">price</a> of putting in sewers</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><strong>Part One:</strong> Cities <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-cities-rush-to-fix-aging-sewer-systems" target="_blank">rush to fix</a> aging sewer systems | How <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-how-sewage-flows" target="_blank">sewage</a> flows | Boca Raton's multi-year <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-boca-raton-s-multiyear-project-targets-older-unde" target="_blank">project targets</a> older underground pipes | Editor's Note: Sewage <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/editor-s-note-sewage-disposal-issues-leave-no-time-to-waste" target="_blank">disposal issues</a> leave no time to waste</span></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>By Rich Pollack</strong></p>
<p>When it comes to sewage treatment in Florida, septic systems get no respect. <br /> One of the most basic forms of treating sewage, septic systems have long been used in Florida, with estimates of close to 2.8 million systems statewide and more than 50,000 in Palm Beach County alone. <br /> In the coastal areas of South Palm Beach County, septic systems are common and used by the majority of single-family homes in Ocean Ridge, Manalapan and Gulf Stream.<br /> As populations, especially in urban areas, continue to grow, conventional septic systems are coming under fire from environmental advocates and others who say that nutrients found in water coming from septic tanks and going into the ground are creating ecological issues at an increasing rate. <br /> “Septic systems leach into the ground water and surface water,” says state Rep. Mike Caruso of Delray Beach, whose district includes much of the barrier island in South Palm Beach County. “We’re creating the perfect environment for blue green algae growth.” <br /> Caruso, a Republican, is so concerned that he teamed with Rep. Will Robinson, R-Bradenton, to introduce legislation last session that would have required routine inspections of septic tanks. The legislation died in committee. <br /> “We can’t continue the way we are,” Caruso said. <br /> In fact, science and technology have helped make septic systems more environmentally friendly for decades. <br /> “Septic systems get a bad rap because what we think about are conventional systems,” said Roxanne Groover, executive director of the Florida Onsite Wastewater Association. “We have gotten a lot better because people are working together to reach higher standards.”<br /> Advanced systems have been developed to help reduce nutrients — including nitrogen and phosphorus — in the effluent coming out of septic systems. “We’re smarter now,” Groover said. “As we get smarter, we get more responsible.”</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Impact on coastal waters</strong></span><br /> Still, older conventional systems are likely to be the most common in South Florida, and the often nutrient-rich effluent coming from those systems is having an impact on the marine environment, said Dr. Brian Lapointe, a research professor at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. <br /> “We’re increasingly seeing problems in coastal waters that are the result of nutrient enrichment from human activity,” he said. “Sewage can be a major contributor to nutrient pollution.”<br /> Both leaky municipal sewage systems and septic systems contribute to algae growth. <br /> In the case of septic systems, effluent percolates through the soil and makes its way into groundwater, which then goes into canals. Water that is rich in nutrients, especially nitrogen, can feed the growth of blue green algae in waterways. It can also reach the ocean and feed the growth of red tides and brown seaweed, Lapointe said. <br /> There was a small blue green algae bloom in the Lake Worth Lagoon in 2016, and a brief flare-up of red tide occurred along much of the South Florida coast in 2018. <br /> In a 2008 study reported in a paper produced by University of Florida IFAS Extension, researchers found that almost 40 percent of the state’s septic systems were located in coastal areas. Sandy soil in those areas allows for “rapid transport of contaminants into the groundwater,” especially during the rainy season when the water table is high.<br /> “Everybody has been led to believe that all the nutrients are coming from farms,” Lapointe said. “There is more than 21/2 times more nitrogen from sewage than from fertilizer going in the groundwater and feeding algae blooms.” <br /> Although the scientific community agrees that nitrogen feeds algae blooms, skeptics question whether sewage is the primary source.<br /> In addition to nutrients, conventional septic systems could be a source of fecal coliform bacteria getting into groundwater and estuaries, said Lapointe, who was the lead scientist on a fecal bacteria study in the mid-1990s at Jupiter Creek. The study, funded by the Loxahatchee River District, led to the conversion from septic to sewer in that area. <br /> Another study in an area near Florida’s Suwannee River, conducted for the Florida Department of Health and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration several years ago, found a significant reduction in fecal coliform bacteria in canals leading to the river once a regional treatment plant, which replaced onsite treatment systems, was built and operated. In the river, however, no significant reduction of fecal coliform was found.<br /> Lapointe said there is evidence that fecal coliform bacteria is reaching coastal waters and the ocean, especially during periods of heavy rain when salinity — which the bacteria don’t like — is reduced.<br /> Still, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County said there is no link between beach closings and bacteria from septic systems that the department is aware of. <br /> One of the challenges for people hoping to gauge the impact of nutrients and fecal bacteria from septic systems is that there is really no routine testing of effluent coming from conventional systems. Advanced systems, however, do often require additional oversight, including annual inspections.<br /> “Testing for nitrogen, fecal coliform and other components is only done during special research projects, such as research projects performed by department staff, contractors for the department, or other researchers,” a spokesman from the Florida Department of Health wrote in an email.<br /> There are special circumstances where water samples are required by the department of health and there are annual inspections required for commercial uses and in special cases. Routinely, however, the department inspects only the construction of new systems, existing system modifications and repairs and tank abandonment.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Two types of systems</strong></span><br /> While septic systems are often painted with the same broad brush, the Florida Onsite Wastewater Association’s Groover says that not all systems are the same and that many variables can determine the quality of effluent from those systems. <br /> Essentially there are two types of septic systems, the conventional anaerobic system and the more advanced aerobic treatment system. <br /> In the conventional system, wastewater from a home flows into a buried septic tank. In the tank, solids settle to the bottom. Bacteria that thrive without oxygen — anaerobic bacteria — inside the tank get to work on organic material in the liquid, breaking it down and producing the effluent. <br /> The effluent then leaves the tank and is dispersed through pipes into a drain field. It then continues to percolate through a thin layer of bacteria that digest some of the excess nutrients as well as fecal coliform bacteria and viruses. <br /> More advanced septic systems use oxygen to break down the organic matter in the tank. In these aerobic treatment units, wastewater from the home enters a tank where solids fall to the bottom. The remaining wastewater flows into a separate treatment unit where oxygen is added through an aerator. Strengthened by the oxygen, the aerobic bacteria break down the organic material faster and more effectively than in a conventional tank. <br /> These systems are also more effective in removing nutrients, such as nitrogen, than are traditional systems because the effluent has less organic material. Different types of aerobic treatment systems are designed to meet even higher standards, with some using additional processes. <br /> A homeowner who has an aerobic treatment system must get an operating permit from the state and have a maintenance contract with an approved company. In some cases, homeowners can be trained to do their own maintenance. <br /> Aerobic treatment units are usually required of new-home builders who want to reduce the footprint of the system drain field, need a reduced setback, or want to build a larger home than the lot size would otherwise be allowed to support. Lab samples are required in these instances. <br /> Aerobic treatment systems are more expensive than traditional systems. People in the business estimate the cost to be twice as much, somewhere around $10,000 for products and installation. Costs vary depending on the system. <br /> How well a conventional septic system works depends on variables ranging from the size of the property to the size of the home and the number of people living in it. Rural areas, where homes are spread far apart, may be better-suited for traditional septic systems than urban areas, especially those near water, where it’s important to make sure that the system is working properly. <br /> Age is also a factor, with older systems more likely to fail because of leaks in the septic tank or an aging drain field no longer allowing effluent to percolate through the soil. <br /> “Just because you can flush, doesn’t mean your system is working and just because it’s working, doesn’t mean it’s treating properly,” Groover said.