The Dixie Manor makeover is headed to the Boca Raton City Council, where a lively debate likely will happen.
Last week, members of the planning and zoning board unanimously recommended approval of Atlantic Pacific Communities’ plan to demolish the 95 units of the subsidized housing complex and build a modern replacement called Martin Manor that might double in size. Despite that vote, though, council members probably will hear continuing criticism when the proposal goes to them this month or next.
One speaker noted that Dixie Manor residents couldn’t attend the planning and zoning board meeting because the housing authority—which operates the complex—had scheduled a residents’ meeting at the same time. Even if the conflict was accidental, it may have fed suspicion that has dogged what the authority calls the “repositioning” of the complex.
That suspicion primarily has centered on what will happen to residents during construction if they want to return and where they will go if they don’t want to return. Speaking on behalf of the project, lawyer Ele Zachariades said a “relocation consultant” has met with 87 families. At least 47, she said, can stay on the site until the new apartments open.
Other complaints at the meeting concerned amenities. Atlantic Pacific wants fewer parking spaces than rules require. The buildings will be three stories tall, but there will be no elevators. Residents won’t have trash chutes on each floor.
Then there’s the preservation angle. In the 1940s, Dixie Manor housed Black service people who worked at the city’s air base. Couldn’t Atlantic Pacific save some of the structure?
Zachariades responded that the developer has had 12 meetings with residents. During those conversations, she said, sentiment favored keeping favorite trees, which Atlantic Pacific has agreed to do, not portions of the buildings. Zachariades also debunked the rumor that rents will go up. If Atlantic Pacific tried that, she said, the company could lose the public money that is financing the makeover.
As for the absence of elevators, Zachariades said, “There are X amount of dollars” for a public housing project. Housing authority members have noted that the new apartments will have central air-conditioning, which will save residents money.
Another ongoing dispute has been the push by Pearl City residents for historic designation. The housing authority had asked organizers to wait, fearing that the designation could affect plans for Dixie Manor by setting new requirements for the developer. Zachariades said the issue has come up with federal officials. She hopes it won’t mean problems.
Though council members only appoint authority board members, they must approve what Atlantic Pacific wants to build. Council members will want to make sure that no conflict will keep residents from attending the final meeting.
Boca Council appoints Marie Hester to housing authority board
This week, the council finally filled the vacancy on the housing authority board.
During Tuesday’s meeting, council members unanimously chose Marie Hester. The Pearl City native became president of Developing Interracial Social Change (DISC.) The group has sought historic designation for Pearl City, Lincoln Court and Dixie Manor. In 2021, this magazine named Hester a Hometown Hero. She spoke critically of the Martin Manor project before the planning and zoning board.
Brian Stenberg to run for PBC School Board
After two unsuccessful bids for the Boca Raton City Council, Brian Stenberg is running for the Palm Beach County School Board.
Stenberg most recently lost on March 9 to Andy Thomson, three years after losing to Monica Mayotte. On April 3, he filed paperwork to succeed Frank Barbieri in Seat 5, which includes Boca Raton and West Boca. Barbieri, who has held the seat since 2008, declined to seek a fifth term.
Stenberg joins three other candidates: Mike Letsky, Suzanne Page and Shannon Komorsky Scaglione. Former Boca Raton City Councilman and County Commissioner Robert Weinroth filed to run before dropping out at the end of the year and changing parties to run for Congress as a Republican.
Qualifying begins June 10 and runs until June 14. The state primary is Aug. 20. If no candidate gets a majority, the top two finishers will compete in the Nov. 5 general election.
School board races are non-partisan. But so are local elections, and the Republican Party of Palm Beach County targeted races in Delray Beach and Wellington. In other parts of the state, Gov. DeSantis has backed favored GOP candidates.
Downtown transit system coming to Boca
Boca Raton should have a downtown transit system in about six weeks.
City Manager George Brown estimated that it will take that long to begin the service after council members on Tuesday approved a contract with Circuit Transit. Brown called it “a pilot program” that will run for a year while the city and the company evaluate the response.
Riders going from one point in downtown to another—The Boca Raton to Mizner Park, for example—will pay nothing. Riders going in and out of downtown will pay $2 and more. According to Municipal Services Director Zachary Bihr, the company aims to make wait times no longer than 10 minutes. A mobile app will tell passengers when vehicles will arrive.
Though the Brightline station, the main library, and Wildflower/Silver Palm Park are just outside the downtown boundaries, they will be included in the designation when it comes to free rides. Including barrier islands would have been “a challenge,” Bihr said, because lengthy bridge openings would have made it hard to meet the 10-minute limit.
The roughly $400,000 for the first year will come from the community redevelopment agency, which oversees downtown. The contract allows four, one-year renewals.
Transportation bill to impose fines for railroad crossing violations
Speaking of Brightline, the company sent out a news release this week touting new language in state law that raises the penalties for drivers, bikers or walkers who go onto railroad tracks when the gates are down.
The Brightline corridor has become the deadliest in the country, though no driver or pedestrian deaths have resulted from train operation or equipment malfunction. First-time violators must pay a $500 fine and perform 25 hours of community service. Six points will be assessed on their license.
A second offense will mean a $1,000 fine and another six points assessed. The Florida Rail Alliance, which includes Brightline, Tri-Rail and the state’s freight operators, supported the change in a wide-ranging transportation bill.
Delray prioritizes budget
Nothing major happened during the new Delray Beach City Commission’s first meeting Tuesday, but the new members suggested that something major could happen soon.
To varying degrees, Mayor Tom Carney and commissioners Juli Casale and Thomas Markert campaigned on budget matters, notably the city’s police and fire pension funds that the three believe are underfunded and thus a drain on overall finances. The commission wants a workshop to hear more and to hear ideas for making the funds more solvent.
The ideas are obvious. The city can hope for better returns to the pension fund’s investments and/or the city can reduce the amount of police and fire pension benefits.
Though the police contract doesn’t expire until 2026, the police contract ends on Sept. 30. Commissioners don’t negotiate contracts, but they must approve them. The police and fire unions did not endorse Carney, Casale or Markert.
Force of habit
There was a funny moment at the end of Tuesday’s city council meeting.
With all other business concluded, it was time for the city manager’s report. Mayor Scott Singer said, “Mr. Ahnell?”
In fact, the manager since January has been Brown, who took over after Leif Ahnell had been Boca Raton’s CEO for 24 years. Singer has been mayor since 2018. Old habits die hard.
