The Solid Waste & Recycling Division of Lake Worth Beach has created a new booklet for 2020 with all the answers to all your questions about trash, bulk, recycling and vegetation pickup.
Pick up the new 2020 booklet at one of the following locations:
City Hall, 7 N. Dixie Hwy.
City Hall Annex, 414 Lake Ave. (at the intersection of Lake Ave. and Federal Hwy.).
City Library (across the Cultural Plaza, just to the west of the City Hall Annex).
The Interfaith Prayer Book was compiled by Lake Worth resident Ted Brownstein and the Lake Worth Interfaith Network (LWIN). Learn more about this organization at the end of this blog post.
From p. 31 by Siddur Avodas HaLev titled, “A Jewish View of Prayer”:
“Prayer: Its Hebrew name is, tefillah, a word that gives us an insight into the Torah’s concept of prayer. The root of tefillah means to judge, to differentiate, to clarify, to decide. In life, we constantly sort out evidence from rumor, valid options from wild speculations, fact from fancy. Thus, prayer is the soul’s yearning to define what truly matters and to ignore the trivialities that often masquerade as essential.”
From p. 69, the “Hymn of the Good Samaritan”:
From every race and land,
The victim of our day,
Abused and hurt by human hands,
Are wounded on life’s way.
The priest and Levite* pass And find not time to wait. The pressing claims of living call; They leave them to their fate.
But one of different faith To care he felt compelled. His active love like Jesus’ own Uplifted, healed and held.
May this example lead, Inspire and teach us all That we may find in others’ faith The God on whom we call.
From p. 23 in the chapter titled, “Native American Prayer” is the ancient reading from the Popul Vuh, a region in South America now called Guatemala:
Make my guilt vanish, Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth; Grant me a favor, Give me strength, give me courage In my heart, in my head, Since you are my mountain and my plain; May there be no falsehood and no stain, And may this reading of the Popul Vuh Come out clear as dawn, And may the sifting of ancient times Be complete in my heart, in my head; And make my guilt vanish, My grandmothers, grandfathers, And however many souls of the dead there may be, You who speak with the Heart of Sky and Earth, May all of you together give strength To the reading I have undertaken.
To learn more about the “Reading of Popul Vuh” in The Interfaith Prayer Book and the Ancient History Encyclopediaclick on this link.
The Lake Worth Interfaith Network (LWIN) is “[A] group of individuals and faith-based communities dedicated to promoting acceptance and understanding among our diverse spiritual traditions through devotions, education and compassionate action. . . . LWIN hopes that sharing our experience will be helpful to other communities who desire to create similar local interfaith organizations.”
*Levite: “[M]ember of the tribe of Levi; descendant of Levi, especially one appointed to assist the priests in the temple or tabernacle.” Learn more at Wikipedia.
LAKE WORTH — Imagine living in a one-stop quality Lake Worth that residents, business owners and all those involved with its redevelopment can be proud of. It can happen here for those are the goals of Joan Oliva, someone who has the experience and position to make it all come about. Oliva starts Monday as new executive director of the Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). “Revitalization takes time, especially when it is done well,” Oliva says.
The front page news above is from reporter Leonard Saffir in The Lake Worth Herald dated January 3rd, 2008.
“Neighborhood revitalization, in concert with redevelopment, must be
encouraged to increase value, stability and a sense of community
pride.”
For a stroll down memory lane use this link. Learn about some of the headwinds the CRA’s Exec. Dir. Joan Oliva had to face back in 2008–2009.
Jim Gilmore, the managing partner with Gilmore Hagan Partners spoke to the Lake Worth Beach City Commission in a work session this past Monday.
The dais. L to R, City Clerk, the five electeds all in attendance, City Attorney and City Manager:
At the end of this blog post is the City’s YouTube video of last Monday’s City Commission work session.
What follows is brief summary.
Mr. Gilmore was brought in to explain and discuss a process called a Public Private Partnership (P3). The firm consults with communities that wish to pursue such ventures. He defined P3s as “The close collaboration of a public entity and a private entity to structure, negotiate and implement the finance, design, development, construction and operation of buildings.” Buildings in this context include commercial, residential parking, and governmental facilities.