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Mandate from the state</strong></span><br /> There are no state mandates for communities in Palm Beach County to use advanced aerobic systems with every new septic installation or to convert to centralized sewage treatment systems. <br /> The state Legislature did, however, impose a mandate on the Florida Keys in 1999 — when every part of the Keys was required to have advanced wastewater treatment or the best available technology installed within 11 years. Septic tanks and cesspits were no longer acceptable. <br /> The result was a series of regional plants as well as some municipal plants at a cost of about $1 billion. <br /> For the Keys, the mandate was as much about economics as the environment. With a tourist-based economy, improving near-shore water quality was essential. <br /> To fund the project, the Keys looked to the federal government and the state, which both helped — though not as much as had been promised. Monroe County also used an infrastructure sales tax, in addition to assessments, to help cover the costs. <br /> “It was absolutely the right thing to do,” said Kevin Wilson, an assistant Monroe County administrator. “It’s hard and expensive but it can be done. It just takes commitment and persistence.”<br /> In a few other scattered areas of the state, homeowners are required to use advanced systems when replacing or installing new septic systems. <br /> Groover says that she and her association are not averse to reasonable mandates, but says they need to be tailored to individual situations. <br /> “One size doesn’t fit all,” she said. “You have to assess the needs of each community.” <br /> Caruso, the state representative, says he believes there could be a statewide mandate within 10 years that could affect South Florida coastal communities. If so, he says, it would most likely have to be phased in over several years. <br /> Standing in the way, however, could be a lack of political will, with legislators reluctant to pass bills that will financially burden their constituents and communities. <br /> That reluctance, Caruso says, is why the septic tank inspection bill went nowhere. Still, he says, he plans to introduce the legislation again next session. <br /> “We should no longer sit back and ignore science,” he said. “We as individuals can’t fix the sugar industry, we can’t fix the dairy industry and we can’t fix Lake Okeechobee. What we can fix is what’s in our own backyards.”</p></div>Along the Coast: Cities rush to fix aging sewer systemshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-cities-rush-to-fix-aging-sewer-systems2019-07-31T17:30:00.000Z2019-07-31T17:30:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;"><em>Health, environmental and cost concerns loom</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960885464,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960885464,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960885464?profile=original" /></a>Doug Levine, manager of the South Central Regional Wastewater Treatment plant, checks on one of the trio of million-gallon secondary clarifier tanks where solids are removed from sewage. About 17 million gallons are treated each day at the plant, which is undergoing a multiyear upgrade. <strong>Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em><strong>Related Stories:</strong> Cities <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-cities-rush-to-fix-aging-sewer-systems" target="_blank">rush to fix</a> aging sewer systems | How <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-how-sewage-flows" target="_blank">sewage</a> flows | Boca Raton's multi-year <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-boca-raton-s-multiyear-project-targets-older-unde" target="_blank">project targets</a> older underground pipes | Editor's Note: Sewage <a href="https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/editor-s-note-sewage-disposal-issues-leave-no-time-to-waste" target="_blank">disposal issues</a> leave no time to waste</em></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>By Rich Pollack</strong></p>
<p>We live in a flush and forget world.<br /> Most of us don’t fully understand what happens when we flush our toilets, or send gallons of water down the drain while taking a shower, doing laundry or washing dishes.<br /> Yet at a time when our sewer lines are aging and our septic systems are being blamed for everything from algae blooms to illness, ignoring what is under our roads and yards may no longer be an option. <br /> “You can’t just put something in the ground and expect it to last indefinitely,” says Jason Pugsley, vice president of Florida operations for Baxter & Woodman, an engineering firm that works with several municipalities in Palm Beach County. “Our infrastructure in Palm Beach County is getting to the point where we need to consider either replacing it or significantly improving the systems.” <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960885296,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960885296,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960885296?profile=original" /></a>There is a huge cost associated with replacing or improving traditional sewage-collection systems — largely coming out of the wallets of water and sewer customers. <br /> There is also a significant cost to the environment, to health and to other existing infrastructure that comes with not acting now and recognizing that some types of buried pipes — though not all — are close to the end of their life expectancy.<br /> While we often hear about water service failures, such as the one in Fort Lauderdale last month that affected about 220,000 people, we hardly ever learn about sewer line problems. <br /> For example, through mid-July this year, 67 spills in Palm Beach County were reported to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which keeps records of such incidents. <br /> They ranged from a spill of 100 gallons from a broken main in Boca Raton in April to a spill of 2,500 gallons of raw sewage just last month in Delray Beach. That spill, due to a sewer line blockage caused by grease buildup, led to sewage flowing into a parking lot near Veterans Park and into a storm-drain system leading to the Intracoastal Waterway. <br /> A barrier that had been previously installed by a contractor at a nearby project contained 90 percent of the discharge before it got into the waterway, according to the city.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960885677,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960885677,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="550" alt="7960885677?profile=original" /></a><em>ABOVE: A pair of 36-inch pipes, one from Delray Beach and the other from Boynton Beach, flow into the South Central Regional Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Plant. BELOW: Two screen devices remove non-biodegradable items from the sewage before it is treated. Toys, jewelry and even rolls of cash have been recovered from the flow.</em></p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960886058,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960886058,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="500" alt="7960886058?profile=original" /></a><br /> Blockages are just one reason sewage lines can fail, according to local utility directors. Another is corrosion, caused often by the buildup of gases inside the lines, and yet a third — perhaps the most common — are accidental ruptures caused by work crews. <br /> Weather can also play a role in system failures, with heavy rains shifting the ground on which lines rest and causing separation at the joints.<br /> Age doesn’t always equate to system failures. A big factor is the material used to produce the pipe and whether that material is right for the environment the pipe is in. <br /> Improper installation can also be an issue.<br /> “If a pipe is really old and installed correctly, it can last a long time,” said Brent Whitfield, District 1 vice president of the Florida Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Failure has many impacts</strong></span><br /> When sewer lines do fail, the impact can be widespread and problematic. Raw sewage, in extreme cases, can seep into homes, wash out or flood roads and flood waterways. It also can attract mosquitoes and other unwelcome pests. <br /> Then there’s the indirect impact. Boca Raton Utility Services Director Chris Helfrich recalls being in a Broward County restaurant on Christmas Eve years ago when a sewer-line break forced the restaurant to close — not because of sewage but because utilities will often shut off water service when there’s a sewage failure to stem the flow. <br /> There are also health and environmental concerns that come from raw sewage leaks.<br /> “Sewage can be one of the major contributors to nutrient pollution problems,” says Dr. Brian Lapointe, a research professor at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. Sewage, he says, is a big contributor of nitrogen, which is a factor in the growth of algae as well as the seaweed that invades the beaches. <br /> Earlier this year Lapointe presented to the Florida Senate Agriculture, Environment and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee research linking septic systems and algae blooms. But he also points out that sewage leaking from failing lines can seep into groundwater and create environmental and health problems due to fecal bacteria and viruses. <br /> Then there are the costs associated with spills — not just of the cleanup but of the work that’s done to keep failures from happening in the first place. <br /> In southern Palm Beach County, communities are allocating millions of dollars in their 2019-2020 budgets to evaluate the condition of their sewage collection systems and making improvements. <br /> “Our City Commission has made it very clear that infrastructure is a top priority,” said Delray Beach Assistant City Manager Caryn Gardner-Young.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Plan rather than react</strong></span><br /> For those responsible for municipal wastewater treatment systems, the possibility of a major failure or an undetected leak is what keeps them up at night. It’s also what keeps them planning ahead to ensure their systems are structurally sound and properly maintained. <br /> “You never stop your diagnosis,” Gardner-Young said. <br /> Boca Raton’s Helfrich says that the focus is on preempting problems rather than reacting to a crisis. <br /> “Let’s not get into a catastrophic failure,” he said. “Let’s plan, be preventative and be proactive.” <br /> In addition to closely evaluating the integrity of the lines, utility departments keep a close eye on lift stations, which pump sewage through the pipes. Lift station failures, often caused by power outages especially after a storm or hurricane, can also cause spills, but technology is making it possible for operators to monitor stations remotely and respond to disruptions.