WELLINGTON REGIONAL HONORS MLK SEE STORY, PAGE 4
BRIGHT HORIZONS OPEN IN WELLINGTON SEE STORY, PAGE 7
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TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
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Filing For Elections Opens On Jan. 27 In Royal Palm, Lox Groves
Volume 36, Number 4 January 23 - January 29, 2015
Serving Palms West Since 1980
POLO FOR A PURPOSE EVENT AT IPC
The formal filing period gets underway Tuesday, Jan. 27 for the March 10 municipal elections in Royal Palm Beach and Loxahatchee Groves. Page 3
Wellington Council Could Choose Coates Replacement Shortly
The Wellington Village Council will hear presentations Monday from applicants seeking to fill the seat of former Councilman Howard Coates. Page 3
Royal Palm Beach Elementary School Kids Salute First Responders
On Friday, Jan. 16, Royal Palm Beach Elementary School held a special event to honor first responders. The school’s first grade classes prepared presentations and songs, while also enjoying the chance to meet real life heroes. Page 5
Western Business Alliance’s IPC Lunch A Sold-Out Success
The Western Business Alliance held its first luncheon at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington on Wednesday, Jan. 14. The luncheon was the group’s first event in 2015 and coincided with the kickoff of the equestrian season. John Wash, president of club operations at IPC, addressed the sold-out crowd. Page 9
OPINION
Fill Wellington Council Vacancy With An Independent Thinker
The appointment of former Wellington Councilman Howard Coates to a seat on the circuit court bench is a loss for the Village of Wellington. Coates was an independent voice and skilled consensus builder on a council that often found itself in the need of a voice of compromise. These are qualities that will serve him well on the bench, but could very well be missing from council deliberations in the future, if the wrong person fills the vacancy. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 11 OPINION.................................. 4 CRIME NEWS.......................... 6 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 8 PEOPLE................................. 15 SCHOOLS.......................16 - 17 COLUMNS.......................18, 27 BUSINESS..................... 28 - 29 SPORTS......................... 33 - 35 CALENDAR............................ 36 CLASSIFIEDS.................37 - 40
PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
On Monday, Jan. 19, more than 250 guests enjoyed a luncheon and silent auction at the International Polo Club Palm Beach as part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Polo for a Purpose event. The day also featured a star-studded polo match. Players Brandon Phillips, Jeff Blake, Sugar Erskine, Mariano Gracida, Jeff Hall, Kris Kampsen, Carlitos Gracida and Nic Roldan wowed the crowd as they played to benefit the organization. Shown here are Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Honored Heroes Bruce Steinberg and Piper Apfel with event chairs Visse Wedell and P.J. Rizvi. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 11 PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER
FDOT Report On SR 7 Delay Frustrates RPB Officials
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Florida Department of Transportation District 4 Program Manager Stacy Miller gave an update on delays to the State Road 7 extension project at last week’s Royal Palm Beach Village Council meeting, and the reaction from council members was plain frustration. At the Jan. 15 meeting, Miller explained that FDOT recently released its tentative work program for 2016 through 2020, and the plan had moved completion of the final SR 7 connection — 60th Street North to Northlake Blvd. — from 2016 to 2020. “That draft tentative work program has been presented to the technical advisory committees in Palm Beach County and also the Metropolitan Planning Or-
ganization, and we held a public hearing for District 4 in December to discuss the projects that were included in the tentative program,” Miller said. “All of our information has been provided to our central office in Tallahassee, and the next steps are for a public hearing with the Florida Transportation Commission, coming up in March. Included in that draft work program is the State Road 7 project.” In the previously adopted work program are two segments of State Road 7, the southern segment and the northern one. The northern segment goes from 60th Street to Northlake Blvd. The southern part, with two lanes already finished by the county, runs from Okeechobee Blvd. to Persimmon Blvd. That southern section is now scheduled to be made into four lanes next
year, rather than starting work on the northern segment. Miller explained that the agency was unable to hold northern funding in fiscal year 2017 and ultimately presented a draft tentative work program moving the project to fiscal year 2020, the last year of the tentative work program. “Originally, the northern piece was in fiscal year 2016, but it had to move to 2017 at a minimum because there is right-of-way acquisition involved in the northern project,” she said. “So, we had to first move it to 2017. Unfortunately, we could no longer afford it, and made every effort to move it to 2018 and 2019, and ultimately we funded the project in fiscal year 2020.” FDOT presented the work program at the MPO hearing in early See FDOT, page 21
Lox Groves OKs Commercial Moratorium On Okeechobee
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council approved the preliminary reading of an ordinance Tuesday to impose a moratorium on the processing and review of applications to the town’s comprehensive plan relating to commercial uses on Okeechobee Blvd. The council had talked for several months about a moratorium after its denial of the Day family’s application for a project at the southwest corner of Folsom Road and Okeechobee Blvd. had led to litigation. In November, the council approved a litigated settlement for a small-scale land use change and rezoning for the 10-acre parcel
east of the Red Barn property. The zoning changes the land use from rural residential, one unit per five acres, to commercial low to accommodate future development to a maximum of 5.3 acres of commercial use. The changes were the result of litigation between the town and the property owners after the council initially refused to approve commercial development on the land, although town staff had advised that under the comp plan and land use code as written, the Days were entitled to commercial development there. Town Attorney Michael Cirullo said the moratorium would be in effect until May 31, and the Loxahatchee Groves Planning & Zon-
ing Board would begin discussing the necessary comprehensive plan changes at its next meeting. Mayor David Browning explained that the density on Okeechobee Blvd. is currently the same as on Southern Blvd., which was where council members had decided they wanted to focus on commercial development while developing the comp plan. “When we dealt with the project that was proposed on Okeechobee, we realized that we had a problem because we had the same floor area ratio on Okeechobee as we did on Southern, which was really nobody’s intent to have that intensive commercial,” Browning said. “This is why we put the See MORATORIUM, page 21