Mr. Gilmore’s bon mot for the evening: Winning takes longer than losing. In order for P3s to be successful there has to be trust on the side of both parties for a win-win outcome. He stressed that communication with the public is a strategic must in the process. He also stressed the importance of having milestones throughout the P3 process so progress can be monitored closely. Any monetary participation which induced the private entity to participate must come after the project is completed, including the certificate of occupancy. Gilmore referenced the IPIC DELRAY in Delray Beach; while up and running the project was sold and flipped to another entity. He warned that the public sector partner needs to plan for certain “what if ” scenarios.
Another local project he pointed to was the Riviera Beach Marina Village. They issued a Request for Proposals in 2018 and the project is coming to completion. The unique part of Marina Village is that they were able to take two respondents that came in independently and put them in a partnership with each other.
Mr. Gilmore identified the beach property in Lake Worth Beach as one that would be very attractive to private sector participation through a concession agreement, that is leasing to a private entity rather than selling land. He noted, “They aren’t making any beachfront property like that any more.” He also saw opportunities throughout the downtown especially in areas governed by the Lake Worth Beach Community Redevelopment Agency.
During the Q&A session with the City Commission it was Commissioner Herman Robinson who pointed out that $6M has been pledged for a project at the beach on a 3-2 vote. That decision was a sometimes acrimonious and very public political process and he warned that outcome may change over time. Any private partner would have to trust the $6M for improvements at the oceanfront park was a firm commitment. Mayor Pam Triolo pointed out she is aware of League of Cities activities nationwide and knows of many P3 success stories and advised there are right ways and wrong ways to go about them. She referenced the Invitation To Negotiate process at the beach which took place years ago was a very public failure. Mr. Gilmore responded that it is best to know who in the private sector is ready to participate in the P3 process rather than going on a “fishing expedition” through the Request For Proposal (RFP) process.
Commissioner Omari Hardy pointed out the beach is an amenity the City sends money to and doesn’t get money back. He pointed to the loan the City made to itself to build the Casino building, a loan that is still being paid down. He wondered aloud if all the benefits from the public beach property are being realized.
Educating residents about what is possible in the P3 process is an important step. Many times those in the public that don’t want things to change are the very same ones who demand better and higher quality City services. The mayor commented she is interested in P3s beyond the beach property and possibly be a tool used throughout the downtown and other areas in the City. Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso emphasized the importance of the downtown to the City’s image and economy. Amoroso wants the downtown to be less seasonal and not just focus all the attention on the beach.
This public discussion is taking place now because the City has a ballot item on the March 17th municipal election that, if passed, would allow the City to lease city-owned property for a 30-year term rather than the current limit of 20 years. Consensus of the City Commission was to proceed with information gathering related to the market and possible private sector participants.
After the upcoming election in March there will be more certainty as to the wishes of the public and direction going forward when it comes to length of leases for public property.
Without further ado. . .
This YouTube video is a little over one hour and twenty minutes and provides much information about P3s. Mayor Triolo starts it off by saying, “City manager, would you like to take it away. . .”:
These pools were at the end of Worth Avenue near the former Palm Beach Pier. In the photo you can see the Colony Hotel in the background. This is the block where Charley’s Crab was; it closed down in April of last year.
The Rotary has been serving and continues to serve the Lake Worth region for over 90 years.
Question: What are you doing this coming Wednesday at noon?
Front cover from the 50th anniversary of Rotary.
“The Lake Worth Rotary always has their doors open to new membership. If you are interested in becoming a Rotarian, please don’t be shy and come visit us.”
We meet at Brogues DownUnder for lunch every Wednesday (621 Lake Ave., LWB). It is always an honor to have a new guest to share a joyful experience including a beautiful lunch while our weekly guest speaker shares productive information regarding current events. We want our guests to feel comfortable and among friends.
Here are two more images from the 50th Anniversary publication in 1977.
