Serving Highland Beach and Coastal Boca Raton
December 2023
Volume 16 Issue 12
Along the Coast
Why county views small Milani site as big for beach plans By Joel Engelhardt
Happy Holidays It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas (and Hanukkah)! From tree lightings to holiday bazaars, boat parades and more, the month will be filled with festive events; see our listings in the Around Town section. ABOVE: Children are dazzled during Boca Raton’s tree lighting Nov. 18 at Mizner Park, which has been transformed into a holiday wonderland, with 50,000 LED lights and festive 2D light displays. LEFT: Alida Bowden arranges her display at the Southern Handcraft Society show Nov. 17 at Old School Square. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
As Palm Beach County’s population grows, the share of public beaches for every resident drops. And that makes it hard for the county to meet its target to have 0.18 acres of developed beach access for every 1,000 residents. In fact, the county is hovering at 0.19 per 1,000 residents. Just over its goal. And even though the county has three potential beach properties to add to its holdings — including the 5.6 acres at Milani Park in Highland Beach — the objective written into the county’s comprehensive growth plan is under review. “We are on the cusp of being deficient on developed park acreage,” said Jennifer Cirillo, the county’s director of parks and recreation. Referring specifically to Milani, which Highland Beach has asked to be sold off for private development, Cirillo added: “At this point everything we have will be needed.” But applying an arbitrary standard to justify a public beach, whether merited or not, does not make sense, See PARKS on page 23
Along the Coast
‘But never on A1A’: Cyclist works to ride again despite shattering collision with pickup By Joe Capozzi
Diane Pohanka, 63, is learning to walk again, one painful step at a time. She uses a cane and the going is slow, which is to be expected. Her broken leg bones were surgically fused together with metal rods just a few months ago. But despite the grueling physical therapy sessions, 90 minutes three times a week, the Gulf Stream woman has aspirations beyond walking. She wants to get on her bicycle again. That day will come, she said. And when it does, she knows where she won’t be riding — State Road A1A. The scenic oceanfront route for years had been her favorite until the August afternoon she was hit by a pickup truck in Boca Raton. “My active life came to a screeching halt,’’ said
Pohanka, who suffered breaks to the fibula and tibia in both legs and a broken right femur. “I will get on a bike again,’’ she said, “but never on A1A.’’ Before her unsolicited encounter with the truck four months ago, Pohanka rode the same A1A route three times a week, from the driveway of her Gulf Stream home south to Palmetto Park Road in Boca Raton and back — 20 miles round-trip. “I’ve done that ride 200 to 300 times,’’ she said, describing a routine that started in 2020 when the pandemic reignited her lifelong passion for biking. She usually went riding with her husband, Chris. And unlike those pack cyclists who often whizzed past them, they were not road warriors. They were leisure riders out for exercise and See CYCLIST on page 26
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID WEST PALM BCH FL PERMIT NO 4595
‘Stories on the Planet’ Morikami exhibiting jewelry that has meaning. Page AT11
Diane Pohanka of Gulf Stream reacts to stretching exercises during therapy at Miller Physical Therapy in downtown Delray Beach, where she has become a regular since her August accident. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
Public art coordinator named City appoints first leader in newly established program. Page 20
House of the Month
New Gulf Stream development. Page AT31