Royal Palm Council Rejects The Latest Cypress Key Plan By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Village Council again turned down an request by the new owners of the Cypress Key mixed-use development last week for less office space and increased retail space, including a Walmart Neighborhood Market grocery store. The development is on the north side of State Road 7, just east of the Crestwood Square shopping plaza. The change in question was on the commercial part of the development only. The residential portion, purchased recently by K Hovnanian, is now under separate ownership. Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Director Bradford O’Brien said the application was to change certain requirements of the village’s mixed-use regulations so that the uses could be more flexibly located, rather than having office space over retail uses in the twostory plan. Village planning staff recommended denial, and the Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission, sitting as the Local Planning Agency, unanimously recommended denial at its Dec. 3 meeting. The originally approved project is vested because work had been started before the recession halted its progress seven years ago. “I don’t need to tell you this project has had a long history,” said attorney Marty Perry, representing the developer. “It began in controversy that included litigation. It resulted in an approval that is 125,000 square feet of office and retail.” Perry explained that the first amendment submitted by the new owner received a recommendation of approval by staff, but was rejected by the council. “They are now recommending denial, and I understand the rationale for that,” Perry said. “That’s based on recommendations that
have been made subsequently by the council. When it went to the Planning & Zoning Commission it was recommended for approval. When it got to the council, it was rejected by a 4-1 vote. We went back to staff to see if we could revise the plan in some manner that could make it more acceptable not only to the council, but also to the residents. We’re here before you for two reasons, number one, in some ways to bid you adios, and in other ways just to make one final pitch here.” Consultant Fred Angelo said he had been reaching out to the community to gain support for the project, calling on 942 people, and found that 62 percent of the people support the newly proposed project, including a grocery store, which is not in the currently approved project. He added that many of the people he surveyed would prefer a passive park along Southern Blvd., but that the traffic light at the entrance would not be warranted by the Florida Department of Transportation with just the residential element. Traffic engineer Kyle Duncan said traffic on Southern Blvd. was destined to increase with the developments that have been approved to the west. “We need the commercial portion in order to meet that [traffic signal] warrant,” Duncan said. Perry reiterated that the project is vested with the approval granted 10 years ago. “We have a plan that we spent a great deal of time on,” he said. “It was well-intentioned and basically it got approved. It’s vested currently, and it could stay that way for some time because construction has commenced.” He also resubmitted a letter from commercial real estate expert Neil Merin indicating that the market does not exist for the amount of office space allocated for the site. “We are required to build 62,500 See CYPRESS KEY, page 21
SOUTH FLORIDA FAIR HEADS TO LAS VEGAS
The 103rd annual South Florida Fair kicked off last Friday at the South Florida Fairgrounds. The fun continues through Sunday, Feb. 1. The fair’s theme is “Las Vegas Exposition: A Jackpot of Memories.” Shown here is the Las Vegas on Ice show during the opening ceremonies. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 22 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Event In Royal Palm Beach Honors Dr. King’s Legacy
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Abasi Hanif performs with an African drum during Monday’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in Royal Palm Beach.
PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center was filled to capacity Monday as the Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) and the Village of Royal Palm Beach presented the 13th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. This year’s theme was “Love… The Most Durable Power in the World.” The event was organized by CAFCI’s Cultural Committee, led Cultural Director Elet Cyris and committee members Marjorie Aiken, Hope Francis, Margaret Granada, Shirley Morrison, Paul Baker, Hensworth Fergueson, Ernie Garvey, Winsom Martin and Geneive White. Sponsored in part by a grant from the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, the celebration began with a continental breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., where attendees gathered, chatted and got ready to enjoy an outstanding presentation and show.
The presentation began with a flag ceremony led by Boy Scouts Troop 111, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, and the national anthem sung by Demi Master and Lauren Galin. Father Willie Davila led the crowd in an invocation. Royal Palm Beach Councilman Pinto created a transition to the program, reminding attendees of the reason for the gathering. “Are you ready to celebrate a wonderful man who has meant so much to this country and so much to this world, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?” he asked. The CAFCI initiative began 13 years ago, Pinto said, before recognizing local dignitaries, including former County Commissioner Jess Santamaria; Wellington Mayor Bob Margolis; Royal Palm Beach Mayor Matty Mattioli, Vice Mayor David Swift and councilmen Richard Valuntas and Jeff Hmara; County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay; and Riviera Beach Mayor Thomas Masters. CAFCI President Dennis
Wright then took the podium and said, “Welcome to everyone today as you help us celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s Day, his birthday. It is an honor and a privilege to welcome you all to the 13th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Day Tribute Celebration.” Last year, he said, CAFCI presented 17 scholarships to help students achieve their dreams. CAFCI has many programs, including some for seniors. “Many people remember Dr. King for his March for Freedom and his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, but his legacy was much more than that. He provided the impetus and the leadership to end the fear of living, especially in the south, for African-Americans,” Wright said. “To many of us, that fear is over, but we know the battle has not yet been won. We must fight to end brutality. We must continue to fight to end economic injustice, for an end to the prison industrial complex that incarcerates some of See MLK IN RPB, page 7