Town-Crier Newspaper September 13, 2013

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WELLINGTON ROTARY PEACE DAY SEPT. 21 GOLF TOURNAMENT WILL HELP LOCAL BOY SEE STORY, PAGE 3 SEE STORY, PAGE 4 THE

TOWN - CR IER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE Volume 34, Number 37 September 13 - September 19, 2013

Your Community Newspaper

INSIDE Wellington Preservation Coalition, Village Help Elbridge Gale Go Green

WELLINGTON RECALLS 9/11 TRAGEDY

A partnership between the Wellington Preservation Coalition, the Village of Wellington and Elbridge Gale Elementary School will bring the school sustainable gardens and hands-on lessons about healthy foods from seed to table. With the help of the coalition and the village, Elbridge Gale plans to expand an existing gardening program and earn recognition as a Green School of Excellence. Page 3

Wellington marked the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with a ceremony Wednesday at the Patriot Memorial. Officials spoke about the tragedies, while students from Wellington Landings Middle School read letters from children who lost loved ones that day. Shown here are WLMS students with members of the Wellington Village Council. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 7 PHOTO BY LAUREN MIRÓ/TOWN-CRIER

Wellington Garden Club Opens Season

The Wellington Garden Club held its first meeting of the 2013-14 season Monday, Sept. 9 at the Wellington Community Center. Members heard status updates, began planning upcoming events and enjoyed a potluck lunch. Page 5

Big Dog Ranch Hosts ‘Dine With The Weims’

Big Dog Ranch Rescue held Dine with the Weims, an adoption event and dog-wash fundraiser, on Sunday, Sept. 8 at the Park Avenue BBQ Grille in Wellington. Page 10

OPINION Take A Moment Sept. 21 To Reflect On The Ideals Of World Peace

Next week, people across the world will set aside their differences and come together in peace for the United Nations International Day of Peace. In our community, the Wellington Rotary Club will host a world peace ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 21. We encourage everyone to take time to think about bringing about peace — whether it’s in your personal life, the community, the country or the world. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS ............................. 3 - 10 OPINION .................................4 CRIME NEWS .........................6 SCHOOLS ............................ 12 PEOPLE ............................... 13 COLUMNS .....................14, 21 NEWS BRIEFS..................... 15 BUSINESS .................... 22 - 23 SPORTS ........................ 27 - 29 CALENDAR .......................... 30 CLASSIFIEDS ................ 30 - 33 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

Zoners Override Staff And OK Wellington Marketplace Tower By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report A 120-foot cell phone tower disguised as a flagpole could be erected in the middle of the Wellington Marketplace shopping plaza after members of the Wellington Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board voted Monday to grant an appeal by the Clearview Tower Co. The item still faces approval by the Wellington Village Council before it can be constructed. Although Wellington staff recommended denial of the appeal, zoning board members favored the cell tower and granted the appeal, as well as a variance petition, and recommended approval of a conditional use permit to move the project forward. “To me, it’s aesthetics versus a need to build adequate infrastructure that has the capacity to expand as our needs do,” Board Member Elizabeth Mariaca said. Clearview Tower Co. challenged a ruling by Wellington staff that plans for the cell tower did not meet

the village’s requirements for a variance. Because the tower is close to homes and taller than 61 feet, Wellington staff interpreted village code to mean that the tower must be at least 600 feet from homes and meet setbacks. But Clearview Tower argued that the code provided an option — either be located 600 feet from homes or meet setback requirements. The tower would be approximately 482 feet from nearby homes. “Wellington code disfavors new towers and requires them to show there are no other existing towers or poles that they are able to provide service from,” Wellington Planner Damian Newell said. “Staff has recommended denial.” The Wellington Marketplace is located at the corner of Greenview Shores Blvd. and Wellington Trace. The cell tower would be built as a flagpole and located in the parking lot behind Park Avenue BBQ. Staff asked Clearview not to fly a flag on the pole to minimize its appearance.

Cliff Hertz, attorney for the applicant, described it as a public safety issue. “Seventy percent of all 911 calls come from cell phones,” he said. “The coverage in this area is inadequate. Even at 120 feet, we will not be able to provide service to certain areas to the west of this tower.” Charles Bernardo, director of site acquisition for Clearview, said the tower mostly complies with the 600-foot setback. It is within 482 feet of only five buildings to the west across Greenview Shores Blvd. Bernardo said Clearview contacted more than 600 property owners surrounding the tower, receiving only one letter in opposition of the tower. Hertz added that a story was in the Town-Crier, and a campaign was launched through social media to inform residents about the tower. “I don’t see many people opposing this,” he said. Further, Bernardo said, business See CELL TOWER, page 16

Wellington Lowers Proposed Tax Rate To Match Last Year By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington residents probably will see an uptick on their tax bills this year, but not as high as previously proposed. Members of the Wellington Village Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday to set the tax rate at 2.47 mills during the first public hearing on the budget. The issue is up for final adoption at the council’s Sept. 24 meeting. The rate is down from the TRIM (Truth-in-Millage) rate of 2.5 mills approved in July. A rate of 2.47 mills means a property tax of $2.47 for every $1,000 of taxable value. At that rate, the owner of a home assessed at $150,000 after all exemptions would pay $370.50 in village property taxes next year. At 2.47 mills, the tax rate is unchanged from last year. However, due to increasing property values, many residents will pay slightly more, and Wellington will take in more money.

