Are Palm Beach County residents showing signs that they are fed up with development, particularly the seemingly ease developers have in obtaining public lands through public-private partnerships? If the March 10 elections were any sign, there might be a trend developing that should give local leaders pause when it comes to the benefits of growth.
Voters in Boca Raton and Lake Worth Beach rejected charter amendments that would have opened the door to development along tracts owned by their respective cities. In Boca Raton, the One Boca Project, a development plan that went from 30 acres down to seven in hopes of gaining passage, went down in flames. Not only did voters reject the proposal but they also elected leaders of the movement opposing the plan to the city council.
There was no plan to reject in Lake Worth Beach, but the idea of changing the charter to take the final say for major new projects away from voters was enough to doom it. The argument that the community would benefit by making it easier to attract public-private partnerships didn’t persuade Lake Worth Beach residents at all.
The Caretta project in Juno Beach, a proposal to redevelop a tract near U.S. Route 1 and Donald Ross Road, fueled voters in that community and became a defining issue in that city’s elections. Supporters say projects like that could bring new investment, while critics worry about losing the town’s beachside community character.
So, is growth and development beginning to wear thin in Palm Beach County? Are the side effects of larger communities and traffic congestion beginning to take a toll on both residents and their elected officials? Let us know how you feel. Share your thoughts by taking our poll.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Poll: Is there too much development in Palm Beach County? | Opinion
Reporting by Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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