What follows is an excerpt from a public notice published in this week’s Lake Worth Herald:
ATTENTION OWNERS, AGENTS, CUSTODIANS, LESSEES
AND OCCUPANTS OF REAL PROPERTY WITHIN
THE CITY OF LAKE WORTH BEACH PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the City Commission of the City of
Lake Worth Beach, Florida, in accordance with provisions found
in Ordinances 2016-08, 2016-09 and 2016-10, is hereby giving
notice to property owners that: You are hereby notified that you are required by law to cut and
prevent the accumulation of weeds, grasses or other vegetation
over ten (10) inches in height or that otherwise are conducive to
harboring vermin, reptiles, or other wild animal life upon your
property; and to remove any trash, waste, rubble, debris, refuse,
garbage, or other nocuous matter or condition located on any
property owned, controlled or occupied by you in the City of Lake
Worth Beach; and that upon your failure to do so, the City of
Lake Worth Beach will institute nuisance abatement proceedings
against your property and cause such nuisance to be abated. The
cost of such abatement will constitute a special assessment lien
against the property on which the nuisance is located. Such special
assessment lien shall be coequal with the lien of all state, county,
district, and municipal taxes and superior in dignity to mortgages
and all other liens, irrespective of the date of the recording of the
special assessment lien, if recorded, or the date of the recording of
any mortgage or any other lien on real property. A failure to pay
said lien, even such lien upon homesteaded property, may result
in a loss of title to your property. AND You are hereby notified that you are required by law to maintain
vacant or unoccupied structures so that no doors, windows or
other openings are broken or missing so as to allow access to the
interior and to have a valid boarding certificate when boarding
the structure is necessary. Upon your failure to do so, the City of
Lake Worth Beach . . .
End of excerpt.
The entire public notice in the Herald this week is three long paragraphs and appears on p. 5 below the fold.
Support your LOCAL newspaper and support LOCAL small town journalism.
Also worth noting in this week’s paper is a front page feature story headlined, “Lake Worth Beach Opportunity Zone Master Plan Adopted”; this is a major development in this City’s redevelopment efforts.
Event is this evening, 6:30, at the beach in Lake Worth Beach.
Click on image to enlarge:
Not sure if you can attend this event and have a question or comment for the vice mayor? Call Andy Amoroso at 561-586-1733 or send an email to: aamoroso@lakeworthbeachfl.gov
TO: Chair, Vice-Chair and Members of the Board FROM: Joan C. Oliva, Executive Director DATE: January 14th, 2020 SUBJECT: Financing Agreement between 1017 Lake Ave. LLC and the LWB CRA
EXPLANATION:
The development of the City’s western downtown area continues to be a priority for the CRA. The two
main thoroughfares, Lake and Lucerne, saw little development before the CRA infused grant dollars and
assisted developers. Over the past several years, CRA assisted developments in the area include the
Urban Arts Lofts, The Hatch, West Village, 1013 Lucerne, the Downtown Shops and others. In 2018 the CRA helped attract the MID development to Dixie Highway. This project, by Affiliated
Development will bring 230 new, one and two-bedroom units and 9000 square feet of retail to the Dixie
Highway corridor. The founding partners of Affiliated, Jeff Burns and Nick Rojo, approached CRA Staff in
fall of last year with a new mixed-use development concept. Affiliated has a contract to purchase a 2+ acre site bounded by the FEC railroad on the west, East Coast
Street on the east and Lake Avenue to the north and the remaining Padron site (201 East Coast Street)
to the south (Exhibit “A”). The proposed plan would include 186 residential units, ground floor retail,
parking and room for a future train station platform (Exhibit “B”).
Click on Exhibit A to enlarge:
Note the area hash marked from Lake Ave. south to 2nd Ave. South; this is the site for the proposed Affiliated Development project called “The Bohemian”.
The following two images are Exhibit B:
The CRA memorandum continues. . .
