Terra/Frisbie has made a significant change to its plan for redeveloping downtown Boca Raton.
Rather than 1,129 apartments, the company now proposes 912. Terra/Frisbie representatives revealed the updated version during last week’s public forum at The Studio in Mizner Park.
Company principal Rob Frisbie told the attendees that the “biggest concern” the company had heard from the community was the potential loss of recreation facilities. Within the project area—30 acres around City Hall—are the tennis center with 10 courts, two softball fields, basketball courts and a skate park.
In response, Terra/Frisbie wants to create what Frisbie called “the best public set of amenities in Florida.” The new design, he said, includes nine acres of recreational space to create what he called “a multi-generational downtown” that will feature, among other things, after-school activities.
The new plan eliminates two residential buildings. One would have been on the west side of the area, roughly in the middle. In its place will be what Frisbie called “a civic and recreational” center tied to the new City Hall. The other eliminated apartment building would have been on the southeast corner, along Palmetto Park Road.
By reducing the residential, Frisbie said, the new plan addresses another community concern: density. The proposal cuts the number of apartments nearly 20%. There is no change to the retail/restaurant and office numbers. Terra/Frisbie still plans a 150-room hotel.
“I’m not going to tell you that [the project] isn’t going to increase traffic,” Frisbie said. But, he said, the company’s consultant is working on a “robust” traffic study. He added that, by moving City Hall, the project allows Terra/Frisbie to extend First and Second Streets and make the area safer.
Frisbie told me after the meeting that eliminating the central residential units was “the most impactful” in terms of “enhancing the public realm.” The other was “not connected to anything else” and will allow construction of “a pocket park.”
The new proposal includes three options for tennis courts. The maximum proposal of eight, Frisbie said, “is probably the number.” They would be in addition to new courts the city has said it will build outside of downtown.
Though some attendees remain opposed, Frisbie said the breakout sessions after the presentation and question-and-answer period produced “so many positive comments.” If the community isn’t proud of the result, Frisbie said, “We won’t be proud of it either.”
Despite the changes, Frisbie said the company remains on track to submit its interim master plan to the city next week and for the council to review it on June 9.
A plan to keep politics out of PBC administrator search
Work began last week for the citizens task force that supposedly will keep politics out of the selection for Palm Beach County’s next administrator.
Each of the seven county commissioners appointed one member and one alternate, much like a jury empanelment. Brian Stenberg, who has served on the Boca Raton Housing Authority and ran unsuccessfully for city council, is the alternate for Marci Woodward. She represents Boca Raton and Delray Beach.
Today, Stenberg said, the task force will check the roughly 200 applications for qualifications and begin to “formulate questions.” Next Wednesday, members will start “working through” what are expected to be about 100 qualified applicants.
The task force is supposed to winnow the list to as many as five unranked finalists and send a recommendation to the commission on June 3. The process, Stenberg said, is designed to create “a little more transparency.”
Commissioners formed the task force—and extended the deadline for applications—after news reports that the fix was in to have Clerk and Comptroller Joe Abruzzo succeed Verdenia Baker. Abruzzo has no relevant experience, but he does have support from operatives in both parties.
Accordingly, it is notable that the task force chairman is financial adviser John R. Smith. He is a contributor to the far-right Florida Jolt website maintained by Jack Furnari of Boca Raton. Smith and Furnari are chairman and president, respectively, of the Business Political Action Committee of Palm Beach County, known as BIZPAC.
Furnari has ties to Andre Fladell, the Democratic operative who has been an Abruzzo supporter. Sara Baxter, who put Smith on the task force, was part of the majority ready to hire Abruzzo without a search.
I’ll have more as the process continues.
The end of Tri-Rail?
The fate of Tri-Rail could affect more than those who ride the commuter trains between West Palm Beach and Miami.
Tri-Rail officials say they face a potential $90 million budget deficit. If not closed, Tri-Rail could shut down in 2028.
Federal COVID-19 relief money is ending, and the Legislature has threatened to cut state funding. That could require Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties to dramatically raise their annual $4.2 million contributions to $10 million and beyond. Fares comprise only 10% of Tri-Rail’s budget.
