Town-Crier Newspaper June 21, 2019

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ITID FINALIZES CONTRACT WITH HANSON SEE STORY, PAGE 3

ADA LAWSUITS CAUSE WEB SITE WOES SEE STORY, PAGE 4

THE

TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE

Your Community Newspaper

INSIDE

Royal Palm Beach 60th Anniversary Souvenir Magazine

Volume 40, Number 25 June 21 - June 27, 2019

Serving Palms West Since 1980

WAKE PARK OPENS AT OKEEHEELEE

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Juliza Kramer Joins IPC As Director Of Business Development

Juliza Kramer was hired this year to help connect the area’s local business community to the expansive International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, where the high-goal polo season lasts from January to April, but the rest of the year couples can book weddings, members can utilize the venue and its amenities, and organizations from across South Florida can make use of the location to hold events. Page 3

Large Crowd Enjoys Creedence Clearwater Revival Tribute Concert

On Saturday, June 15, the Wellington Amphitheater hosted a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute concert performed by the Green River Band. Despite threatening weather, many people came out to hear the popular CCR songs. Page 13

Keiser Football Camp A Local Success For Gridiron Athletes

The Keiser University football program hosted its annual team football camp from Thursday, June 13 through Saturday, June 15. A total of 12 teams participated in the camp. High school football programs traveled from as far as Naples to take part in what has become one of the more respected camps in South Florida. Page 19 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 20 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 PEOPLE................................... 8 SCHOOLS................................ 9 BUSINESS............................. 15 COLUMNS............................. 16 CALENDAR............................ 18 SPORTS................................. 19 CLASSIFIEDS................ 21 - 22 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

Shark Wake Park 561, a new cable and water park complex, held its grand opening on Saturday, June 15 at Okeeheelee Park. The facility is the vision of golf legend Greg Norman Sr. and his son Greg Norman Jr. It includes a professional cable wake park system, as well as a massive inflatable floating playground. Shown above, instructor Robb Mapp guides Noah Lambert off the wakeboarding ramp. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 20 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

ITID Board Supports Plan For Intersection Improvements

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors agreed Wednesday, June 19 to a traffic calming and intersection improvement plan presented by engineer Joe Capra of Captec Engineering. “We spent the last 30 days working on this stop sign study,” Capra said. “The board asked us to work on it in March, and a couple of things we’ve been doing is looking at intersections that we could possibly add more stop signs, from possibly a two-way to a four-way stop. The intention is, of course, as we do with all our traffic calming, to reduce accidents and try to make it a bit safer.” Capra said the firm looked at the 10 worst intersections in The Acreage for accidents. “We inventoried all 10 intersec-

tions, and we actually put traffic volume counters and measured speeds at four of those intersections, and that helped us make the recommendations that we have,” Capra said, adding that he also used accident data provided by the county to evaluate the conditions. “We’ve been following the accident data for more than five years, and they don’t seem to be getting much better.” Capra also looked at “line of sight,” the distance a driver could see down the intersecting roadway before pulling onto it. “We have areas where there are [communication] boxes and different things in the way, so we made some recommendations on sight distances, and then we went out and did the volume and speed analysis,” he said. The final recommendations for the intersections are not all the

same. “We ask that you consider upgrades to the LED flashing stop signs, for example, that you put up on Northlake [Blvd.] and Hall [Blvd.],” Capra said. “We recommend that you place those at these intersections.” Capra added that too many of the advance warning signs are missing. “There’s a couple of them that need speed cushions or speed tables. We’re recommending the speed tables that you used in the pilot program,” he said. He added that Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue is participating in the district’s study on 140th Avenue North for approval of a two-hump traffic table that emergency vehicles can get through quickly. “We’re converting most of the intersections from two-way stops See ITID ROADS, page 4

