Beach and Casino Zoning District Special Planning and Zoning Board Meeting - 11/29, 6 p.m., OLD COMMISSION ROOM, City Hall Annex

As a follow up to our October 19 meeting related to the Beach and Casino Zoning District, the Planning and Zoning Board will have a special meeting to further consider the details of the zoning ordinance.

At the October 19 meeting, the Planning and Zoning Board sent a recommendation to the City Commission to transmit to the State of Florida - a future land use plan text change and future land use map change for the beach property. The creation of this new land use district is necessary to reflect long-standing existing conditions (commercial and retail uses present on the property) and to prepare for the beach redevelopment plan currently in process. The future land use plan is part of the City's Comprehensive Plan and any changes to the text or land use map are reviewed by the State of Florida (they are considered "large scale amendments") and then sent back to the City for ultimate adoption. We will likely not hear from the State of Florida until sometime in January or February 2007. The following language is what is currently being reviewed by state authorities:

While we wait for the review by the State of Florida of the future land use plan change, we can use this time for further refinement of the Beach and Casino zoning district. The zoning district language will limit items such as height, permitted uses and other parameters.

It is important to realize that input is still possible regarding the specifics of the Beach and Casino zoning district. There are those that are attempting to confuse the situation and make it seem like there will be no more opportunity for public comment and that all decisions have been made regarding the creation of the zoning district.

I urge you to attend the special meeting of the Planning and Zoning Board on 11/29 to further understand the process and status of the beach project. Your input and guidance is sincerely appreciated. If the Board takes action at that meeting on the proposed Beach and Casino zoning district, it will be in the form of a recommendation to the City Commission.

Let's all do our best to support the public review process within the City of Lake Worth. Do no discount the importance of your input!

This is the current working draft of the Beach and Casino zoning district:



If your browser has difficulty opening another window to show the above in greater detail, please e-mail me at wesblackman@gmail.com and I will forward a copy to you.

"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"

Optimism and Thanks for Unanswered Prayers

We are on a break from one of our sessions and I thought I would do a quick up-date on a nice visit I had before I left town. Last Tuesday, I happened to meet with one of the larger property owners on North Dixie Hwy and his son. We talked about many things, but the focus of the conversation was on the future of Lake Worth and what the City had missed as "opportunities" in the past. It was a very optimistic conversation about how the best is yet to come. He volunteered that it might be good that the City had missed opportunities for redevelopment in the past.

He noted that now, all the easy land in other municipalities had been developed and Lake Worth represented one of the last frontiers for a new phase of redevelopment. Just the kind of development opportunities that are contemplated in our revised Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations - things that are just breaking the horizon.

I thanked him for his optimism and enthusiasm and he definitely wants to be a player in the future - making a better Lake Worth.

So, the moral of the story is not to be dragged down in the negativity that tends to predominate many of our discussions - but to step back and really see where we stand strategically in the South Florida economy and the "cat bird" seat that we have for future, quality and sensitive redevelopment of our City.

There really is a lot to be thankful for as we head into Thanksgiving and Holiday seasons.

"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"

"Houston, we have a problem..."

Hey everyone. I'm in Houston at a conference and just want to get the word out that it may be hard to contact me until I am back. It's a very engaging class - will be home this weekend. Wouldn't you know my phone has been busy and I have tons of voice mail messages to go through - so please be patient. Thanks for all of the enthusiastic responses! E-mail may be the better choice, for now.

Kind of funny story (he he). We are on the plane, non-stop from West Palm Beach to Houston and we are getting near our destination. The pilot comes on and says that due to high winds in Houston, we were in a holding pattern and it might we in line for about an hour - waiting for permission to land.

A groan rippled through the cabin.

Then the pilot says we only have enough fuel for twenty minutes - kind of like a doctor with bad bed-side manner. He then says that he's putting us down in Lake Charles, LA for re-fueling and then we'd take off again and head to Houston. I guess when the Houston tower got word of this, they moved us up in the queue. He then said we'd be on the ground in twenty minutes - this after five minutes already went by. Everyone gasped and then laughed when he caught the apparent error in his math. We got on the ground, o.k. with the engines still running.

More news later on this same station.

wesblackman@gmail.com

See you soon!

