News

By Mary Thurwachter

    Developers were able to persuade a majority of Lantana Town Council members that rezoning the Cenacle property to make way for a 319-unit apartment complex was a good idea. On the other hand, a request for four variances to the code failed to pass muster.
    The Cenacle, 10 acres of prime waterfront property that has been home to the Cenacle Spiritual Life Center in Lantana for 60 years, is slated to become Aura Seaside, a luxury apartment complex proposed by Ocean Ridge developer Jerry Goray and Trinsic Residential Group (a Dallas-based company with an office in Miami).
    On July 14, the council gave final approval for zoning and comprehensive plan changes for the 1400 S. Dixie Highway Cenacle property from commercial low density to waterfront mixed use. Vice Mayor Lynn Moorhouse was absent and Mayor Dave Stewart alone voted against the zoning change.
    Stewart said the property was some of the last prime waterfront land available in the town and he preferred the site be developed as “a destination,” something like what is being slated for the Panama Hattie’s property in Palm Beach Gardens.
    “This (apartment complex) will not create a destination for our town,” Stewart said.
    Council member Malcolm Balfour suggested a restaurant would benefit the site, too. But no restaurant has been proposed.
    The plans for the site would have two-story commercial buildings line Dixie Highway and multi-story residential buildings behind gates.
    Developers sought variances on building height, size of parking spaces, fencing changes and decreasing the number of parking spaces from 2.5 per unit to 1.87.
    But the council wasn’t having any of that.
    Both council member Tom Deringer and Stewart disliked the plan to making parking spaces smaller.
    “I drive an SUV,” Deringer said, adding that many others do, as well.
    Stewart said the town has a parking problem already and “not everyone drives a Smart car.”
    The height limit variance for some buildings was frowned upon, too.
    “I’ve lived in Lantana for 31 years,” council member Phil Aridas told the project’s planners. “It’s always been a small seaside community and I want it to stay that way. You knew about this height limit when you came in. I hope you saw a little bit of just how this council is working, so when you go back to finesse the next proposal, please keep in mind our codes and how we deal with them in Lantana.”
    After the four code variances were shot down, Aura Seaside’s developers withdrew the site plan, which was also up for a vote at the July 14 meeting.
    Manny Martinez, managing director of Trinsic, said plans are being reworked since the variances were not approved. Ú