As Boca Raton approved the interim master plan for redeveloping the 30 acres around City Hall, part of the discussion sounded like a campaign debate.
Councilmember Andy Thomson was the lone vote against approval. He’s running for mayor next March against Vice Mayor Fran Nachlas. For now, it’s the only contested race on the ballot.
Thomson said there are “way too many questions in my mind.” Though Terra/Frisbie, the development team, has reduced the number of apartments and added parks, Thomson said the project remains “way too big.” He noted that there would be 1.5 million square feet of construction, including private and public space.
In addition, Thomson criticized the terms of the public-private partnership, known as a P3. Normally in such agreements, Thomson said, the developer pays for the public buildings—in this case, a new city hall and community center—in return for profit from the private projects. Instead, Thomson said, the city is “being asked to allocate” money upfront for city hall and the community center, to be reimbursed through revenue from lease payments. In addition, Thomson claimed that the city will pay for roadwork to accommodate much more on-street parking.
Mayor Scott Singer acknowledged that all financial aspects are “not fleshed out.” As he did previously, though, Singer questioned why Thomson—if he believes Terra/Frisbie’s plan is too dense—ranked Related Ross first when the council chose a developer. Singer said, correctly, that Related Ross’ proposal was much larger, including 1 million square feet of offices.
Thomson responded, as he did previously, that he was picking “a partner, not a plan.” When Singer pointed out that Terra/Frisbie has changed its plan based on community comment, Thomson said all bidders had pledged flexibility.
Nachlas said of the council, “We are listening” to the public. Emails, she said, were coming even during the meeting. As she has done previously, Nachlas stressed the city’s plans for new recreation facilities—softball fields, tennis courts, a skate park—to replace those that redevelopment will displace.
Then Nachlas addressed her opponent directly. “Mr. Thomson,” she said, “Terra/Frisbie was the only (bidder) who showed flexibility.” Related Ross, she said, budged on its ideas only the night before the meeting to rank bidders. Related Ross, Nachlas said, “wanted no recreation.”
Like Singer, Nachlas agreed that there are “a lot of questions.” Of Thomson’s opposition, however, she said, “I don’t understand where this is going.”
Echoing Deputy City Manager Andy Lukasik, Singer called approval of the interim plan “a milestone,” not a final decision. Lukasik said the vote offers guidance on the outlines of the project. “There is no guarantee of approval. Inevitably, there will be changes.”
Councilmember Marc Wigder defended the financing plan by saying that the city can obtain lower borrowing rates than Terra/Frisbie could. That will save city taxpayers “hundreds of millions of dollars.” He praised the plan as “important for the tax base.”
Presumably, those questions will have answers before the council is supposed to approve the final master plan in late October. The election is four-plus months after that, but Tuesday night Thomson and Nachlas sounded as if they were already on the stump, not just on the dais.
Beachfront parking chatter
I wrote Tuesday that a council member was likely to pull from the consent agenda for discussion an item about changes to Boca Raton’s beachfront parking system. Singer didn’t just pull it for discussion. He pulled it from the agenda.
Singer referred to “misinformation” about the proposal for installing meters at Spanish River, Red Reef and South Beach parks, rather than continuing to issue day passes at gatehouses. Social media posts yelped that the city was going to charge for oceanfront parking; the city always has done so.
As Deputy City Manager Chrissy Gibson told me Wednesday, however, “all our neighbors along the coast” have gone to a license plate recognition system. Gibson said the change would bring several benefits.
For one, residents no longer would have to get year-round permits in person at the community center. “We don’t disagree” with complaints about that system, Gibson said. “People are used to quick and easy on their phone.” For another, it would make getting into, and driving past, the parks easier and safer by eliminating lines at gatehouses that at peak times sometimes back up onto A1A.
Despite what some social media posts claimed, residents still would get those discounted permits. Their license plates would be registered with the city. “This would provide convenience for our residents,” Gibson said.
Gibson said the staff needs comment from the council before moving ahead with what would take a lot of work. I found it odd that such an item was on the consent agenda, which doesn’t usually generate public comment. Gibson said City Manager George Brown now will schedule it for a council workshop meeting.
City manager finalists to be interviewed
On Aug. 12, council members will interview finalists to be Boca Raton’s next city manager.
During Tuesday’s workshop meeting, Brown recommended that the council cut the list of semi-finalists to four who will be interviewed. The search firm chose eight from the pool of roughly 80.
Council members had asked to see all applications. If anyone wants to add someone to the list of semi-finalists, Brown said, he will do so. The hope is to approve a contract with Brown’s successor in August or September.
Delray Beach commission candidate
A second candidate has filed paperwork to run for Seat 2 on the Delray Beach City Commission.
It’s Delores Rangel. She spent 27 years working for the city as an administrative assistant in the city manager’s office. Rangel said, “I’d like to bring consensus to the (city commission) meetings.”
Seat 2 incumbent Commissioner Rob Long is leaving to run next year for the Florida House. I asked Rangel why she chose that race and not Seat 4, where Commissioner Angela Burns is up for a second term. Rangel said Burns is doing “a fabulous job.” The other Seat 2 candidate is Judy Mollica.