Wellington would take in about $13.5 million in property taxes at that rate, an increase of about $770,000 from last year. Wellington also decreased its proposed budget, maintaining it the same as last year at $74.46 million, instead of raising it as proposed in July. Changes to the budget include $305,000 for additional law enforcement deputies and increasing staff to 292 employees. Wellington Chief Financial Officer Tanya Quickel told council members that the budget includes an operating budget of $45.2 million with $15.3 million in enterprise funds, $3.3 million for capital projects and $4.8 million in enterprise capital projects. The budget also shifts $1.4 million in financing for the Wellington Community Center reconstruction, which Director of Operations Jim Barnes said was to give leeway for whatever design the council chooses for the new Wellington Tennis Center. Vice Mayor Howard Coates

wanted to be sure staff tried to keep to the $5.2 million budget the council approved for the site earlier this year. “It looks like we’re saying when you design-bid-build this, there’s more than $6 million available for this project, not $5.2 million,” he said. But Coates said he was pleased staff was able to keep the tax rate lower. “It’s not an insignificant act for staff to come back with the final budget and tell us it is still at 2.47 [mills],” he said. “I commend you for that. I don’t know if there are a lot of municipalities that wouldn’t have taken the bait. I think it’s a testament to [Village Manager Paul] Schofield and his financial staff.” But Councilman John Greene said he wanted to see the rate even lower. “There are still people struggling,” he said. “It could have a significant impact.” He asked whether it was possiSee BUDGET, page 4

Serving Palms West Since 1980

Equestrian Village Clears First Hurdle By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report A new plan for the controversial Equestrian Village project cleared its first hurdle this week when members of the Equestrian Preserve Committee unanimously recommended approval Wednesday of a new master plan amendment and compatibility determination. The items now head to Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board before going before the Wellington Village Council. If approved, the changes would allow the site to operate as a commercial equestrian arena, meaning events could be held on the site year-round. Property owners Wellington Equestrian Partners agreed earlier this year to resubmit necessary plans for the site to cease litigation after several approvals

were rescinded by the council. A site plan submitted Aug. 1 shows that the site would have a 14,600-square-foot temporary banquet hall with kitchen and restrooms, temporary stalls and a two-story open-air tiki hut. A bridle path surrounds the property. The master plan, if approved, will give the site a commercial recreation designation and allow an access point along Pierson Road, Growth Management Director Bob Basehart told committee members. Meanwhile, the compatibility determination will label the site as a commercial equestrian arena, meaning property owners will not have to go before the council each year for a special-use permit to operate the Global Dressage Festival. Wellington staff recommended approval of the applications with See EV PLAN, page 16

CAT ADOPTION EVENT

A Second Chance Puppies & Kittens Rescue held a 24-hour adoption event Saturday, Sept. 7 at River Bridge Animal Hospital in Greenacres. More than 17 cats and kittens were adopted. Shown here are volunteers Leilani Kihei with Cody and Amber Marcus with Michelin. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 17 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Road Work Project Proceeding Slowly On Seminole Pratt By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Work is continuing slowly on the widening of a 3.5-mile stretch of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road north of Southern Blvd., despite the contractor’s difficulty coordinating the road project with Florida Power & Light crews installing street lighting, according to county officials. Palm Beach County Engineer George Webb said he has had regular meetings with the contractor, Tatum Construction, regarding progress on the project. He said there have been some issues with how the project has been managed, and that supervisors told him they intend to continue work while addressing the issues. The county and the Indian Trail Improvement District have received inquiries regarding the slow progress and about the lighting, which has been changed in response to residents’ comments that the original lighting plan was too intense for the semi-rural area. Assistant County Engineer Tanya McConnell said the process

has been complicated by coordination with FPL’s street light and utility pole construction. “There’s no question it’s taking a long time with issues that held up the project for almost a year,” McConnell said. “What you’re seeing now is a regular construction project. There are regular lane closures as needed to keep traffic away from what we consider dangerous areas where we are putting in drainage and curb structures. They work on certain lanes at a time and make them drivable, and transfer traffic to the new lanes so they can do the old lanes.” McConnell said the lane closures are published at www.pbc gov.com/engineering/roadway production so drivers can anticipate closures and changes in traffic patterns. Seminole Pratt Whitney Road from Southern Blvd. to north of Sycamore Drive is being widened to four lanes, with two lanes in each direction, and a raised, grassed median separating the northbound from southbound See SEM PRATT, page 16

County Sewer Line Break Leads To Spill In The Acreage

Workers fix the broken sewer line in The Acreage. PHOTO COURTESY INDIAN TRAIL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report A 30-inch Palm Beach County sewer line that burst early Monday at 40th Street North and 110th Avenue North in The Acreage was closed off by 10 a.m., but about 75,000 gallons of sewage spilled into nearby roads and a canal before it was routed to a containment area, according to Indian Trail Improvement District officials. By late Monday, the county was draining the area, and ITID workers placed fill strategically to block surrounding culverts, but some of the overflow drained directly into a canal, ITID Interim Administrator Jim Shallman told the TownCrier. All crossings west and north

of the broken line were blocked off, and the county had vacuum trucks working to pull the contaminated water off the ground and roads, as well as the Florida Power & Light easement to the south, which was used as a containment area. Shallman said repairs to the pipe are complete and the system is under pressure, but that the back pressure from the break also caused a pipe to crack Monday night at Crestwood Blvd., where county staff spread lime. Shallman said Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department Deputy Director Brian Shields told him Tuesday that the spill was around 75,000 gallons, compared with a spill in 2010 about 100 feet away

that discharged several times that amount. Shallman said there is concern that rocks are working their way to the surface over time from vibrations due to heavy truck traffic, adding that the county is going to examine the possibility of replacing the entire pipe along that route. According to a report to the Palm Beach County Commission from Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department Director Bevin Beaudet, the failure was reported by an animal farmer who owns three lots near the site of the break. Utilities officials isolated the line in about two hours, and the wastewater was diverted to a hastily See SEWER BREAK, page 16


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