<br /> Like most cities, Boca Raton is always monitoring its 550 miles of wastewater infrastructure, making sure the lines are properly maintained and keeping an eye on potential trouble spots. Now, with aging pipes in certain sections of town, the city is sinking $20 million into infrastructure improvement in the coming year; it will include roads, sidewalks, water lines and sewer lines. <br /> In Boynton Beach, where the utility serves 115,000 customers in a area that includes about 450 miles of wastewater pipes and extends outside the city limits, $6 million is earmarked in the city’s proposed budget for renewal and replacement of the system. The utility also recently completed improvements to the wastewater system in the Leisureville community.<br /> Delray Beach, which has about 275 miles of wastewater lines, has close to $10 million tentatively allocated for sewer improvements in the coming fiscal year. <br /> Projects are also underway in some of the smaller coastal towns. In South Palm Beach, for example, the town is undergoing a lining of the sewer pipes, with the cost expected to be somewhere between $225,000 and $250,000. <br /> Highland Beach, which has some aging clay pipes, is evaluating the infrastructure and looking at the possibility of using a lining system on gravity pipes, similar to those used in South Palm Beach and Leisureville. <br /> Lantana is allocating about $150,000 in next year’s budget for lining of pipes. <br /> In most cases, lining old non-pressurized pipes is an effective and cost-efficient alternative to replacing those lines. <br /> “When you line pipes, you save money,” says Colin Groff, Boynton Beach’s assistant city manager for public services.<br /> One of the most ambitious upgrading projects in the area is taking place at the South Central Regional Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Plant, which treats about 17 million gallons of sewage a day from Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and Highland Beach. The plant is located on South Congress Avenue at the Delray and Boynton Beach border.<br /> The raw sewage pumped into the plant is first screened for foreign objects — think toys and jewelry — and then filtered to get out grit and sand. Then the sewage is treated with a process using natural bacteria before solids and liquids are separated. Treated wastewater from the plant is either used as reclaimed water — often for irrigation — or injected into a deep well. <br /> Work on the 40-year-old plant began last year and will continue for another two years. It is focused on replacing aging equipment and systems, helping the plant operate more energy-efficiently and adding about 6 million gallons per day of capacity through these improvements. <br /> Funding for the $20 million project — and for just about all of the projects in the area currently planned or in the works — comes not from taxpayer dollars but from user fees. <br /> Utility customers in most communities with central sewage collection systems pay for basic infrastructure costs such as pipes and upgrades in the base rate in their monthly utility bills. They pay for the cost of treating wastewater in the portion of their bills based on consumption. <br /> “All customers pay this part of the rate based on how much they use,” Groff said.<br /> New customers pay an additional fee to connect to the utility.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>It’s an ideal time to do work</strong></span><br /> So why are all of these system evaluation and improvements happening now? <br /> The economy may play a role, say those in the industry, including Boca Raton’s Helfrich. During the Great Recession, many municipalities saw less money coming in as a result of foreclosures and a slowdown in building. With the economy improving and new users coming online as a result of a building boom, enterprise funds are growing. <br /> Another factor may be the improvements in technology that make it easier for utilities to determine the condition of pipes without having to dig them up. <br /> In Boynton Beach and several other communities in the area, a motorized camera inside a segment of pipeline can record a 360-degree view. Geographic information system (GIS) mapping technology is also helping utilities get a better understanding of what is underground.<br /> Then there’s the lining system that towns and cities are using on pipes that are generally not under pressure. <br /> “The lining process consists of inserting an epoxy-infused fabric into the pipe segment where it is expanded, by use of steam,” says Joseph Paterniti, Boynton Beach’s utilities director. The material, which is just millimeters thick, then sticks to the pipe and hardens to a rigid liner. <br /> Perhaps the biggest reason for the focus on evaluating the condition of systems and plants is the fact that infrastructure is aging. <br /> Although some types of pipes — such as ductile iron — can last for a century or more, pipes made years ago with materials including cast iron, asbestos cement and vitrified clay don’t hold up to time as well. <br /> “Infrastructure is aging and all the pipes that are clay will have to be replaced or lined,” the society of civil engineers’ Whitfield said. <br /> With many of those pipes installed in the late 1960s or early 1970s, there is a strong belief it’s time to make sure they’re holding up or are ready to be hauled out.<br /> “Once you get to the 50-year mark you should do a comprehensive review or overhaul the system,” Baxter & Woodman’s Pugsley said.</p>
<p><br /> <strong>Next month:</strong> A look at septic systems in coastal communities.</p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:18pt;"><em>How our cities, towns dispose of wastewater</em></span></p>
<p><strong>Boca Raton</strong> — Sewage from the barrier island crosses under the Intracoastal Waterway in two pipes and is treated at the city’s treatment plant.<br /> <strong>Highland Beach</strong> — Wastewater is pumped to Delray Beach and treated at the South Central Regional Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Plant.<br /> <strong>Delray Beach</strong> — Wastewater from east of the Intracoastal Waterway is taken to the regional treatment plant via a single pipe across the waterway.<br /> <strong>Gulf Stream</strong> — Many homes have septic systems, but some wastewater from multifamily communities is pumped to Boynton Beach, then onto the treatment facility. <br /> <strong>Briny Breezes/St. Andrews Club</strong> — Sewage is pumped to Boynton Beach via one pipe under the Intracoastal Waterway, then onto the treatment facility. <br /> <strong>Ocean Ridge</strong> — There is no central wastewater collection system. Homes are on septic systems. Some multifamily communities rely on small “package plants” that treat wastewater and release it to drain fields or through injection deep into the ground.<br /> <strong>Manalapan</strong> — Most of the properties are on septic with the exception of the shopping plaza, hotel and Town Hall, which are connected to the Lake Worth Beach system. That city sends wastewater it collects to the East Central Regional Wastewater Treatment Facilities in West Palm Beach.<br /> <strong>Hypoluxo Island/Lantana</strong> — Town sends wastewater to Lake Worth Beach via a pipe under the Intracoastal Waterway for treatment at the regional treatment facilities. <br /> <strong>South Palm Beach</strong> — Sends its wastewater to Lake Worth Beach for treatment at the regional facilities.</p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:18pt;"><strong>Ocean Ridge septic-to-sewer discussion</strong></span><br /> The Town of Ocean Ridge invites residents to a meeting of its Septic to Sewer Citizens Advisory Committee at 9 a.m. Aug. 8 to speak about residential septic tank and/or drain field issues. Condo association representatives are also invited to speak about the status of their wastewater treatment facilities.</p></div>New Year's: Rosh Hashanah marks birth of creationhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/new-year-s-rosh-hashanah-marks-birth-of-creation2018-08-28T18:03:41.000Z2018-08-28T18:03:41.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><i>(This is the last in a series of stories about how different cultures mark the New Year.)</i></p>
<p class="p2"></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>By Janis Fontaine</b></span></p>
<p class="p2"></p>
<p class="p1">In our look at New Year’s celebrations from around the world, we’ve included holidays recognized by millions — and others celebrated by just a few. We found some celebrations to be symbolic, some whimsical and some poignant. But few of the commemorations merit the reverence of the Jewish New Year, <b>Rosh Hashanah</b>, which takes place from Sept. 9 to 11.</p>
<p class="p1">Rosh Hashanah is one of the most solemn and important holidays for Jews. It marks the anniversary of the birth of creation, the six days in which God created the Earth. It also recognizes the birth of Adam and Eve, but it was man’s first sin that started the clock ticking on humanity.</p>
<p class="p1">But Rosh Hashanah is more than a New Year’s commemoration; it’s also judgment day. Judaism teaches that during the period from Rosh Hashanah to <b>Yom Kippur</b>, which is Sept. 18-19 this year, everyone and everything will pass before God to be judged. The faithful ruminate on their lives and both give and ask for forgiveness for wrongs during the past year.</p>
<p class="p1">“Getting judged is scary,” said Rabbi Shmuel Biston of Chabad of Delray Beach. “We want to help you achieve the right mindset so you can make a positive step forward.”</p>
<p class="p1">The rabbi’s job is to facilitate this deep personal analysis and to make it meaningful and to explain the teachings and rituals.</p>
<p class="p1">Rosh Hashanah isn’t the only New Year’s commemoration that takes place in the fall.</p>
<p class="p1"><b>Al-Hijra</b>, also known as Arabic New Year, is celebrated by Muslims around the world in September. In the lunar-based Islamic calendar, days begin at sunset instead of at midnight, and nightfall Sept. 11 will mark the first day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year.</p>
<p class="p1">The historic significance is that in the year 622, Muhammad emigrated from Mecca to Medina (the hegira), two of the holiest sites in Islam, during Muharram. He was in search of a place where Muslims would be free to practice their religion. The suffix AH seen on the Muslim calendar means “after hegira.”</p>