Florida Trust for Historic Preservation Award

Below is a sheet prepared by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation regarding the various preservation award winners in 1998 when the Mar-a-Lago Club won an outstanding achievement award in converting the property to a private club. This was a major recognition of Mr. Trump's efforts and investment in such a historic property. I was proud to work for him in helping orchestrate the sensitive changes necessary to bring about the conversion. The actual award is framed and hangs in my study. Hard to scan something framed, but thought that you'd be interested in seeing this:

"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"

Historical Lake Worth, Florida Post Cards - Road Maps and the Importance of US 1 to the City's Early Development

You know how you get started at something on the computer and then you find yourself following what began as a tangent - then it becomes an all consuming mission. That's kind of what happened as I started assembling pictures available off the Internet that had a Lake Worth connection. The result is this blog entry. Beyond my interest in Lake Worth and local history, these pictures of familiar areas in a different state, representing a different time, remind us that the only constant is change. Many people have gone before us and they did what they had to do in order to survive and live in the time of history that they occupied. The land remains here, but the names, faces and appearances are like a thin layer on top of the earth that is more transient than we would sometimes like or want to believe.

One of my interests happens to be antique/classic/special interest automobiles. I was happy to stumble onto a site that had a postcard of a former Rambler/American Motors dealership on North Dixie Hwy. That led me to look for old road maps and then information on U.S. Highway 1 that was the way to get to south Florida from the northeast - before the advent of I-95. We forget that our forefathers and mothers lived off a very busy Dixie Highway lined with kitchy motels, car dealers, fast food outlets. This artery pumped money into the local economy and much of the City's earlier prosperity directly sprung from this highway. I also found a very early map of railroads in Florida - dating from 1893. This pre-dates the extension of the FEC railroad along the east coast of Florida which become one of Henry Flagler's greatest achievements - after retiring from Standard Oil.

So, enjoy! And remember that in most browsers you can click on the image and it will appear large in another window. Some images can be further explored by clicking again, making the image larger.

The Art Deco Lake Theatre opened in 1939. It was also known as the Lake Avenue Theatre. The theatre was designed by Roy A. Benjamin who also did the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville and many others in FL. In 1980, it was renovated and transformed into the Lannan Museum and Palm Beach Community College Museum of Art. It was then bought and renovated again in 1999 to become PBICA (Palm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art).

As seen when it was the home of the PBICA:



The following is the postcard of the car dealership that was at the northwest corner of N. Dixie Hwy. and 14th Avenue North. Judging by the steel in the parking lot, I'd say the picture is from the early 1960s.

My parents actually had a light green 1959 Nash Rambler 2 door (see inset) that might have brought me home from the hospital after my entry into this world in 1961. (I just chatted with my Dad and he thinks that car came after I was born. The "delivery" vehicle was probably a '53 Chrysler station wagon) There was a rather deep recession in the late 1950s and American Motors really had the only "economy car" on the market at the time. Its sucess spawned the General Motors Corvair line, the Falcon for Ford and the Dart for the Chrysler Corporation - under the Dodge brand.

Anyway, this picture is looking north from what is now the Save-a-Lot parking lot - probably someone standing on a ladder. For kicks and giggles, I ran out today and took a current picture of the property. It looks like many of the original buildings are there still, but used for a slightly different purpose. The "showroom" was under a roof, but open on all sides, with offices to the rear. This was a common layout of car showrooms during this era in Florida. Remember Clark Oldsmobile in downtown West Palm Beach? Similar concept. That property is now the site of one of the mega-residential buildings now under construction in West Palm.

Notice the lights strung over the cars, the flags, the big sign - all to draw the attention of the passing motorist. And all are strictly outlawed through our current zoning code. I don't think there is one living plant on property as seen in the old picture. You can see in the current pictures that somewhere along the line a hedge was added as a "buffer" along the edge of the property. An attempt to soften the expanse of the concrete, I guess. I wish the picture included more of Dixie Hwy., but the purpose was to advertise the dealership.

The following text is from a website devoted to current or former owners of American Motors cars. The gentleman who started the site did so partly in memory of his father that worked at one for most of his life. Link click here.

