Highland Beach in demand

Boca merger explored

Boca Raton would gain miles of pristine beaches and increase its population if it absorbs its neighbor: the town of Highland Beach.

There’s no question the city of Boca would love to have Highland Beach’s nearly 4,000 residents become Boca residents, said Boca Raton Councilman Jeremy Rodgers.

He plans to ask Highland if it wants to be annexed and even has a sales pitch for the town. He said he thinks city-related costs would drop for residents of both cities when services, such as fees for utilities and

police and firefighters, are added up.

“There’s a pretty small city with some good-sized tax rolls, so the question is would it make sense to annex?” Rodgers asked Monday.

Annexing Highland would make Boca’s population rise to nearly 100,000.

Residents of Highland Beach also would gain access to Boca’s beaches, parks and libraries. He said he plans to soon get feedback from Highland Beach commissioners and residents.

Bernard Featherman, Highland Beach’s former mayor, said it isn’t the first time Boca approaches the town about a merger. Talks came up during his tenure as mayor between 2011 and March 2017.

“They’ve approached me in the past,” said Featherman, who said the talks went nowhere. “We have everything we need.”

Highland Beach Mayor Carl Feldman said he sees no reason for annexation.

“Everybody here likes the small community,” Feldman said Monday. “It would be more likely that Highland Beach would absorb Boca.”

The decision to merge, however, could be up to residents. Under Florida law, in addition to a resolution from both cities, it would be left up to voters to decide in a referendum.

This would be the second time within the last year that Boca looked at expanding its borders.

Last year, Boca officials also tried to add about 435 homes from an unincorporated area northwest of the city.

The idea withered when the potential residents raised questions about what being incorporated into the city would mean for them. For example, some of the residents kept farm animals, which Boca does not allow.