<p class="p1">People use the day to reflect on the year that has passed and ponder the coming year. These days, it’s more of a public, cultural holiday than a religious one. The festivals that mark the end of hajj (the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca) and Ramadan are considered the most important events on the Islamic calendar. Traditions and customs vary, but those who celebrate will go to prayer sessions and spend time with family. Religious scholars say the focus of the day should be on reflection and gratitude.</p>
<p class="p1">A world away in Ethiopia, people will celebrate <b>Enkutatash</b>, also called Gift of Jewels, on Sept. 11. This national holiday marks the first day of the Ethiopian New Year, and Ethiopia stands alone as the only country to use the 13-month Coptic calendar. In it there are 12 months of 30 days and one month with five days, or six days in leap years. The year begins with the first of day of Meskerem.</p>
<p class="p1">In late October, when many folks are putting up Halloween decorations and getting ready to binge on candy, in Western Australian, a few people will celebrate the New Year in the manner of the aboriginal tribe Murador, now extinct. Oct. 30 is an important day to the tribe and people still gather to commemorate it by recalling the tribe’s culture via artifacts and texts. Murador celebrates friendship, reconciliation and appreciation.</p>
<p class="p1">Finally, in November, millions of Hindus will celebrate <b>Di Wali</b>, or the Festival of Lights. Sometimes called Deepavali or Deepawali, it’s celebrated with great enthusiasm nationwide. The main festive night — Diwali Night falls on Nov.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> 7 this year — coincides with the darkest moonless night of the new moon. The theme is light conquering darkness, and it’s a celebration of love.</p>
<p class="p1">People decorate their houses with lights and candles and offer prayers to goddess Lakshmi for wealth and abundance. Gifts are exchanged, sweets are eaten and fireworks cap this celebration of family and friends, which includes plenty of non-Hindus celebrating alongside them.</p>
<p class="p1">Most cultures have some sort of New Year’s celebration or commemoration, and in many cultures it’s an important time for self-assessment, personal growth, reconciliation, atonement and new beginnings, while for others it’s just another party. </p></div>Delray Makes Room: Tourist-friendly community clearing way for influx of new hotelshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/delray-makes-room-tourist-friendly-community-clearing-way-for-inf2018-01-31T18:30:00.000Z2018-01-31T18:30:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p style="text-align:center;"><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960769673,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960769673,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="600" class="align-center" alt="7960769673?profile=original" /></a><em> </em></b><em>The Colony Hotel, built in 1926, remains a Delray destination. <b>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</b></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Related stories:<em> </em>Hospitality started early in <a href="http://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/delray-beach-hospitality-started-early-in-historic-delray">historic Delray</a> | <a href="http://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/delray-beach-atlantic-avenue-projects-to-change-scale-of-city-s-d">Atlantic Avenue</a> projects to change scale of city’s downtown</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><span><b>By Jane Smith</b></span></p>
<p></p>
<p>The Delray Beach mantra has long been that it is a city where you can live, work and play.</p>
<p>But with one major hotel under construction and three more planned in the coming years, that slogan might morph to: Visit for a day and stay for a holiday.</p>
<p>Located in the downtown core, just north and south of bustling Atlantic Avenue, the hotel boom could add 565 rooms in the coming years.</p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960769700,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960769700,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="600" class="align-center" alt="7960769700?profile=original" /></a><em>Aloft will have 122 rooms a couple of blocks south of Atlantic Avenue. <b>Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star</b></em></p>
<p>The five-story Aloft hotel under construction on South Federal Highway two blocks south of Atlantic will add 122 rooms next year alone. </p>
<p>If all are built, it would mean a whopping 65 percent increase beyond the number of hotel rooms now available in the six traditional hotels — the Fairfield, the Colony, The Seagate, Hyatt Place, the Residence Inn and the Marriott on the beach — in the downtown corridor that stretches from Interstate 95 to the ocean.</p>
<p>An additional estimated 1,000 rooms are available in smaller hotels and motels, inns, time-share resorts and vacation homes and apartments throughout the eastern half of Delray Beach.</p>
<p>Can Delray Beach tourists and business travelers support all those rooms?</p>
<p>Absolutely, says Stephanie Immelman, executive director of the Delray Beach Marketing Cooperative. “It will be a long time coming before the city reaches a tipping point of too many rooms,” she said. Her organization does destination marketing for the hotels during the off-season, slower months. </p>
<p>Immelman said the city’s hotels do not need marketing help during the season, January through April, when occupancy rates are in the high 80 percentages. The average room rates during the season are between $250 and $300 a night, with some boutique, oceanside suites going for up to $1,300 a night. </p>
<p>All hotels in Florida pay a bed tax to the county where they are located for tourism marketing services, beach renourishment projects and other activities designed to promote tourism. </p>
<p>Delray Beach real estate broker Jim Knight agrees the city can support more hotels. He brokered the land sale to Samar Hospitality for the Aloft hotel. </p>
<p>Menin Development is another believer, taking its Pineapple Grove hotel through the planning process. The Ray received City Commission approval in December for its artsy design, called Tropical Modernism. It features metal overlays and a rooftop wine bar on the four-story, 143-room hotel. </p>
<p>Menin must resolve the width of its alley with the city’s Fire-Rescue Department prior to a Feb. 14 appearance before a city review board. </p>
<p>“The exciting entertainment district along Atlantic Avenue attracts visitors from around the globe,” said Ashley Svarney, senior director of public relations for Discover the Palm Beaches, the county’s tourism marketing arm. </p>
<p>Others, though, think the city doesn’t need more hotels. </p>
<p>“Data from a consultant’s study suggests with the hotels underway and planned the market will be saturated, meaning we may see pricing drop if too many rooms are added,” said Delray Beach Mayor Cary Glickstein, who will leave office in March. </p>
<p>The Seagate Hotel & Spa general manager William Sander also is concerned about more hotels coming on line. With a corner parlor suite rate of $1,300 per night in season, his hotel doesn’t compete for the same customers as those west of the Intracoastal Waterway, Sander said. </p>
<p>“The new hotel owners won’t like their return on investment,” Sander said, if they have to charge lower rates to fill their rooms. </p>
<p>More hotels would add to beach parking woes, said Mike Walsh. His family owns the Residence Inn and Marriott on the barrier island. The Marriott sits at the old Seacrest Hotel site, the northwest corner of Ocean Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue. </p>
<p>“We have a very nice town with a very nice beach,” he said. </p>
<p>Guests staying at hotels west of the Intracoastal usually want to go to the beach. “That’s 500 to 700 people driving around trying to find a parking space. It adds to the traffic and congestion on the barrier island,” Walsh said. “The visitors end up parking on the yards, which is unacceptable to the residents.” </p>
<p>While hoteliers enjoy another solid tourist season, plans to create a tourist improvement district and tax are on hold, said Immelman of the Marketing Cooperative. </p>
<p>She wanted her organization not to rely on tax dollars from the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency. Two bills working their way through the state Legislature could curtail how CRAs spend their money. Marketing expenses would not be allowed. </p>
<p>Also, a lawsuit filed last year against the city of Tampa over its “tourism marketing assessment” of $1.50 per night per room is working its way through the courts. Immelman wants to see that outcome. </p>
<p>And the hoteliers and the mayor are not particularly excited about any new fees. </p>
<p>“That would make us different than any other city in the county,” said Hilary Roche, managing director of the Colony. </p>
<p>Glickstein does not want residents to pay yet another fee for marketing Delray Beach. </p>
<p>“The Downtown Development Authority is responsible, in part, for promoting our downtown, which is where most of the hotels are located,” he said. “Property owners [hotels and other businesses] there already pay an additional tax to the agency.” <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960769297,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960769297,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960769297?profile=original" /></a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960770067,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960770067,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="176" class="align-left" alt="7960770067?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960770264,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960770264,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="233" class="align-left" alt="7960770264?profile=original" /></a></p></div>Welcome to the Year of the Dog; Chinese celebration set for Mizner Parkhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/welcome-to-the-year-of-the-dog-chinese-celebration-set-for-mizner2018-01-31T14:11:13.000Z2018-01-31T14:11:13.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><i><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960768279,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960768279,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="600" class="align-center" alt="7960768279?profile=original" /></a></i></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>The Chinese Association of Science, Education and Culture of South Florida will sponsor dancers at the Boca celebration Feb. 18. <b>Photo provided by wangweijiang</b></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><i>(This is the second in an occasional series on how various cultures celebrate the new year.)</i></p>