Villages Offering Fun-Filled Fourth Of July Celebrations

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington and Royal Palm Beach enjoy a good-natured rivalry now and again, and the Fourth of July celebrations are just such an opportunity, with full days of events capped with competing half-hour fireworks displays scheduled to be touched off within 15 minutes of each other. From some vantage points, the overlapping timing of the spectacles might be visible with clear skies over both communities. Both displays are being produced by the Zambelli Fireworks Manufacturing Company out of Pennsylvania. The Italian Zambelli version of the company was founded in Naples, Italy in 1893, then reformulated in Pennsylvania in 1960. It has an office Boca Raton. It is little coincidence that Zambelli handles both shows, as they are a leader in pyrotechnics, fireworks and special effects shows, producing more than 2,000 pro-

ductions worldwide each year with nearly half of them in celebration of America’s Independence Day. While both displays have the same parentage, last within minutes of the same length of time and cost pretty much the same, nearly $40,000 offset by sponsors’ fees, Wellington’s Michelle Garvey insisted that her village’s display will be the best. “Our show has more spectacular fireworks in our 25-minute show than most,” said Garvey, coordinator of the event, who promised more bang per minute. “This year, we went bigger and better by working with Zambelli to truly make it above the rest.” In Wellington, the day begins at noon with a Patriotic Pool Party from noon to 5 p.m. at the Wellington Aquatics Complex. It is just $5 for adults, $3 for juniors, $2 for seniors and free for children. Offering fun activities and contests scheduled on the hour, it is a favorite way to stay comfortable in the July heat.

“We do encourage attendees to visit the aquatics complex to cool off and enjoy pool games throughout the day, like relay races, belly flop competitions and more,” Garvey said. Next it is time to head over to Village Park on Pierson Road for the Independence Day festivities. An evening of family fun gets underway at 6 p.m. “If we avoid the rain, we fully expect 8,500-plus attendees,” Garvey said. There are the usual and not-sousual vendors and craft sellers, as well as about a score of favorite food trucks offering up a variety of gourmet eats and sweets for purchase. There will be bingo and bounce houses, inflatable slides and amazing maize mazes and obstacle courses, the “face-to-face” wall climb, face painting, a petting zoo and pony rides, pie eating and watermelon consuming competitions. Challenge family and friends See HOLIDAY, page 4

Wellington Board Rejects White Vinyl Fencing Proposal

By Gina M. Capone Town-Crier Staff Report A long discussion about white vinyl fencing on residential properties concluded on Wednesday, June 19, when Wellington’s Architectural Review Board decided to leave the controversial material off the village’s approved colors and materials schedule. Senior Planner Damian Newell conducted the presentation and explained that all members would need to vote as a full board on the issue. After an extensive conversation, the panel voted 5-2 against the use of white vinyl fencing. The issue arose last November when the board finalized its latest schedule of approved colors and materials. At that time, a board member made a motion to allow white vinyl fencing back on the approved list. The minutes from the meeting when it was last discussed, years earlier, recorded the extensive discussion on the matter in a few

short, unenlightening sentences. The motion last November failed. Instead, the board asked staff to come back with more information so they could make a more informed decision with the current board. The surprisingly divisive discussion has since been postponed several times. Newell showed the board approved fencing options, which included fence types in a PowerPoint presentation. Residents can use board-on-board fencing; shadowbox fencing; vinyl-coated chain link in brown, black and green colors; aluminum rail in bronze, black and white; and finally, PVC/ vinyl in beige, tan and gray. If a property is on a right-of-way, a hedge is required. If the fence is vinyl-coated chain link, it also must have a hedge. Staff recommended that white fencing be allowed, but not on thoroughfare roads. Residents have complained about not being See FENCING, page 4

MAST VISITS NRI INSTITUTE IN RPB

The NRI Institute of Health Sciences in Royal Palm Beach hosted U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (R-District 18) on Monday, June 17. Mast visited the school at the invitation of Professor of Nursing Dr. M.J. Duthie. He was welcomed to the campus by Royal Palm Beach Mayor Fred Pinto and NRI Institute Administrator Dan Splain. Shown above are Pinto, Mast and Duthie. STORY & MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Westlake To Have 7-Eleven Across The Street From School

