Prime property in Indian Creek
Julio Iglesias selling four lots for $150M.
New attempts keep emerging to turn a unique part of Palm Beach County into more suburbia.
That special place is the Agricultural Reserve Area west of Delray Beach and Boynton Beach between Florida’s Turnpike and the Ever glades. GL Homes soon will formally seek to build 2,000 more homes in the reserve than rules allow. In return, the company will offer to preserve land the outside of the reserve on which GL has approval to build, supposedly producing a net overall gain.
In fact, GL’s deal would undercut two decades of work— and $100 million in public money— to protect the reserve. Today, the Palm Beach County Commission will discuss the new threat.
Morningside Partners VI, which is based in Dallas, wants to build amixed-use project— a hotel, commercial and residential development— on 51acres at Atlantic Avenue and Starkey Road. The commission would have to approve several land-use changes thatwould torpedo protection of this productive, economically important coastal farm belt.
County planners understand the potential harm. The staff recommends denial of the changes, and the tone isn’t just “No,” but “Hell, no.”
According to the staff report, the changes would “essentially rewrite fundamental Agricultural Reserve provisions” of the county’s comprehensive plan. Other property owners could “seek the same entitlements,” thus “opening the door to additional sites in the future.”
Basically, Morning side wants the county commission to “eliminate or circumvent the existing requirements . . .” to build what it wants. The staff finds “no basis or justification” for the commission giving in to Morning side, whichwould “erode the integrity” of the Agricultural Reserve.
Given that language, the commission should quickly reject Morning side’ s proposal. Previous commissions, however, have weakened the rules little by little. In addition, the county’s planning commission this month ignored the staff report and recommended approval, though by a vote of 5-4.
As with the GL Homes land swap, a developer hopes to hijack a good idea. With GL, it’s environmental preservation. With Morningside, it’s affordable housing.
In Palm Beach County, as in much of coastal South Florida, middle-class buyers again are being priced out of the real estate market. Morningside proposes to build 360 residents units, 40 percent of them priced for, say, teachers and police officers.
The staff report, however, points out that the county never envisioned the Agricultural Reserve Area as the solution to affordable housing. Sticking 144 cheaper homes three mileswest of Delray Beach only would give commissioners political cover to defy the voters who approved the reserve protection plan in 1999.
Nearly 20 years later, the real problem is that many who live in the reserve don’t knowthey live there. Builders and Realtors don’t always mention it, and the county does little to advertise. The reserve master plan envisioned just two shopping centers — on Lyons Road at Atlantic Avenue— Del ray Marketplace—and Boynton Beach Boulevard— Canyon Town Center.
So demand gradually has built for more suburban amenities. Lori Vinikoor is executive vice-president of Alliance of Delray, the umbrella organization for the nearly 80 communities and roughly110,000 residents who live west of Delray Beach. As chairwoman of the planning commission, Vinikoor voted to allow Morning side.
In an interview, Vinikoor said the alliance has not taken a formal position on the project. But residents have expressed support for a hotel, to make family visits easier. Vinikoor also noted that Del ray Marketplace has become a regional draw, with such offerings as Frank Theatres Cine Bowl & Grille, shops and restaurants.
The public, though, did not spend $100 million so that sons and daughters could be closer to their parents on vacations. Vinikoor said she supported the project in part because the developer cut the amount of commercial development in half. The rules, however, don’t allow any commercial on that site.
The Coalition of Boynt on West Residential Associations—the alliance’ s counterpart for communities west of Boynton Beach— sent a letter thisweek to the county commission criticizing the Morning side project. Two new commissioners, Mack Bernard and Dave Kerner, ran against overdevelopment.
Vinikoor said her residents “may have to accept” that more suburbia isn’t coming. “If so, we are fine with that.” Good, because there is nothing fine about the campaign to destroy the Agricultural Reserve Area.