<p></p>
<p><span><b>By Janis Fontaine</b></span></p>
<p>In American culture, we worship the sun. Our calendar is based on how quickly our planet revolves around our life-giving star. The new year comes when we return to (pretty much) where we started. </p>
<p>In many Asian countries, the new year is based on the lunar calendar, which has about two fewer days in its cycle than the typical month. The date of the new year can vary as much as a month on our solar calendar, usually from Jan. 21 to Feb. 20. </p>
<p>Where the common zodiac is based on the day and month of your birth, the Chinese zodiac is based on the year. There are 12 years in a zodiac cycle, and each year has an associated animal, chosen for its attributes. This is the Year of the Dog. </p>
<p>The Chinese New Year, and other lunar new year celebrations, take place Feb. 16 this year. In China, New Year’s is the most important holiday of the year. It’s so culturally significant that businesses close for a week so everyone can travel home to see the family. “New Year’s means a new start, a new life,” Jennifer Jia of Delray Beach said. She moved to Boca Raton from China in 1996 to get her master’s degree at Florida Atlantic University. “Chinese are very family-oriented. Everyone gets together for New Year’s dinner. That’s why it’s a week long, to give people time to travel.”</p>
<p>Jia is the vice president of the Chinese Association of Science, Education and Culture of South Florida, which is planning its fifth annual Chinese New Year’s Festival in Mizner Park in Boca Raton on Feb. 18. (The association moved the festival to the closest Sunday to the new year, for obvious reasons.)</p>
<p>CASEC has 10,000 members spread across Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. The association rotates the venue every two years between Boca Raton and Miami. </p>
<p>The first year in Boca, the festival packed the amphitheater with more than 2,700 guests. “I think we broke some attendance records,” she said. The next year, it was “freezing” and attendance fell to 2,000. If the weather is good, Jia thinks the festival might break another record because “the Chinese community is growing.”</p>
<p>Jia, who owns a Delray Beach software company, says Boca Raton’s mayor, City Council and Mizner Park have always been enthusiastic about the festival, which introduces Chinese culture, customs and costumes and incorporates Chinese traditions like the vibrant, athletic lion dance, the precision of Chinese calligraphy demonstrations and diverse and unusual art. Traditional food is served, including spring rolls, fish, greens, rice cakes and sweet rice balls. </p>
<p>Another popular custom in China is giving red envelopes to children. “It’s very important,” Jia says. Parents and grandparents give unmarried children envelopes of cash “for being well-behaved all year.”</p>
<p>People traditionally dress in bright colors, with at least a little bit of red, she says. </p>
<p>Jia keeps in touch with her father and others in China at the New Year via Skype. </p>
<p>At the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, the fourth annual Chinese New Year Celebration be Feb. 17. This free event features lectures, tours, a calligraphy demonstration and workshop; dancers from Lee Koon Hung Kung Fu will perform the lion dance and the dragon dance. </p>
<p></p>
<p><span><b>New Year’s celebrations </b></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>Chinese New Year</b></p>
<p>The Spring Festival or Lunar New Year celebrates the change from one zodiac year to the next in a 12-year repeating cycle. Chinese zodiac signs are determined by year of birth; each sign is named for an animal: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, pig. </p>
<p><b>When</b>: Feb. 16</p>
<p><b>Who celebrates</b>: The Spring Festival is also celebrated in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mauritius, Australia and the Philippines— more than 1.5 billion people. </p>
<p><b>How they celebrate</b>: The New Year is a time to honor one’s ancestors with family gatherings and traditional foods. Fireworks, invented in China, are a huge part of the celebrations. Lion dancing, believed to bring good luck, is part of the celebrations. </p>
<p></p>
<p><b>Korean New Year</b></p>
<p>Some Koreans celebrate our solar new year, called <i>Sinjeong</i>, but most celebrate <i>Seollal</i>. </p>
<p><b>When</b>: Feb. 16</p>
<p><b>Who celebrate</b>s: It’s a national holiday and most Koreans celebrate. </p>
<p><b>How they celebrate</b>: This three-day celebration is one of the most significant holidays of the Korean calendar. Not only is it a time for paying respect to ancestors, but it is also an opportunity to catch up with family members. During <i>Seollal</i>, Koreans usually wear <i>hanbok</i> (traditional clothes), perform ancestral rites, play folk games, eat traditional foods, listen to stories and talk well into the night. </p>
<p></p>
<p><b>Vietnamese New Year</b></p>
<p>This is the most important holiday in Vietnam. Its name, <i>Tet Nguyen Dan</i>, means “Feast of the First Morning of the First Day.”</p>
<p><b>When</b>: Feb. 16</p>
<p><b>Who celebrates</b>: Young and old throughout Vietnam. </p>
<p><b>How they celebrate</b>: One custom is housecleaning before the new year — except for sweeping, which is not allowed during <i>Tet</i> because it would sweep out good luck. </p>
<p>Family reunions with traditional foods are popular, as is giving money to children and the elderly. Custom dictates that the first person to visit a home in the new year will set the tone for the coming months. </p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>If You Go</b></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>What:</b> Chinese New Year's Festival </span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>When:</b> 3:30-9 p.m. Feb. 18</span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>Where:</b> Mizner Park Amphitheater, 960 Plaza Real, Boca Raton </span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>Features:</b> Entertainment, food, art, lion dancers </span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>Admission:</b> Free </span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>Info:</b> <a href="http://www.floridachinese.org">www.floridachinese.org</a></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>What:</b> Chinese New Year Celebration</span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>When:</b> Noon-8 p.m. Feb. 17</span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>Where:</b> Norton Museum of Art, 1451 S. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach</span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>Features:</b> Music, lectures, tours, a Chinese calligraphy demonstration and workshop, and a performance of both the lion dance and the dragon dance</span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>Admission:</b> Free</span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b>Info:</b> 832-5196; www.</span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span>norton.org</span></p></div>Boca Raton: Downtown development maphttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/boca-raton-downtown-development-map2017-11-29T20:30:00.000Z2017-11-29T20:30:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960758699,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960758699,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="628" alt="7960758699?profile=original" /></a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960758897,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960758897,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960758897?profile=original" /></a></p></div>Boca Boom: Downtown nears limits of city’s redevelopment planhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/boca-boom-downtown-nears-limits-of-city-s-redevelopment-plan2017-11-29T20:30:00.000Z2017-11-29T20:30:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960757899,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960757899,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960757899?profile=original" /></a><em>327 Royal Palm, a 100-foot-tall, 24-unit condo just south of East Palmetto Park Road, is among the smallest of the new buildings. Only about 17 percent of space available for downtown development remains. <strong>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span class="font-size-4"><em><strong><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;">Projects underway viewed as last big wave</span></strong></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span class="font-size-4"><em><strong><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960758085,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960758085,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="197" alt="7960758085?profile=original" /></a></span></strong></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><span class="font-size-3"><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><strong>By Mary Hladky</strong><br /> <br /> When the fierce battle over the Mizner 200 luxury condominium ended in August, it was almost possible to hear downtown residents and people opposed to development breathe a sigh of relief.<br /> The 384-unit project became a flashpoint for many people upset by what they saw as aggressive developers pushing too many big buildings that were bringing more traffic and changing the character of the city.<br /> So the ultimately amicable resolution of the Mizner 200 fight — with downtown activists winning concessions on the project’s design and landscaping — felt like a coda to downtown redevelopment.<br /> But it’s not over yet, and that concerns downtown activists like James Hendrey, who sees even more density in the city’s future.<br /> He points to the proposed redevelopment of Royal Palm Place. Plans call for nearly 300 luxury rental units, retail and restaurants, and that’s before the landowner has unveiled plans for the remainder of the large property.<br /> “Are the roads any wider? No.” Hendrey said.<br /> His concerns include the need for new infrastructure, more open space and making downtown more walkable.<br /> What he’d love to hear city officials say to developers: “Until you do the infrastructure, we don’t even want you to come before us with a project.”