Plans for a large-scale commercial-residential complex in Palm Beach County’s Agricultural Reserve are being “tweaked” in the wake of overwhelming opposition, said Jennifer Morton, the land-use planner who represents the developer.
West Boynton Ranches had been expected to submit an application by Feb. 11, a timeline that would have put the mixed-use project before the county planning commission on April 10 and county commissioners on April 29.
But Morton said her client wants to reach out to the communities in the area before moving forward to get an idea of what would be acceptable to them.
Plans shared in January with the Valencia Reserve HOA showed a residential development of 1,020 homes and 300,000 square feet of commercial space that could include a Costco warehouse store.
Board members said they would oppose the plan, and the Coalition of West Boynton Residential Associations, known as COBWRA, refused even to meet with Morton unless there were major changes.
To move forward, West Boynton Ranches would need the county to create a new set of uses, since current rules cap commercial development in the Agricultural Reserve — 22,000 acres west of Florida’s Turnpike that are governed by special rules to limit development and protect farm land — at 1 million square feet, and almost all of it is already spoken for.
According to the preliminary master plan shared with Valencia Reserve, the development would rise on the southeast corner of Boynton Beach Boulevard and State Road 7, across from Bethesda West Hospital. It would feature 300,000 square feet of commercial space, half of which would be a big-box store. The preliminary plan had Costco’s name on a 150,000-square-foot building.
The residential part would include a mix of single-family homes, townhomes and condos. Plans also call for a parking garage, a clubhouse and a wedding venue that would be situated across from Valencia Reserve. Only a narrow canal would separate the two.
Before site plans would be developed to detail what would be built, the developer would need to obtain approval for the new mixed-use category. David Schulson, a resident of Valencia Reserve who has been involved in monitoring the plans, has said approval would mean “the end of the Ag Reserve.”
Valencia Reserve, an active adult community of more than 1,000 homes, is about 2 miles southeast of the big-box store, but parts of the project would be within 100 feet of Valencia Reserve.
Commissioners in recent years have created new use categories in the Ag Reserve, such as essential housing to allow for affordable homes as well as commerce along Boynton Beach Boulevard and West Atlantic Avenue. The creation of those categories, though, had the support of COBWRA and other community groups.
Morton noted that the plans presented to Valencia Reserve were preliminary and subject to change. She added the Ag Reserve has seen increased development in recent years, and there is a strong demand for more housing and for more access to commercial venues.
“We believe that people don’t want to drive seven to 10 miles to shop,” said Morton. “We want to point out the benefits of this project, and that is why we have delayed seeking county approval.”
West Boynton Ranches’ past projects included water-ski lake
The applicant, West Boynton Ranches, consists of a group of water-ski enthusiasts who built an illegal lake west of Boynton Beach near Valencia Reserve. It agreed to pay $250,000 to the county to settle claims that the lake was built without a permit.
Last year, West Boynton Ranches proposed a 259-apartment complex on 32 acres off Boynton Beach Boulevard. Valencia Reserve and COBWRA also opposed those plans. The project is is no longer being pursued.
Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Massive Ag Reserve project undergoing revisions after fierce opposition
Reporting by Mike Diamond, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