Chances are your car might have came from one in your area, might have come from one you never heard of. Maybe the original owner opted to pick it up in
Milwaukee and drive it home. Regardless, the story of the Nash, Rambler and American Motors dealerships is a forgotten piece of US Automotive History.
In 1969, AMC had 2250 Dealerships in North America. By 1973 they were down to 1930. However, sales rate per dealer had increased 70% from 104 to 178 units sold per year. In 1970, AMC had only ONE Dealership in the US selling more than 1000 cars per year. By 1973, there were more than 30, plus more than 130 Dealerships whose annual sales exceeded 500 cars per year. Dealer profitability before taxes in that period had climbed 173%, one reason for a strong demand for a AMC franchise. AMC targeted new, high volume dealerships in 55 major markets by 1975...and a staggering 600 new Jeep dealers had signed on since the acquisition of Jeep in 1970, although the total number was down about 170. However, the average Jeep dealer sales rate had climbed from 19 to 46. By 1974, 700 Dealerships selling the profitable Jeep, by 1975, 900.

The property as it appears today:

Here is a picture of an early Lake Worth High School - before the multiple additions and changes to accommodate more and more students. This one probably dates from the mid to late 1920s.

The following map is of the Richmond and Danville Railroad and the Florida Central and Peninsular Systems and their connections. It was drawn in 1893 and indicates drainage, cities, and the railroad network.Map Credit: Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.

A 1953 map of the southeast United States before the major
undertaking represented by the Interstate Highway System:

The following is information from Wikipedia.org on US 1 and its place in US history:

In Florida, where signs for U.S. Highways formerly had different colors for each highway, the "shield" for US 1 was red. Florida began using the colored shields in 1956, but during the 1980's the MUTCD was revised to specify only a black and white color scheme for U.S. Highway shields. As such, Federal funds were no longer available to maintain the colored signs. On August 27, 1993, the decision was made to no longer produce colored signs. Since then, the remaining colored signs have gradually been replaced by black-and-white signs; at present, there are a few rare colored ones still in place.

US 1 is a designated Blue Star Memorial Highway along its entire route through the state. Markers are placed at various locations, including one in Rockledge, Florida and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As is the case with all Florida roads with Federal designations, the entirety of US 1 has a hidden Florida Department of Transportation designation: State Road 5 south of Callahan (except for 11 miles as SR 805 in Palm Beach County); State Road 15 north of Callahan.

After World War II, an American movement was started to pay tribute to the nation's armed forces, by designating various state and national routes as Blue Star Memorial Highways. In 1945, the National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc. approved the Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker program. The Blue Star name comes from the blue star in the service flag. The blue star was chosen to symbolize the memorial because it
was used during World War II on flags and homes of families that had a son or
daughter in the armed forces.

"Florida is a peninsula of pleasant experiences waiting for you to enjoy them. As you drive over our modern highways from Pensacola to Key West to Jacksonville the passing miles will reveal the spectacle of snow-white beaches, rolling citrus hills and beautiful waters in an incredible variety of natural and man-made attractions. It doesn't matter what you look for in recreation or sight-seeing under a generous Florida sun . . . Florida has more than four centuries of leadership - experience in provding the best. Drive carefully, have a good time and come back often!" - Gov. Claude R. Kirk, 1967 Official State Road Department Map


"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"

Nelson Mandela

A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.
Nelson Mandela

After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
Nelson Mandela

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Nelson Mandela

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
Nelson Mandela

For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
Nelson Mandela

I dream of the realization of the unity of Africa, whereby its leaders combine in their efforts to solve the problems of this continent. I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great wildernesses.
Nelson Mandela

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
Nelson Mandela

If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.
Nelson Mandela

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.
Nelson Mandela

If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.
Nelson Mandela

Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement.
Nelson Mandela

Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.
Nelson Mandela

Money won't create success, the freedom to make it will.
Nelson Mandela

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
Nelson Mandela

There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.
Nelson Mandela

There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.
Nelson Mandela

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.
Nelson Mandela

We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.
Nelson Mandela

When the water starts boiling it is foolish to turn off the heat.
Nelson Mandela

"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"

This just in from the City of Lake Worth...FYI

Upcoming 6th Avenue South/Dixie Hwy. Closures/Detours Starting Next Monday

Two projects underway in the City of Lake Worth by the Community Redevelopment Agency (6th Avenue South Gateway Project) and Florida Department of Transportation (I-95 Road Widening Project) will undergo closures on 6th Avenue South which will affect
area residents.

The Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency's (CRA) Gateway Project on 6th Avenue South requires a complete closure at the intersection of Dixie Highway and 6th Avenue South from Monday, November 13, 2006 through Monday, November 27, 2006:
* Through traffic along Dixie Highway will be rerouted to Federal Highway
* 6th Avenue South will be accessible from Dixie Highway via H Street
* The CRA has notified all impacted businesses about the closure

For more information, contact the Lake Worth CRA at 561-493-2550 or Burkhardt Construction at 561-659-1400.

FDOT's I-95 widening project requires a complete closure on 6th Avenue South at the intersection of I-95 beginning, next Friday, November 17, 2006 (9:00 p.m.) through Monday, November 20, 2006 (5:00 a.m.):
* 6th Avenue South will be closed under I-95 from Wright Avenue to east of I-95
* Northbound ramps will remain open
* Northbound I-95 to westbound 6th Avenue South movement will not be permitted
* Westbound 6th Avenue South traffic will be detoured to 10th Avenue North via I-95
* Eastbound 6th Avenue South traffic are requested to use the existing detour
* Workmen will be on-site to assist motorists.

For more information, contact I-95 Mobility 2000's Meredith Rapp, at 561-805-7550 ext. 1130 (mrapp@i95wpb.com) or Andrea Pacini at 561-805-7550 ext. 1125 (apacini@i95wpb.com).


"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"

Format Improvements

Well, I spent a good portion of the day making up-dates to the blog. You will notice that we now have access to posts according to topic - which will be of great help addressing your questions and interest areas. Please realize that this is not a finite list and as new posts are created, additional topics will be added.

Also improved is the link section that will take you directly to the City's official website, along with a link to the popular local discussion board LakeWorthTalk.com. Remember, all links are the responsibility of other entities and do not necessarily reflect my views on any given issue.

Another improvement is the index of archived posts. They now appear in a hierarchy by month and then listed by title.

You may and are encouraged to respond to any post by clicking on the "comment" button at the end of each post. You can also review other comments made by others - just click that same button.

Enjoy the new changes and let me know if you have any suggestions for further improvements!

"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"

Mars and Venus

"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"

The Third Wave by Alvin Toffler

I am picking up a copy of this book today. Time to re-read it. The following is a review from Amazon.com:

I decided to reread this book after 20 years to see how accurately it represented the experiences of the past 20 years. How nice a surprise I received when I found that the broad themes were beautifully portrayed against the background of the prior agricultural and industrial economies. This long term perspective made the articulation of the future vision clearer.

Particularly impressive in retrospect is the description of a forecast for mass customized products. The customer "will become so integrated into the production process that we find it . . . difficult to tell . . . who is the producer." One might be reading about someone ordering a computer on the Dell Web site.

Almost equally impressive is the appreciation of how electronic connections will establish horizontal connections. "Even a partial shift towards the electronic office will be enough to trigger an eruption of social, psychological, and economic consequences." "It promises to restructure all human relationships and roles in the office as well."

Key insights related to:

(1) Companies needing to take on full responsibility for the consequences of their actions on society and the environment;

(2) Companies becoming much more important social institutions of change;

(3) Information moving to the center of major decisions;

(4) Government spreading its influence so that business and politics become inextricably entwined; and

(5) Institutional ethics coming to more closely reflect social ethics.

In fact, this is the first book I have located that sees the business organization as the critical institution in making ecological, moral, political, racial, sexual and social change, as well as the usual transactional ones.

The fundamental vision of humanity as seeking a more appropriate civilization that is built around individual choice in coordinating social interests is a remarkably accurate description of the evolution of the free market democracies over the last 20 years.

Realizing how hard it is to forecast anything, one comes away with a remarkable appreciation for Alvin Toffler's fundamental estimation of human potential. He took that understanding, tied technology to it, and found the answer quite well.

After enjoying this remarkable book (for the first time or) again, I encourage you to consider how these same human characteristics will take us forward in the future. How can you facilitate this felicitous development?

Make your actions and those you cooperate in serve everyone's best interests!