<br /> The city started with 8 million square feet available for downtown development, but as of the end of last year, 1.4 million square feet, or about 17 percent, remained available for development. The city won’t update that number until next year, but officials predict the remainder will be exhausted within a few years.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span class="font-size-3"><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960758483,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960758483,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960758483?profile=original" /></a><em>Tower 155 on East Boca Raton Road is designed to reach the 140-foot height limit for that area. The building will hold luxury condos, shops and restaurants. <strong>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</strong></em></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><span class="font-size-3"><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><br /> Rising from the ground now are 170-unit Tower 155 luxury condo at 199 E. Boca Raton Road and the 24-unit 327 Royal Palm luxury condo at 327 E. Royal Palm Road.<br /> Two other projects join Mizner 200, located on nearly 9 acres along Southeast Mizner Boulevard, as approved but not yet built. <br /> While the first phase of Via Mizner, 366 apartments at Camino Real and Federal Highway, is finished, two other phases are coming. Boca Raton-based Penn-Florida companies will now build a 164-room Mandarin Oriental hotel, 85 condos in The Residences at Mandarin Oriental and 41,706 square feet of shops and restaurants.<br /> 375 Royal Palm, the first assisted-living facility to be built in eastern Boca Raton, will have 193 luxury units at 375 E. Royal Palm Road.<br /> <br /> <strong>But wait, there’s more</strong><br /> Additional proposals are seeking city approvals.<br /> Camino Square, just north of West Camino Real and west of Dixie Highway, would replace a dilapidated shopping center where a now-shuttered Winn-Dixie sits.<br /> The project would include two eight-story buildings with 350 luxury apartments, as well as two parking garages with 631 spaces and a public dog park. The buildings would rise 77 feet, well below the 100-foot limit permitted in that part of downtown.<br /> It is being developed by FCI Residential Corp., a subsidiary of sugar producer Florida Crystals Corp.<br /> 475 Royal Palm is proposed by Boca-based Group P6, the same developer behind 327 Royal Palm. It would include three buildings at nine stories with 48 luxury condos. <br /> The number of condos could decrease if buyers elect to combine units. Rising to 100 feet, the buildings will comply with city height limits.<br /> The project also would include 217 spaces in underground parking to service the condos and a nearby Morgan Stanley office building.<br /> Group P6 has proposed yet another project, the second one downtown focusing on retirees.<br /> Concierge, at 22 SE Sixth St., west of Federal Highway, would have 110 units, of which 20 would be for memory care, 44 for assisted living and 46 for independent living. The 127 parking spaces would be underground and the project, at nine stories, is within the city’s height limits.<br /> Concierge differentiates itself from 375 Royal Palm by having independent living. But like 375 Royal Palm, it will have deluxe amenities such as restaurants, a spa and salon, Zen garden and concierge services. It touts its location near restaurants, shopping and cultural venues.<br /> Investments Limited, owned by James Batmasian, is the city’s largest owner of commercial properties downtown. The company has plans for two portions of the 14-acre Royal Palm Place that would dramatically change the look of the longtime shopping and dining destination.<br /> Investments Limited has proposed two buildings. One would include 69 luxury rental units, 11,156 square feet of retail and restaurants and parking for 301 cars. The second would have 220 luxury rentals, 4,560 square feet of retail and restaurants and parking for 500 cars.<br /> The redevelopment plans are aimed at transforming Royal Palm Place, built in 1966, into an urban center that meets demands of retail and restaurant tenants, while including landscaped outdoor areas that can host special events.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><span class="font-size-3"><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><br /> <strong>City plans uncertain</strong><br /> Meanwhile, the city is thinking about how to create a downtown government campus on the nearly 30 city-owned acres around City Hall.<br /> What will be included is still a work in progress, but one possibility is building a performing arts center. <br /> City residents have been asked for their input, and City Council members are expected to start making decisions soon.<br /> The Related Group, South Florida’s largest luxury condo developer also known for its large mixed-use projects, approached the city in July with the offer of a swap. It would build a 1,500-seat indoor performing arts center and adjacent parking garage in the campus, in return for 3.6 city-owned acres in Mizner Park, where the developer would tear down the aging outdoor amphitheater and build as many as 400 residential units, retail space and a parking garage that the public could use.<br /> City officials have not closed the door to some sort of eventual deal although they want to keep the amphitheater in Mizner Park. At the Nov. 27 Community Redevelopment Agency meeting, council members said they will consider a redesign of the building or the addition of a retractable roof.<br /> The downtown has transformed dramatically over the past four years, with the addition of the 261-unit Camden Boca Raton rentals, the mixed-use Mark at CityScape, the 200-room Hyatt Place, the 378-unit Palmetto Promenade rentals and townhomes, the 229-unit Boca City Walk rentals and the Via Mizner rentals.<br /> That is exactly what city officials intended in 1982, when they created a redevelopment plan to breathe life into a moribund downtown. Through a resolution and ordinances, they established conditions for downtown development that allowed the 8 million square feet of construction.<br /> In 1989, the city partnered with Crocker & Company to acquire and develop the former Boca Mall site, and Mizner Park opened in 1991 as the first project to launch a revitalized downtown.<br /> <br /> <strong>Building pace likely to slow</strong><br /> But officials expect the pace of development to slow, and it is doubtful other large-scale projects such as Mizner 200 will be built unless the city changes its rules.<br /> “I can already see the slowing of it somewhat,” said architect Derek Vander Ploeg. “The development community says the low-hanging fruit has been picked.”<br /> He can envision the construction of one or two more hotels, some office space, and a limited number of condos and rental units.<br /> Keith O’Donnell, a principal with the commercial real estate firm Avison Young, expects to see some smaller boutique projects until all the 8 million square feet is gone.<br /> “I think it is highly unlikely there would be a big push beyond what we already have because that is what people voted for,” he said, referring to an ordinance approved in 1993 that incorporated the 8 million-square-foot limit. “I haven’t heard anyone talk of expanding the 8 million square feet.”<br /> Ignacio Diaz, co-owner and director of developer Group P6, agrees that the downtown’s growth spurt is nearing its end.<br /> “I do think development is going to slow down in downtown Boca,” he said. “There is enough capacity being created. There are not that many development rights left.”<br /> <br /> <strong>Midtown area may be next</strong> <br /> Diaz sees large-scale development moving elsewhere, and points to the Midtown project proposed by Crocker Partners on 300 acres between Interstate 95 and the Town Center at Boca Raton.<br /> Midtown is envisioned as a “live, work, play” area, with 2,500 residential units in a transit-oriented development where people will live and walk or take shuttles to their jobs in the area, shopping and restaurants. It has run into opposition by city officials, but negotiations are ongoing.<br /></span> <span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"> “The next big thing to happen in the city is Midtown,” Diaz said. “It has huge development potential. It is vastly underdeveloped.”</span> <em><strong><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><br /></span></strong></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><span class="font-size-3"><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960758699,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960758699,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="628" alt="7960758699?profile=original" /></a></span></span><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960758897,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960758897,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960758897?profile=original" /></a></p></div>Tiger Bay Club luncheon meeting: City Fish Market, Boca Raton – May 13https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/tiger-bay-club-luncheon-meeting-city-fish-market-boca-raton-may-12015-06-03T03:19:12.000Z2015-06-03T03:19:12.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960570254,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960570254,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="360" alt="7960570254?profile=original" /></a><em>Florida Atlantic University President John Kelly was the Gold Coast Tiger Bay Club’s special guest at the monthly meeting. Kelly discussed his background, changes implemented since his arrival on campus and plans for the future. Questions from the audience followed. ABOVE: Joanne Harrison and Jim Notter. <strong>Photo provided by Carol Porter</strong></em></p></div>Speaker Series: Congregation B’nai Israel, Boca Raton – Feb. 25https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/speaker-series-congregation-b-nai-israel-boca-raton-feb-252015-04-01T15:55:33.000Z2015-04-01T15:55:33.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960570084,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960570084,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="360" alt="7960570084?profile=original" /></a><em>A moving and powerful documentary about temple member Michelle Brandfon’s family’s experience highlighted the monthly series. Titled ‘No Place on Earth,’ the film shares the story of Jews ages 2 to 78 who survived the Holocaust by going underground and living in caves in the Ukraine. Brandfon, a descendent of the families portrayed in the film, and the film’s producer, Susan Barnett, participated in a question-and-answer session with the 500 attendees. Sharon Wagman, Congregation B’nai Israel’s executive director, said many tears were shed during the screening. <strong>ABOVE:</strong> Gary Weiner, Wagman, Barnett, Claire and William Kalman, Brandfon and Rabbi Robert Silvers. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p></div>Along the Coast: Lecture series founder seeks to educatehttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-lecture-series-founder-seeks-to-educate2013-10-02T15:30:00.000Z2013-10-02T15:30:00.000ZChris Felkerhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/ChrisFelker<div><p style="text-align:center;"><span><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960468652,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960468652,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" width="265" alt="7960468652?profile=original" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p><span><strong>By</strong> <b>Ron Hayes<br /></b></span></p>