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The City of Westlake will soon have a 7-Eleven store and gas station across the street from Seminole Ridge High School, according to plans presented on Monday, June 17 at a planning and zoning meeting of the Westlake City Council. Planning firm Cotleur & Hearing represented the developer requesting rezoning of 1.89 acres of property west of the packing house on the east side of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road in front of Westlake’s city hall, a converted double-wide portable that was once Callery-Judge Groves’ meeting hall. Donaldson Hearing said that his client’s application sought site plan approval for the 16-pump gas station with a convenience store, which would be on the former parking lot of city hall.

“It is a requested use,” Hearing said, adding that he felt it was appropriate for the area. “It also is perfect, given the lands that we have that are outside the packing plant that are up along the perimeter, along Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. It’s a good way to make the corridor look better, with the packing house in the background as opposed to it being the first thing that you see.” The location will have access to the signalized intersection opposite the high school. “That also makes it very appropriate for this particular use, so the area will continue to leave your council chambers here, at least for some interim time, and the parking area has been moved immediately south of the council chambers,” Hearing said. “We did set this up so that there is connectivity between parcels so that one could See WESTLAKE, page 7

Years Of Planning About To Pay Off For Brian Tuttle

By Gina M. Capone Town-Crier Staff Report Years in the planning, the new Tuttle Royale project in Royal Palm Beach is finally taking shape, and for developer Brian Tuttle, a big risk is about to bring a big reward. Tuttle, an industrial engineer by training who has made a name for himself in land development, isn’t afraid of big projects. He also isn’t afraid of properties that others avoid, such as land with complex ownership issues, mired in dispute with zoning, title or permit issues. In fact, it’s his forte. Any developer or investor can make plans on a perfectly permitted piece of property, but take one

that has issues, and you can lose your shirt, explained Tuttle, who has been developing projects in Florida since 2000. “We are known for doing difficult deals,” Tuttle told the TownCrier this week. “It can be a title issue, environmental issue, neighborhood issue or location issue.” With the Tuttle Royale project, things were a little different. “This started out pretty clean,” Tuttle said. “We were just going to buy a couple of pieces, build a small bridge and do some single-family homes. It grew out of itself.” What is now Tuttle Royale was once Acme Ranches, a rural residential enclave in a sea of

development. Tuttle put together a project on one tract of land in Acme Ranches, but soon more people wanted to sell. “As we got a couple pieces under contract and titled, more neighbors agreed to sell,” Tuttle said. “So, we bought more property, and the project got bigger and bigger.” At this time, there is a total of 190 acres of land that Tuttle has acquired from property owners in the area. The land has since been annexed into Royal Palm Beach. That began a complex, years-long planning effort now coming to an end. “Currently, we have a master plan approval for 1,100 apart-

ments, 100 single-family homes, a charter school, a regional park and a 40-acre lifestyle center,” he said. “We have all of land use and zoning approvals, and now we are getting the site plan and final plat approved.” The first phase of the project is already complete. That includes a luxury, gated apartment community called Town Southern developed by the Miami-based Related Group. Accessed by a bridge across the C-51 Canal, the apartment buildings look a bit out of place surrounded by tracts of vacant land. However, that is about to change. Tuttle explained that one of the other multi-family pods has been

sold with construction expected to begin by the end of the year, and Toll Brothers is under contract for the tract with single-family homes. Meanwhile, a large charter school company is under contract for the school parcel, and Tuttle is reviewing a number of offers for the remaining multi-family pod. There are also multiple offers on the table for the 40-acre commercial site, he added. The commercial element will be a lifestyle center, Tuttle explained. He described that to mean a shopping area that combines traditional retail functions with leisure amenities. “The commercial [parcel] won’t be soft goods like clothing,” See TUTTLE, page 18


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