In Boca Raton, approval of several development projects has hinged on proximity to the Tri-Rail station on Yamato Road just west of Interstate 95. Access to mass transit, which in theory reduces car traffic, has allowed developers more density.
That station serves the job-heavy northwest section of the city. CP Group, which owns the Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC), got its makeover plans approved in part because of access to the station.
If Tri-Rail ended, City Manager George Brown said, developers would be able to retain anything they had built. Any unbuilt projects could be in jeopardy.
CP Group Managing Partner Angelo Bianco said, “We need a cheaper alternative” for commuters than Brightline, which runs on the Florida East Coast Railway tracks farther east. In 2024, Tri-Rail provides 4.4 million rides. That’s just under the record of 4.5 million in 2019, before the pandemic shifted so many employees to remote work.
Delray to discuss ending American Legion dispute
On the agenda for today’s Delray Beach City Commission meeting is discussion of the long-running dispute between the city and an American Legion post on city land.
The Sherman Williams post sued in 2021, claiming that the city wrongly evicted it. Emotions have run high over the issue because the founders of the post were Black veterans of World War II. Their supporters believe that the city has not shown those founders the proper respect.
City officials counter that they have offered compromises and that the problem is the post’s attorney, who has stalled any resolution. Indeed, on April 22 the judge ordered the attorney to “advise the status of this action” by this Friday and “indicate when the parties will be trial ready.”
The judge added, “Failure to timely comply with this order will result in DISMISSAL of this action, without further notice.”
More details on arrest of Delray Beach police officer
The probable cause affidavit contains details of last month’s arrest of Delray Beach Police Officer Matthew Cusson.
He is charged with stealing $1,500 from the department’s vice and narcotics cash fund. According to the affidavit, a supervisor noticed the missing money and reported it. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office then took over the investigation.
The supervisor said only he had access to the money. Any test for prints should have shown only his. The supervisor did acknowledge that he “may have” inadvertently left the cash box open when things got busy.
Investigators found other prints that allegedly belonged to Cusson. When confronted, according to the document, Cusson said, “I’ll lawyer up and resign, since people seem to be pointing fingers.” Cusson faces a felony charge of grand theft. A hearing is scheduled for May 22, when the state expects to file charges. Cusson is on administrative leave from the department.
Local protests of Trump, Musk and federal policies
Protests of President Donald Trump and his policies have taken place in Boca Raton, Delray Beach and cities across Florida. One in this area has devolved into violence, but the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office has declined to file charges.
On March 22, people had gathered at the Tesla dealership near West Palm Beach to show their opposition to the role of company CEO Elon Musk in cutting federal employees and spending. According to investigators, 44-year-old Andrew Dutil drove his vehicle into the crowd, then went into the dealership to say that he “stands with Tesla.”
Multiple witnesses said they thought Dutil intended to hurt them. On April 24, prosecutors were scheduled to charge Dutil with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Instead, the court filing states, “Although there was probable cause to make an arrest, the evidence cannot prove all legally required elements of the crime alleged and is insufficient to support a criminal prosecution.”
Coincidence or not, this makes three incidents in four years involving a Trump supporter on which the state attorney’s office has been restrained. The first two, under State Attorney Dave Aronberg, involved defacements of the LGBTQ Pride intersection in Delray Beach. In the first, the driver was in a Trump birthday parade. In the second, the driver flew a Trump flag. Both times, Aronberg declined to classify the vandalism as a hate crime. Both times, his office agreed to plea deals that LGBTQ advocates called too lenient.
Now, under new State Attorney Alexcia Cox, Dutil will escape charges. Cox won election last November by fewer than one percent of the vote.
I asked the office for an explanation of the decision. I did not hear back by deadline for this post.
Boca to hold planning sessions this week
Boca Raton city council members and administrators will hold their annual planning sessions this week at the municipal complex at 6500 Congress Ave. Wednesday’s begins at 9 a.m., with public comment at 9:15 a.m. Thursday’s starts at 10 a.m., with public comment at 10:15 a.m. Speakers will have a maximum of two minutes. The council could add a Friday session if things aren’t wrapped up by Thursday.
