If Tuesday’s Boca Raton City Council meeting is any indicator, governance under the new council is going to move much slower.
During approval of the consent agenda— routine, uncontroversial items that have already been vetted by city staff—Councilor Jon Pearlman requested two items be pulled for further discussion: a resolution that would grant telecommunications company Subcom, LLC a land easement for its existing telecommunication conduits and a resolution that would allow for building assessments of structures within the downtown campus area.
For the Subcom item, Pearlman’s opposition was that the telecommunications cables would not serve the residents of Boca Raton. The cables also wouldn’t be a nuisance to residents and would bring the city nearly $111,000 in annual payments. The resolution ultimately passed 5-0 after city staff explained that the easement is unrelated to a separate easement that Pearlman had concerns about for the same company in Spanish River Park.
When discussion turned to assessments of buildings within the downtown campus—the 30 acres of land that secured Pearlman his council seat—discussion ran much longer.
Pearlman pulled the item from the consent agenda “for the taxpayers,” arguing that the city should not pay a consultant $225,000 for what amounts to a “visual inspection.” He received applause from the audience.
Boca Raton Public Works & Engineering Director Zachary Bihr explained that the inspection is far from “visual,” comparing it to the comprehensive inspection done for homes before they are sold. Inspections are routine and necessary steps in the development process. Building without an inspection could jeopardize financing.
The resolution passed 4-1, with Pearlman the lone “no” vote.
A Look at What Could Have Been
Mike Liebelson lost the mayoral race to Andy Thomson by five votes. At Tuesday’s meeting, we got a look at what having him as mayor would have been like.
During discussion about the consent agenda item to move forward with building assessments of structures within the downtown campus, Liebelson, during public comment, came to the lectern and made what seemed like a campaign speech.
“We have to stop these consultants,” Liebelson said, arguing that the city has been too friendly to developers and needs to focus on its citizens. He said that consulting firms, like the one that would be contracted to do the building assessments, “feed from the government trough” and take money from cities while being shielded from liability. Liebelson argued that all Boca Raton contracts with consulting firms should be terminated.
Cities rely on outside consultants to manage a variety of often specialized projects. Bihr responded that “It would be pretty detrimental to staff’s ability to get work done to cancel all of our contracts.”
Memorial Park Dedication
The Boca Raton City Council voted 5-0 to approve the installation and language of a new Memorial Park plaque. The current plaque includes the names of the former city council—except for Andy Thomson—that voted in favor the Terra/Frisbie One Boca proposal.
Councilor Yvette Drucker cleared up misinformation surrounding the plaque during public comment. Some residents thought the last city council approved and installed the plaque. Drucker said that the council never saw it and never voted on it, which they didn’t. The plaque was installed at the direction of former Mayor Scott Singer and installed by staff.
Pearlman, during council discussion, said, “Without you [the public] we wouldn’t be here today dedicating this park. This park would have been handed over to developers, wiped out, with condos, hotels and high-rises all around.” On the contrary, the final Terra/Frisbie plan included enhancements to Memorial Park.
The resolution passed 5-0.
A Task Force to Plan Boca’s Downtown Campus
Anyone who missed the conversation at Monday’s workshop meeting about Thomson’s proposed task force to gather community input for a new downtown campus could catch the highlights at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
Pearlman reiterated his argument that the residents don’t need an “unelected blue ribbon commission.” The task force would be appointed by elected officials. He again brought up his proposal to vote on the Save Boca ordinances on that would require a referendum for the lease or sale of any city-owned land larger than a half-acre.
Councilor Michelle Grau, meanwhile, raised the point that the effort should be led by urban planners. “We are not urban planners and forming a task force with eight unelected, randomly selected residents does not make us one,” she said. Thomson clarified that the task force would have a liaison consulting firm to help guide the process. City staff would also be available for assistance.
Pearlman continued that he’s received hundreds of emails from Save Boca supporters that are opposed to the task force. “I’m here to represent these,” he said. “Because if we’re not directly listening to these voters, these people that pus here, who are we listening to? A task force of unelected officials?”
But Pearlman is not just a representative of Save Boca. As city councilor, he represents all of Boca Raton, not just the people who voted for him.
The task force would begin in July and work for six months on gathering community input for the redevelopment of Boca’s downtown campus. The motion to create the task force passed 3-1, with Pearlman the lone “no” vote and Drucker absent.
An Unexpected Development
The Boca Raton City Council on Tuesday voted to reject a request that would have removed the Boca Raton Innovation Campus from its Development of Regional Impact (DRI). The DRI is the development plan of the Boca Technology Center in which BRIC is housed. Removal from the DRI would allow for future redevelopment of the campus.
BRIC’s removal from the DRI was approved by the Planning & Zoning Board in January. City staff recommended approval.
Grau voted against the request, saying that she did not want to approve it without an idea of what future development would be. Pearlman also voted no but gave no reason.
With Drucker absent, the council deadlocked at a 2-2 vote. City Attorney Joshua Koehler said that in his 15 years with the city, this has never happened. The applicant was told to return to the council for another hearing on the DRI when they have a development plan.
A Curious Vote
At Tuesday’s meeting, the council also voted to approve a request to turn an existing structure within BRIC into a private school for grades 6 to 12. The school would have a maximum of 50 students at a time. City staff recommend approval. The resolution passed 3-1, with Pearlman again the lone “no” vote. During discussion, he asked no questions and provided no comment. He has not responded to request for comment as to why he voted against the resolution.