"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"

This just in from the City of Lake Worth...

The Lake Worth Public Library, located at 15 North M Street will be closed to patrons from Tuesday, October 31st through Saturday, November 4th. The temporary closure is necessary for the installation and staff training of a new automation system.

The library will resume normal operating hours beginning Monday, November 6, 2006 at 9:30 a.m.

"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"

NEWS ITEM: Fundraiser Date Set

The first of my campaign's meet and greet/fundraiser parties will be on Sunday, December 3, 2006 at 2 p.m. The event is being held at the home of Mark Geier and Bill Martin. They live at 1402 North O Street. Helping in the task is Jim Lewis. More information will be coming later on - but save the date now as that time of the year can be busy.

As far as contributions, we are making good progress but still have a way to go before the goal is met. If you would like to contribute, you can make a check payable to "Wes Blackman for Commissioner - District #3". Just drop them in the mail to the Wes Blackman Campaign, 241 Columbia Drive, Lake Worth, FL 33460.

Remember too that I am available to speak at your civic group or neighborhood association meetings. Let me know the date and time and I am sure we can work something out. I am always interested in the issues that are on your mind as they are the issues we need to be addressing. The best way to reach me is by email at: wesblackman@gmail.com You can copy and paste the address right into your e-mail program.

Thanks to those who have offered to volunteer their time and services as the campaign gears up. Pretty soon, it'll be March. A better Lake Worth is just around the corner!

"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"

Mars and Venus say "Hi"

We haven't heard from Mars and Venus recently, so I grabbed my camera this morning as we went on our walk. They're such good kids. In the first picture, Venus is on the left - Mars is on the right. Mars is checking out a cat across the street.

Here we go. Corgis on the move...

Venus found a nice place to scratch her back. She's a big silly.

Hmmmmm...what's this under the ficus hedge??
Not sure, but it sure looked/smelled interesting to the kids

Back home. "Thank you Daddy, we like our walks!"

"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"

Pics from City of Lake Worth Volunteer Board Appreciation Reception - Wow!

Notes from 10/23 City Commission Meeting

Here I am sitting in a City Commission meeting where the items on the agenda are the ground lease, developer’s agreement and construction contract. What I am hearing during public comment is a list of pros and cons of doing the beach. That is not what is on the agenda. What is on the agenda is not being discussed. The Mayor said that they are considering the zoning change at this meeting. It is not on the agenda, but he did nothing to state what was actually on the agenda – and didn’t do so to confuse the issue and rile up the crowd.

You know what is terrible – is that at each point of the process we will be confronted with the same issues – whether we are going to go ahead with the project or not. That is not what is at issue. It will cripple the ability of the City to go forward with improvements at the beach. To some extent, I feel that the Mayor led us down this path because his backers saw exactly what we would be experiencing – a split community that at every turn is going to question whether or not to move forward. It is going to be a City that is afraid of its own shadow, if it isn’t already.

That is not to discount the public process. There is a site plan that needs to be formatted and presented by the City Commission. The site plan will be reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Board. The zoning district change, which the Planning and Zoning Board had many comments on at its last meeting – it is not set in stone. Somewhere or another we will come to a decision on the aspects of the zoning change – with public comment at every turn and then again when it gets to the City Commission.

The opposition doesn’t want to explain the process. They want to paint the whole process as being corrupt. I have an idea – let’s establish a process that cannot be deemed “corrupt” – that is agreed upon in advance and move forward from there.

It is frustrating to know that cities, towns and villages that do not have this situation would find this project difficult. The level of difficulty is compounded due to its environmentally sensitive area, the existence of a partner and the maintenance of public access during the construction process. Fighting amongst ourselves is no way to get the project done.

A wise gentleman just got up and recognized that there is flexibility with the beach plan, he talked to Peter Willard and they worked out some changes that would make the project better. That will happen before the Planning and Zoning Board as well. But, it doesn’t serve those that are against the project to point that out. They want to make it seem like it’s a “done deal”. It is a done deal in that we are moving forward with redeveloping the beach. How we do it is still to be decided. Why don’t those that oppose the project work to change it to make it better?

"Political advertisement paid for and approved by Wes Blackman for Commissioner – District #3"