On Wednesday, the group that created Old School Square must be out of the buildings in downtown Delray Beach that make up Old School Square.
And then?
I spoke Monday with City Manager Terrence Moore. Last August, Mayor Shelly Petrolia and city commissioners Juli Casale and Shirley Johnson gave Moore the task of replacing what supporters call an irreplaceable organization: Old School Square for the Arts. The non-profit group has leased the property since 1989. Petrolia, Casale and Johnson ended that lease, effective Wednesday.
No groups responded to the city’s request for replacements. But Moore said he is “continuing to organize toward a selection” of someone—or someones—to handle “booking, marketing and operations.” Until then, Moore said, there is a “solid schedule of events” this month and next.
Moore isn’t sure yet whether he will choose “a single entity” for the whole complex. A separate one might run the Cornell Museum. I asked whether he is negotiating with the Boca Raton Museum of Art, whose representatives toured the Cornell. “At the moment, no,” Moore said. Executive Director Irvin Lippman said half of the museum’s members live north of Boca Raton. Moore said he would present commissioners with a proposed plan for Old School Square at their March 1 meeting.
Meanwhile, the city and Old School Square for the Arts continue to disagree about almost everything. The group has filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination. Yet it also seeks to have the community redevelopment agency release $750,000 from allocations for the previous budget year. The CRA—not the city itself—has been the only source of money toward Old School Square for the Arts’ operating budget.
In a memo for the CRA’s January meeting, Executive Director Renee Jadusingh said that “certain requests for information. . . remain outstanding.” Old School Square Chairman Patty Jones, however, told me last week that the CRA has received everything.
Jones said the agency has questioned the Paycheck Protection Program the group received and that auditors from each side will discuss it. But Jadusingh said no meeting is scheduled. Old School Square, she said, “has submitted all the documents that they thought were neccessary.” The CRA wants more. “I’ll talk to anybody,” Jadusingh said, “but a meeting won’t change that.”
Last week, many Old School Square supporters criticized the termination and asked the commission to reconsider. Afterward, Petrolia blamed Old School Square. Offering no details, she said, “We have been put in an untenable position.” She said, “There is no animosity,” a claim that might surprise Old School Square.
“Today,” Petrolia said, “was very difficult.”
Delray gets money for new water plant
Delray Beach will get nearly $11 million from the federal government toward the city’s new water plant.
According to a news release, U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel and Mayor Shelly Petrolia will appear today at 11 a.m. to announce the grant from the American Rescue Plan. Frankel, a Democrat, represents Delray Beach. Congress passed the legislation last March with no Republican support.
Though the bill was designed primarily to help local governments with pandemic-related expenses, Moore said the water plant qualifies for money because of “flexibility” in the enabling language. It allows spending on projects to promote public health. The state recently cited Delray Beach for water quality problems over 13 years.
Total cost of the plant and new meters could be at least $50 million. The federal grant is “tremendously welcome,” Moore said, since customers will have to pay less. There is a “sense of urgency” to start the project, Moore said, because of rising interest rates and construction costs. He hopes to present a potential bond plan to the city commission this spring. Delray Beach hopes to open the plant in 2026.
Price hikes also coming
With that new plant will come higher water and sewer rates. Prices at the Delray Beach Marina also are about to rise.
On today’s city commission workshop meeting agenda is a presentation on rates at the marina. It features 24 slips near downtown on the Intracoastal Waterway.
The staff memo notes that the marina reopened last April “after a years-long renovation.” The work preserved the marina’s “historic and economic significance” and prepared it to withstand sea-level rise that causes severe tidal flooding in the neighborhood. All berths are now floating slips.
Because rates have not changed in six years and because the facility boasts new amenities, “a rate change is in order,” the memo says. Rates are much lower than at other marinas in the areas, but money isn’t the only motivation.
In recent years, liveaboard tenants have taken most of the slips. Moore stressed that the liveaboarders haven’t created any problems, as they have in some Florida cities. Their presence, though, creates what Moore called “scheduling” problems for boat owners who seek space for short periods. Some city residents without ocean access, for example, might like to have their boat in the water for a weekend.
“The fee structure,” Moore said, “contributes” to that imbalance. Based on discussions at today’s meeting, a final proposal will come to the commission for approval.
Delray considers new approval process
At today’s regular meeting, commissioners will discuss several major proposed changes to how Delray Beach processes development approvals.
The city has talked about such a revamp for several years. The proposals arise now in part because Delray Beach soon will be able to start processing applications electronically.
Among other things, the commission will consider whether to combine the Planning and Zoning Board and the Site Plan Review and Appearance Board. If that doesn’t happen, should final site plan approval rest with the board or the commission?
Another idea is to allow revocation of conditional use permits. The city grants them when developers pledge to abide by certain conditions. If they don’t, nearby neighborhoods can suffer. The threat of revocation could avoid that.
The proposals run from the major—should the city require a supermajority vote of 4-1 for land-use changes—to the seemingly minor—should Delray Beach continue to regulate color? I’ll have more after the discussion.
Boca Beach and Park District wants input
The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District wants to hear from the public about what the agency should do with the former Ocean Breeze golf course in Boca Teeca.
At 6 p.m. Wednesday, the district’s consultant will lead a workshop in the Maple Room at Sugar Sand Park. Those who don’t want to go in person can attend virtually through Microsoft Teams at https://tinyurl.com/4k5by5yw.
The property covers about 200 acres on either side of Northwest Second Avenue. The district owns the east-side portion outright. It is reimbursing the city for the bonds it issued to buy the west-side portion.
At one time, the site was to have been Boca Raton’s new municipal course. When the district and the city couldn’t agree on a plan—the city council must approve it—the project got delayed. The Boca Raton then donated to the city the course at the Boca Country Club. It opened last year.
There remains disagreement over the property. The two agencies paid for a recreation survey. City council members wanted the district to make decisions about Ocean Breeze in tandem with the city’s plans for recreation. District board members wanted to go their own way.
Specifically, the city council believes that the new course meets the demand for golf. District board members respond that the sale of Boca Municipal eliminated a nine-hole short course that some golfers preferred. According to a news release from the district, “a golf facility remains a possibility for” Ocean Breeze. There also could be pickleball courts and walking trails.
Based on public comment, the release said, the district may “include multiple amenities” or “focus on a single purpose. A decision could come by summer.
Correction
I wrote last week that the Palm Beach County Commission voted to transmit to the state the land swap that would allow GL Homes to build 1,250 houses in the Agricultural Reserve Area northwest of Boca Raton. The commission voted to have staff analyze the deal. After that, the proposal will go back to the commission with a recommendation on whether to send it to the state for review. There is no timetable for how long that staff analysis might take.