<p> Five hundred years ago, a Spanish explorer named Juan Ponce de Leon set sail from Puerto Rico, in search of new lands to conquer.<br /> On April 2, 1513, he discovered what appeared to be an island, and named it Florida.<br /> It wasn’t an island, but it’s still Florida.<br /> Five hundred years later, on Oct. 10, Ocean Ridge resident Bob Weisblut will go in search of an audience for a new monthly lecture series he’s organized at the Town Hall.<br /> The first speaker will be Tony Marconi, curator of education at the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, discussing the facts and fables of Florida’s discovery. <br /> “I don’t know if six people will show up or 100,” says Weisblut, the retired owner of a security firm and a full-time resident since 2004. </p>
<p> “I know the majority of our neighbors won’t be back until January, so the first two events won’t be a good measure of the interest.”</p>
<p> The lectures are free, and both residents and nonresidents are welcome, Weisblut said. But be on time.<br /> “We’re going to start at exactly 7 p.m. and end exactly at 8,” he warned. “I won’t make the speakers hang around for an extra half-hour.”</p>
<p> At this point, Weisblut is the sole force behind the series, finding the speakers, spreading the word, venturing forth to see if there’s enough interest to support a second season.<br /> “If there’s any person who would like to entertain, I don’t care if it’s a ventriloquist, a musician, a singer or a little Irish dance troupe,” he says. “I just want the townspeople to come out and meet and enjoy each other.”</p>
<p> <strong> Future events in the monthly series are:</strong><br /> <b> Nov. 14</b>: Contemporary music from Bill Hartmann, a 12-string guitarist and vocalist. <br /> <b> Jan. 9:</b> Dr. John C. Fine, a marine biologist and master scuba instructor, will discuss the marine life, reefs and shipwrecks off of Boynton Beach.<br /> <b> Feb. 13:</b> Eric Vandernoot, Astronomy and Physics Lab coordinator at Florida Atlantic University, will present information about the new planets found by the Kepler Space Telescope. <br /> <b> March 13:</b> Dr. Kirt Rusenko, marine conservationist at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, will describe the three turtle species that commonly nest on our beaches and provide information on what residents can do to keep turtles safe during nesting season. <br /> <b> April 10:</b> A story of the Macedonian king, Alexander the Great, as told by Dr. Christos Papatheodorou.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><em><strong>Photo Above:</strong> Ocean Ridge resident Bob Weisblut seeks an audience </em></span><em>for a new monthly lecture series </em><em>he's organized at the Town Hall.</em> <span><strong>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</strong></span></p>
<p></p></div>Boynton Beach: Stability missing ingredient in improving downtownhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/boynton-beach-stability-missing-ingredient-in-improving-downtow-12013-02-27T20:30:00.000Z2013-02-27T20:30:00.000ZDeborah Hartz-Seeleyhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/DeborahHartzSeeley<div><p></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em><b>Live, Work, Play: </b>Third of a three-part series looking at the downtowns of <a href="http://thecoastalstar.ning.com/profiles/blogs/delray-beach-downtown-faring-better-than-many-but-density-an-issu">Delray Beach</a>, <a href="http://thecoastalstar.ning.com/profiles/blogs/boca-raton-city-faces-clashing-visions-of-viable-downtown">Boca Raton</a> and Boynton Beach</em></p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960441098,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960441098,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="334" alt="7960441098?profile=original" /></a></b></span><em>A wrecking ball demolishes what remains of the Bank of America<br /> building on Federal Highway at Ocean Avenue in Boynton Beach<br /> in January. <b>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</b></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em><b> </b></em></p>
<p><span><b>By Tim Pallesen</b></span></p>
<p>Developers are busy in the downtowns of Delray Beach and Boca Raton.</p>
<p>New residential projects are getting city approvals. The vision for downtowns where young professionals live, work and play is within reach.</p>
<p>But major developers are reluctant to invest in Boynton Beach ’s downtown.</p>
<p>“A lot of developers are scared away from Boynton Beach because of that city’s lack of unity,” said Bill Morris, a developer in the other two cities.</p>
<p>Boynton Beach has been a city in turmoil. The mayor got arrested and city commissioners resigned. Property values fell sharply in the recession, and crime is perceived as a problem.</p>
<p>But interim Mayor Woodrow Hay says recent events show Boynton Beach is getting its act together.</p>
<p>The City Commission filled two vacancies and gave a permanent job to Lori LaVerriere, who had been interim city manager for 18 months, on Dec. 18.</p>
<p>“We now have a full City Commission and a full-time city manager,” Hay said. “So the stability is here. That problem has been resolved.</p>
<p>“Now we’re working our tails off to get people to take a second look at Boynton,” he said.</p>
<p>City officials joined the Chamber of Commerce and the Community Redevelopment Agency on a Jan. 17 bus tour to show commercial real estate agents their downtown vision.</p>
<p>“They saw three agencies working together,” Chamber Chairman Jonathon Porges said. “The word is out that Boynton is open for business. The train is pulling away from the station and we are all on board.”</p>
<p>Boynton, like Boca Raton, doesn’t have a historical downtown similar to Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach.</p>
<p>“We’re starting from scratch,” CRA director Vivian Brooks said. “Ocean Avenue goes right to the beach, so we’re trying to capitalize on that.”</p>
<p>So far, Boynton’s downtown has two pieces in place.</p>
<p>The city has spent $6 million to make Boynton Harbor Marina a destination. Boynton is the only downtown that has charter boats for deep-sea fishing. Two Georges and Banana Boat are popular nightspots.</p>
<p>Young professionals rent apartments that overlook the marina. Although most commute to jobs outside the city, at least they enjoy a place to live and play.</p>
<p>The other existing piece is the towering Promenade condo project that opened on Federal Highway north of Ocean Avenue when the housing market was collapsing four years ago. The condos didn’t sell and the project went into foreclosure.</p>
<p>The Related Group took control of the Promenade last December, when only 72 of the 395 condos in the 14-floor twin towers had been sold. A company spokesman says Boynton is “the only frontier left for growth near the water.”</p>
<p>Now some city leaders are focusing on two more key pieces — an old high school and a proposed train station — to bring people into the downtown and stimulate new residential development.</p>
<p>The abandoned high school would become Ocean Avenue’s western anchor to create a downtown that extends west of Federal Highway.</p>
<p>The vision is for the rebuilt school as a destination similar to Old School Square in Delray Beach with restaurants, retail and a banquet hall. The city has signed a contract with an architect who is trying to get financing for the project.</p>
<p>LaVerriere describes the commuter train station proposed between Ocean Avenue and Boynton Beach Boulevard on Fourth Street as a “transforming moment” for the downtown, if it is built.</p>
<p>Another key property if Boynton’s downtown is to come alive is the site of the former Bank of America building on the northeast corner of Ocean Avenue and Federal Highway. A major project there would be a centerpiece for redevelopment much like the proposed Atlantic Crossing in Delray Beach and Archstone in Boca Raton, developers and supporters say.</p>
<p>Boynton just needs to persuade developers to take a chance.</p>
<p>“I understand that some developers have shied away because of the political climate,” said Nancy Byrne, the city development services director. “But if they can weather the political winds, their projects will go through smoothly.”</p>
<p>Boynton Beach might need to get past its March 12 city election before developers believe Boynton leaders are unified in their downtown vision.</p>
<p>Commissioner Steven Holzman opposes Commissioner Jerry Taylor in the mayor’s race.</p>
<p>Holzman says Taylor, a former mayor with 10 years on the commission, contributed to downtown problems.</p>
<p>“We have very big problems to overcome because people like my opponent had no vision,” Holzman said. “Boynton has allowed other cities to leapfrog over us because of missed opportunities, terrible decisions and no planning.”</p>
<p>Taylor disputes that: “He’s wrong when he says I held them back. He doesn’t realize that I put together the master plan.”</p>
<p>The owner of the former Bank of America site has told Brooks that he doesn’t want to develop his property. “But I’m working with him,” Taylor said. “He’s supporting me big-time in my campaign.”</p>
<p>Holzman has led the push to make the old high school a downtown attraction.</p>
<p>“The success of that project is so vital to create life in an area that has none. We should do everything in our power to make it a rousing success,” he said.</p>
