SCHMIDT'S ADVOCACY REPORT for May 2025 Newsletter
April 28, 2025 City Commission Meeting, DMP Consultant Meeting and Visioning Meeting Highlights
Item 10.1: There was lots of talk about the 800 block of Datura Street. With Vanderbilt University moving in, the WPB Department of Community Services and their 200+ employees need to move out. For some time, Community Services have been eyeing a larger space at the corner of 45th Street and Australian avenue---a 41 acre parcel already owned by the city and occupied by various city offices. At that site, Community Services sought commission approval to build a 4-story office building and 5-story parking garage, which was granted unanimously. Commissioners were emphatic that the surrounding neighborhoods have ample opportunity to hear presentations about the project nearby. Community Services helps veterans, homeless, senior citizens, AIDS patients, etc., and some commissioners wanted reassurance that homeless would not be housed at that facility---and that same assurance would be given to neighbors.
Item 10.2: A new condo tower called Flagler House is proposed at 3705 N. Flagler Drive---but discussion of it has been delayed until the next commission meeting, 5/12.
Item 10.3: a new 12-story, 323-unit housing project called Centrepark Residences has been proposed in a cul-de-sac at 1415 Centrepark Drive, just north of the Airport. It includes a 9-story parking garage and units deemed "workforce housing." Commissioners approved it unanimously. The only sketchy aspect is the developer sought (and received) a variance for fewer parking spaces: from 1.92 spaces per unit (as required by code) to 1.7. The last thing we need around here are fewer parking spaces, and we don't want to encourage developers to foist their parking shortages onto their neighbors.
Speaking of which: 4 members of the DNA board had a very productive, informal meeting with Bernard Zyscovich and 4 of his co-workers 4/30. Zyscovich designed the 2007 revision to the Downtown Master Plan, and has been hired by the city again to design another revision later this year. We board members used this meeting to get our members' concerns heard as reflected in our recent online survey: traffic & parking, greenspace, shade trees, hands off the waterfront, historic preservation, etc. We board members focused on specifics that Zyscovich would be unlikely to hear about from lobbyists, such as:
-----building codes that require new tower condos / offices to fully accommodate their own parking & delivery needs within their own premises. This means their parking garages must have tall enough ceilings to accommodate trucks of all sizes to keep deliveries from clogging surrounding streets.
-----the need for smaller, "pocket parks" between the waterfront and the Tri-Rail station to give residents a green, shaded place to bring their kids and dogs.
---staggered building heights to let in sunlight and to avoid visual monotony.
----shade trees
----traffic flow, traffic flow, traffic flow...
Zyscovich was not only very receptive to these ideas, but also gave us some helpful hints on how to get our concerns heard at city hall.
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The evening of 4/30 featured a public "visioning" meeting at City Hall where assorted experts discussed traffic and transportation challenges in relation to revising the Downtown Master Plan. There was lots of talk of "mutli-modal transport," "smart cities," autonomous vehicles, "digital twins," and a commuter rail between Wellington and downtown. But the presentations seemed heavy on theory and light on near-term practicality. But there was unanimous agreement that traffic is a problem. As evidence, the Town of Palm Beach just donated a chunk of change to our city hall to study the problem. The 3 bridges to Palm Beach handle around 42,000 vehicles every day, and their residents are just as nervous as ours about keeping it all flowing.
4/14 City Commission Meeting summary:
Item 7.2: Commission unanimously approved $2m to spend on water, sewer, and stormwater repairs on 32nd, 33rd, and 34th streets where they meet North Flagler. That area is notorious for severe flooding during heavy rains, storm surges, and king tides. "Tidal valves" will be installed in the storm sewers there to try to help matters. Total projected project cost = $8m. This also includes (yet again, sigh...) repairs to streets and sidewalks on Washington Road between Monceaux and Edgewood.
Item 9.2: Commission unanimously approved the city donating the land and historic building (Vickers House) at 815 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. to the current occupant, The Sickle-Cell Foundation of WPB. Apparently, the building is in tough shape, and the city is obligated to spend $350k (capped amount) in repairs. The SCF must use that property for its charitable purpose for at least 10 years before they are allowed to rent, sell, or gift it. Commissioner Warren recused herself, since she is the CEO of The SCF of WPB.
Item 10.1: Palm Beach Atlantic University wanted 2 approvals: 1) their current student enrollment is capped by city law at 3,000---which PBAU wants raised to 5,000. 2) PBAU wants approval to build a 25-story dormitory alongside an 11-story parking garage. The parking garage will be on the east side of Dixie Hwy at the corner of Gruber Place. The dormitory will house 990 students and the parking garage will have 888 spaces: 70% for dormitory students and 30% for commuter students. The current Downtown Master Plan only allows building heights up to 125 feet on campus, so PBAU wants a variance to accommodate the 300' dormitory. Commissioners seemed amenable to all of these requests, except for the parking garage, which was universally derided as ugly and misplaced, given its proximity to the Norton Museum of Art. Mayor James led the charge, describing the parking garage as "a monstrosity" that is at odds with the area aesthetics and in conflict with his vision of what downtown WPB is trying to architecturally achieve. He also cast doubt on the necessity for so much parking for dormitory students. PBAU claimed that they were trying to improve the exterior appearance of the parking garage, but poverty was hindering their choices. They also claimed that building the parking garage would reduce traffic on campus, which the mayor skeptically termed "counterintuitive." Commissioner Lambert chimed in, saying that the garage design "is hard to swallow in that location," which elicited a supportive laugh from the mayor. Other commissioners also indicated their dissatisfaction with the garage's design. But despite all of this criticism lasting 90 minutes, the commission unanimously approved both requests, with the proviso that PBAU must present a better-looking garage design later.
During public comments, one young man complained about aggressive homeless folk near Good Samaritan Hospital.
4/15 DDA meeting:
---The DDA emailed resident surveys the prior night (not to be confused with the DNA resident survey emailed May 2 as part of their monthly newsletter) and will begin examining the results May 15.
---Lieutenant Columbino gave a presentation, mentioning progress in hiring more police and resources to help with the homeless problem. Two examples: 1) hiring a new cop to perform "wake up calls" 7 a.m.- 3 p.m. downtown, when homeless are typically still inert in someone's doorway. 2) partnering with the sheriff's office to have a WPB cop, accompanied by a therapist, to cruise homeless areas, building positive relationships by offering services. She also mentioned that the police are trying to do a better job measuring and responding to resident noise complaints.
----a presentation by "WPBGO", the Mobility Commission, announcing the beginning of a study of present and future traffic / commuter needs throughout all of Palm Beach County. They hope the study will be finished by the summer of 2026.
---Catherine Ast was "talkin' trash": who knew that decorative, municipal garbage cans last 2-3 years at most? That's reality, and Ast showed evidence that 43 municipal garbage cans along Clematis Street needed to be replaced tout suite, along with 30 cans on other streets. Total cost = $65k
---The contract for maintaining downtown landscaping (excluding tree trimming) is up for renewal, and 8 companies have submitted bids which will be evaluated by the DDA landscape committee 4/23.
----Schmidt