December 2021
Serving Hypoluxo Island, South Palm Beach, Manalapan, Ocean Ridge, Briny Breezes, Gulf Stream and Coastal Delray Beach
Along the Coast
Delray Beach
$1 million water penalty has strings attached
Enforcing single file for bikes hampered
City may incur more fines if terms aren’t met
‘Two abreast’ signs finally off A1A, but education of riders lags, police say
By Jane Smith Delray Beach must meet three years of deadlines along with paying a record $1 million civil fine and $21,193.90 for costs and expenses to settle issues raised by the county branch of the Florida Department of Health regarding violations in the city’s ‘Brighter’ future reclaimed City manager water promises water program. If it system improvements. doesn’t meet the Page 7 conditions, the city will have to pay an additional fine of $5,000 per day for each corrective action. The city, which signed the consent order on Nov. 9, has to meet the conditions to ensure it stays in compliance with state drinking water regulations. These include: • Within 30 days of signing the order, Delray Beach must publish a public notice about its failure to implement a cross connection/backflow program that was supposed to start in 2008 to prevent mixing of reclaimed and drinking water. See WATER on page 24
Volume 14 Issue 10
By Joe Capozzi
A jolly start to the holidays
Victor Gonzalez volunteered his Santa suit and recorded holiday music to entertain families who came the day after Thanksgiving to see the Christmas village and 100-foot tree in downtown Delray Beach. Here he poses for photos being taken by his wife, Francesca, on the front stoop of the workshop for Santa’s helpers. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star Our comprehensive guide to holiday events, Page AT10
After months of complaints from coastal police chiefs in south Palm Beach County, the Florida Department of Transportation has finally removed outdated bicycle-riding signs along State Road A1A. But the agency still has not responded to requests to post signs reflecting new rules that took effect July 1. The removal of the old signs in November eliminated a potential legal hurdle that prevented many coastal police departments from enforcing a new law that requires bicyclists to ride in a single file along sections of A1A with no designated bike lanes. Those signs, reflecting an old rule allowing bicyclists to ride two abreast along road shoulders without designated bike lanes, finally went down the second week in November. “It wasn’t just our municipality. Everybody up and down A1A and in Broward County was affected,’’ Highland See BIKES on page 22
Along the Coast
Recycling bins at your disposal: Use them right to reduce waste By Larry Barszewski For the first time in two years, Palm Beach County cities and towns are receiving a dividend from the recycling efforts of their residents. A total of $141,612 is being portioned out by the Solid Waste Authority to the county’s 39 municipalities. The money may be little more than pocket change — Manalapan’s share comes out
to only $137.09, for instance — but it means the county’s recycling efforts are once again paying for themselves. The revenue sharing takes place only after all the SWA program costs have been covered. Ocean Ridge Mayor Kristine de Haseth says her town encourages recycling — it will even supply the blue and yellow bins to make it easier See RECYCLING on page 14
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID WEST PALM BCH FL PERMIT NO 4595
Some materials that contractors pick up on Hypoluxo Island likely don’t belong in the recycling bins. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
Boynton CRA picks signature project for downtown
Mural renewal Artist’s work gets a refresh. Page AT11
Dramaworks Anne Frank story is re-envisioned. Page AT11
Gifts for gardeners We cultivate a few ideas. Page AT1
Fort Lauderdale developer’s proposal beats four other options. Page 28