Elected officials of Boca Raton’s two taxing authorities rarely meet. On Monday, they will, with much to talk about.
Previous meetings between the city council and the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Parks District board have been contentious. In 2019, tempers ran so high over the district’s then-proposed golf course that council members crashed the board’s meeting to warn about a possible tax increase. One paid for a robocall criticizing the district.
This time, District Chairwoman Erin Wright and Executive Director Briann Harms anticipate a more collegial discussion—except for one topic.
Let’s deal first with the other items.
District officials will update the council on plans for a “racquet facility” at what is now called North Park. It’s the roughly 200 acres within the Boca Teeca community where the district had envisioned that new municipal course before the owners of The Boca Raton donated the resort’s layout on Congress Avenue just west of the city.
Five companies submitted bids to build the indoor/outdoor facility, which the council would have to approve. The district can’t reveal specifics until Monday. One probably can assume, however, that the council especially would welcome new pickleball courts that the city would not have to build. A proposal for 18 courts at Patch Reef Park, which the district owns and operates, will come before the council soon.
On a related note, the district would like to develop with the city what Wright calls a “coordinated” parks and recreation master plan. Both entities paid for a survey to gauge what facilities residents want.
Such a plan, Wright said, would avoid wasteful duplication. “I think they’ll be receptive.”
Another topic is renovation of the Patch Reef playground to make it compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act. There’s a compelling back story here.
Seven-year-old Jordan Ogman, who lives in West Boca, suffers from a degenerative, fatal brain disorder so rare that it doesn’t have a name. Jordan loves to play at that playground, called Pirates Cove.
Steve Engel is a district commissioner. He heard of the Ogmans’ search for a playground that could accommodate Jordan and other children with disabilities. Thus came the plan for a new Pirates Cove.
Harms said the district would like the city to streamline permitting for the project. Noting Jordan’s condition, Harms said, “We’re really on a tight deadline” to complete work in time for him to enjoy it.
Now for the contentious issue:
The district wants to stop making payments to the Boca Raton Community Redevelopment Agency. Last year, that payment was $2.3 million. Next year, it would be $2.6 million.
Boca Raton created the CRA in 1980 to eradicate downtown blight. That mission, Wright said, has been accomplished. Since there are no parks or recreation facilities within the CRA, she added, the district could “better spend” that money on its facilities.
The district pays into the CRA based on annual property increases within the CRA boundaries. It’s part of a deal that began in 1982. In 2012, that deal was extended until 2025.
In June, City Manager Leif Ahnell proposed extending the deal until 2042. Council members delayed a vote until the meeting with the district. Council members, of course, understand that the city would have to make up any shortage to the CRA. Ahnell has warned for years about that looming gap.
At one low point in the relationship, the district threatened to withhold its payment. Officials then backed off.
I’ll have more after the meeting.
Update on DDA’s plan for Old School Square
Apparently, Mizner Park isn’t the only venue where tribute bands are popular.
Old School Square drew 2,500 people to a Bon Jovi tribute concert on July 1. That was one of many nuggets last week from Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority Director Laura Simon to the city commission.
Simon made the presentation to update commissioners on the DDA’s plan for the cultural complex. The agency has a contract to run Old School Square through Sept. 30, 2024.
Commissioner Ryan Boylston said of Simon and the DDA, “I can tell that you’re really starting to get momentum.” After the meeting, though, he stressed that “cooperation” is his priority. Boylston means that he wants the DDA to work with Old School Square Center for the Arts on fundraising and recruiting volunteers.
All commissioners except Mayor Shelly Petrolia have made that priority clear. Adam Frankel remains the most critical of the DDA for not making it happen by now. “I want to see that before anything,” Frankel told me after the meeting.
Petrolia remains the DDA’s biggest fan because only the DDA arose to run the facility after Petrolia and two former commissioners in 2021 ended the lease that Old School Square Center for The Arts had had since 1989.
“I can tell that you’re on fire,” Petrolia said. “It’s phenomenal. I see lots of young crowds,” implying that Old School Square’s programming had become dated.
Petrolia also wants the community redevelopment agency to spend more money on Old School Square. Though Petrolia said she ended the lease to protect taxpayers, the public is now covering costs that Old School Square had paid. “There’s money there,” she said of the CRA.
Technically, the commission could decide next year that the DDA is underperforming and end the contract. Practically speaking, that’s unlikely. City staff then would have to assume all responsibilities for Old School Square.
Brian Rosen is the DDA’s new chairman. He hopes that things will become clearer after a Sept. 7 meeting among the commission, DDA and Old School Square.
“What is Old School Square now?” Rosen asked rhetorically. Simon noted that there are “dueling websites,” one from the DDA that talks about events and one from Old School Square Center for the Arts saying that the complex is closed.
“I want to work with Old School Square,” Rosen said. Citing that deadline, he added, “We need a longer-range plan.”
Delray church to sell land for housing
A historic house of worship in Delray Beach is selling part of its land for housing.
Three-plus blocks north of Atlantic Avenue on Swinton sits Cason United Methodist Church. In 1902, five settlers organized the church. Its first structure opened on Swinton south of Atlantic in 1903—without doors or windows. The current location is in the Old School Square Historic Arts District.
According to the staff memo, the church would sell roughly half the land. Cason received 14 bids and awarded the contract to Delray Beach-based Azure Development. The planning and zoning board approved the proposal 6-1.
Much development activity in Delray Beach is small-scale “infill” housing—replacing old, usually smaller, homes with larger ones. This is one more example.
Boca takes another shot at implementing Live Local Act
At its workshop meeting Monday, the Boca Raton City Council will try again to agree on how Boca Raton should implement the Legislature’s Live Local Act.
Last month, council members had several differences with the staff’s plan. Under the law, Boca Raton must allow mixed-use projects with enough affordable housing in certain areas if the projects comply with the law. Council members are excluded from the approval process.
Delray officer agrees to plea deal in theft case
Delray Beach Police Officer Jacaria Stringer has agreed to a plea deal in her theft case.
Prosecutors charged Stringer last year with illegally collecting roughly $6,500 in salary while claiming to be on military leave when she was not. Under the deal, according to a representative for the state attorney’s office, Stringer must resign from the department and repay the money within a year.