<p>But Taylor wants a City Hall on the site. “I will build a new City Hall with the façade of the old high school, if that’s what everyone wants,” Taylor joked before commissioners split 3-2 on whether to go ahead with the high school project on Feb. 5. Taylor sees the train station as a stimulus, but Holzman says the proposal for Florida East Coast commuter trains is uncertain.</p>
<p>“They’ve been talking about that for 10 years,” he said. “We can’t plan around and pray for something that may or may not happen.”</p>
<p>So disagreement continues and developers shy away at least until after the election.</p>
<p>“Political stability is important for investors. If you want to build a $100 million building, you want to know everything is going to be stable from beginning to end,” Brooks said.</p>
<p>Boynton leaders look south to Delray Beach to see what they can only wish that their downtown could be.</p>
<p>“Delray has been able to achieve continuity of vision,” Brooks said. “We haven’t had that here.”</p>
<p>Holzman said developers will only invest if they know what the city envisions will be built around their projects.</p>
<p>“I would love to see our downtown as a place to live, work and play — but we have to be realistic,” Holzman said. “Maybe we could be a smaller version of Delray.” </p>
<p> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960441693,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960441693,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="7960441693?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p><i>The three-part Live Work Play series is available online at <a href="http://www.thecoastalstar.ning.com">www.thecoastalstar.ning.com</a>. </i></p></div>South Palm Beach: Cuts to music program may help budgethttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/south-palm-beach-music2011-08-03T15:27:21.000Z2011-08-03T15:27:21.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div>By Tim O’Meilia<br /><br />South Palm Beach music lovers will no longer have a choice of two nights to watch their favorite performers, as the town’s cultural committee decided to cut the traditional back-to-back performances to a single night for each artist in its winter music series.<br />The committee also will concentrate on local talent for both the music and lecture series to cut travel expenses and help put the cultural program in the black.<br />“Tickets for the music series have been down, so we decided to go to one night instead of two,” said Jeff Stein, co-chair with his wife, Ruth, of the town-sponsored cultural series held in the Town Hall council chambers. <br />“Perhaps this will get the demand up and we can go back to two nights,” Ruth Stein told the Town Council at the July 26 meeting. <br />The Steins are adding a musical comedy act and a doo-wop band playing oldies from the ’50s through the ’70s to the five-artist program. Pianist Robert Sharon and his chorale will return, as will soprano Reyna Cargill. <br />“We tried to think outside of the box and hopefully get a little more interest in the program,” she said. <br />The lecture series will continue its two-night per speaker format but concentrate less on world affairs. This year’s six-speaker program includes a one-person Eleanor Roosevelt play as well as talks on the upcoming presidential campaign.<br />The cultural series was calculated to lose $7,000 this year after factoring in honoraria, travel expenses and ticket sales in a $44,900 budget. The proposed 2012 ledger forecasts a $1,000 profit on a $19,500 budget.<br />The savings would help reduce the 2012 budget proposed by Town Manager Rex Taylor by 9.3 percent to $1.7 million. <br />Council members voted unanimously to hold the tax rate at the same level as this year: $4.32 for each $1,000 of taxable property value. But because property values have dropped again, a typical condominium owner will be paying less in town taxes. <br />The owner of a $100,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption would pay about $215 in town taxes. The rate does not include fire-rescue, school, Palm Beach County or other property taxes.<br />For the fourth year in a row, town employees will not receive raises. In fact, the town’s bottom line will benefit by more than $63,000 as a result of the Florida Legislature’s decision to require public employees to pay 3 percent of their salaries toward their pensions. Previously, the town paid for 100 percent of the pension contribution.<br />The budget was reduced another $22,000 because the maintenance employee works part-time only. <br />The town anticipates spending $15,000 more in legal fees for negotiations with the police union, the Police Benevolent Association. The town and the newly formed police bargaining unit have had two meetings but no contract has been proposed yet. <br />If no changes are made in September, the town will dip into its $2.4 million in reserves for $58,000 to balance the budget. This year the town anticipated spending $175,000 in reserves.<br />In other business, the Town Council:<br />• Set public hearings for the budget for Sept. 6 and Sept. 20 at 6:45 p.m., with adoption of the budget and final tax rate on Sept. 20.<br />• Changed the council meeting dates in November and December to Nov. 15 and Dec. 19, a Monday.<br /> <br /><br /><br /></div>Boynton Beach: Flickers of revival along Federalhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/boynton-beach-flickers-of2010-12-02T16:21:31.000Z2010-12-02T16:21:31.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div>By Thomas R. Collins<br /> <br />At the height of the real estate boom, news that a new developer was stepping in to complete a 30-townhouse, 40-condo project might have been greeted with a long stretch and a yawn.<br />But it’s not 2005 anymore.<br />So city officials here are pretty pumped about the Peninsula.<br />The project, which was in foreclosure and sits on the east side of Federal Highway at the north edge of town, has been bought by Boca Raton-based Altman Companies, a developer with townhome and condominium projects in at least five states, most of them in Florida. Altman plans to complete the project according to the original plans.<br />A year ago, the project was just another question mark along the city’s main north-south strip. Today, it is a sign that things might be turning around.<br />But nothing has changed the landscape yet. There are just as many vacant lots surrounded by chain-link fencing and green screens as there were 12 months ago. But behind the scenes, there is activity.<br />“Given the general condition of things, it could be worse,” said city Planning Director Mike Rumpf. “And some things are happening, so that’s encouraging.”<br />Among the other goings-on:<br />• Wal-Mart is nearing the end of its permit phase and is expected to start demolition of existing buildings at Gulfstream Boulevard and Federal Highway early next year.<br />• Las Ventanas — perhaps the city’s most visible project, with its burnt-umber façade at Woolbright and Federal — is at an 80 percent occupancy rate, managers there say.<br />• Marina Village continues to generate activity near the Federal Highway corridor.<br />• A remodeled Publix is planned to replace the existing Publix in Sunshine Square, across from Las Ventanas.<br />• A 12-acre parcel along Federal at the south end of town has been assembled and the land cleared, with the way paved for another residential project, according to the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency.<br />• The Bank of America building at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Federal is destined for redevelopment once the facility moves into a new branch building in Sunshine Square. The CRA is interested in recruiting a corporate office of some kind, “I would like to make a play for a company that can bring jobs paying more than the average wage currently available in the city,” said Vivian Brooks, the city’s interim CRA director.<br />Brooks feels the price is right on more and more lots in the city, generating more activity, whereas “they didn’t have to be financially feasible before.”<br />Altman bought the Peninsula project “because there are some deals.”<br />“You’ll start to see more of that, I think,” Brooks said. “We’re starting to see some folks who were waiting for the numbers to be where they should be.”<br />The biggest turnabout is expected to come at the old Gulfstream Mall property, where a Walmart is expected to be built. A strip club has been closed at the property, but, for now, it is still a dismal scene of a shuttered shopping center with letters missing from the signs, an old tractor trailer sitting in the parking lot ringed by a pile of tires, and a chain-link fence surrounding it all.<br />“Wal-Mart is very soon going to clean up that entire corner,” Rumpf said.<br />At Las Ventanas, 394 units are occupied, said Suzanne Moore, property supervisor with Epoch Management, which handles leasing for the project.<br />The company has, at various times, dangled deals of two, three or four months free, but they are happy with the project’s progress, she said.<br />“We’ve had a really good spring and summer,” she said. “I think we’re doing very, very well, considering other properties.”<br />Just three of the 30 retail spaces in Las Ventanas are full —Butterfly Chinese restaurant, Tsunami Subs & Wraps, and Boynton Beach Realty. But other spaces are now being outfitted, with a bar and grill and a Japanese chop house with outdoor seating expected to open soon, Moore said.<br />Elsewhere, the news is not so good. <br />The dark windows at night don’t bode well for the 14-story Promenade project at the corner of Boynton Beach Boulevard and Federal. Brooks hasn’t spoken to anyone with the project for a few months, but says, “they’re trying to sell units [318] and they’ve got some of the commercial space leased up.”<br />Promenade officials didn’t return calls from The Coastal Star.<br />“They don’t want to tell you the bad news, if there is bad news,’’ Brooks said. “The issue is getting financing for people right now.’’<br />And just to the south at Ocean Avenue, the property formerly known as the Arches is still just an abandoned retail and condo project.<br />But even that might be a good thing in the long run, Brooks said. The project that had been approved included a garage in an awkward spot.<br />“Whoever comes in will have to go through that process again,” Brooks said. “Maybe we’ll get something better.” <br /></div>