Boca beachfront owners may choose sale over seizure

The owners of two beachfront Boca Raton properties faced possibly being forced to sell their land, but now might do so willingly.

Lawyers for the owners say they’re interested in selling, avoiding previous proposals to force a sale by the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District.

What the district would do with the properties is up in the air, but they could be used for more parking at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center or to enhance Ocean Strand, a nature preserve.

Property owners for small vacant plots at 2500 and 2600 N. Ocean Blvd. told the district they would consider a sale, according to Briann Harms, assistant director. The next move will be to have the sites appraised, Harms said after an update at the district’s Monday night meeting.

The district considered using eminent domain, a process that allows government to buy private land for public use. A court would have to approve the seizure and how much the owner is paid.

The district was asked by the city last August to inventory beachfront properties. Among them were these two: 0.4 acres at 2500 N. Ocean Blvd., owned by Natural Lands LLC, and 0.3 acres at 2600 N. Ocean Blvd., owned by Grand Bank National.

Both sites are near a private beach across the street from the Yacht & Racquet Club of Boca Raton, at 2711 N. Ocean Blvd., just south of Spanish River Park, which has beach access across the street.

In other action by the district, the city anticipates being able to provide the upfront funding for the district’s $24 million purchase of Ocean Breeze by Feb. 28, according to a brief advisory between the city and the district.

The closed 27-hole golf course and former hotel site is in the Boca Teeca development at 5800 NW Second Ave.

Staff writer Aric Chokey contributed to this report.

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