One of the CRA’s goals in the Redevelopment Plan is to encourage market rate housing opportunities in
the redevelopment area. Affiliated’s new project, The Bohemian, will provide new, modern housing
opportunities in the district that will attract professionals and couples who will support not only the
commercial component of the project, but also businesses in the downtown, as well as the artisanal
area. The Bohemian also provides an opportunity for the attraction of additional restaurants, retailers
and much needed new housing to the area, making Lake Worth Beach’s downtown a destination for
art, entertainment and shopping, while also providing choices for urban living enthusiasts. This project addresses other goals and objectives in the CRA’s Redevelopment Plan including:
Create programs for land development and property rehabilitation, using financial or other
incentives, to facilitate new investment in the district
Work creatively to provide incentives for private sector participation in redevelopment projects
and programs
Elimination of conditions that decrease property values
Facilitation of new investment in the redevelopment district
Establishment of a safe, functional and aesthetically pleasing community environment
Identify and market areas where private interests can develop housing and necessary support
facilities in the Redevelopment Area
Encourage efforts toward building housing in the Redevelopment Area
Initiate infill housing development
Staff recommends the CRA Board consider giving assistance to the project in three ways. First, the CRA
would provide immediate funding from our already budgeted program/economic development and
commercial grant lines to assist with pre-development and infrastructure costs. Staff recommends
providing the TIF subsidy over a three year period. The CRA could grant a total of $800K this fiscal year.
To provide the subsidy needed, the CRA is also being asked to provide an additional $400K for the next
two fiscal years, bringing the direct appropriation total to $1.6M. Affiliated is also requesting $200K in
Neighborhood Stabilization Funding. These funds can be used in the future for demolition and/or to help
subsidize the portion of workforce units that may be provided. Lastly, Staff recommends awarding 1017 Lake Ave. LLC with a tax-increment rebate. The CRA only
receives increment from two of the nine taxing entities in the County, the City of Lake Worth Beach and Palm
Beach County. For purpose of this award, the current increment distributed to the CRA would be frozen.
Property taxes, over the next eleven years, would be paid by Affiliated to the tax collector. The CRA
portion (the additional increment created after the project reaches stabilization) once received, would
then be reimbursed to the developer. The project is estimated to produce over $6M in taxes by 2030. Of
that the CRA would receive $1.9M. The eleven year term under consideration is directly related to the
life span of the CRA. Because the CRA amended their boundaries in 2001 the sunset date for the Agency
is 2031. A spreadsheet showing the annual increment and payments is attached for your review as
Exhibit “C.”
A financing commitment is needed at this time for the project to move to the next step. A copy of the
commitment is included for the Board’s review as Exhibit “D.” The letter details the CRA commitment to
the project while also granting authority for the Chair, Vice Chair and/or CRA Director to sign a future
development agreement with 1017 Lake Ave. LLC provided no material changes are made. REQUEST: Staff requests the Board approve the funding agreement with 1017 Lake Ave. LLC and give authorization
to two of the three signers, the Chair, Vice Chair and/or the Executive Director to approve the future
development agreement, once complete.
End of memorandum.
Note that The Bohemian redevelopment project was passed at the CRA meeting on January 14th and the next step will be the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Board. At this point it is still to be determined whether or not this will be an item up for discussion at the City Commission. The P&Z may give the final go-ahead approval to proceed with The Bohemian.
FOR RELEASE UPON RECEIPT City of Lake Worth Beach 7 North Dixie Highway Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460 www.lakeworthbeachfl.gov January 21, 2020 Contact: Ben Kerr Phone: 561-586-1631 Email: bkerr@lakeworthbeachfl.gov
Lake Worth Beach — In preparation for heavy swells and strong winds the City of Lake Worth Beach will be closing the pier [closed as of Tues., Jan. 21st]. Once the inclement weather has subsided staff will assess for damage and reopen the pier when it is safe to do so. At this time staff anticipate the pier re-opening Friday the 24th. Please contact Ben Kerr, the City of Lake Worth Beach Public Information Officer with any questions or comments. Located in Central Palm Beach County, Lake Worth Beach is a dynamic, multi-cultural city with an individualistic style. People are drawn to the City by its acceptance of different cultures and lifestyles, historic districts, hip downtown and colorful arts district.
Being municipal neighbors and coastal communities how vulnerable are the Town of Lantana and the City of Lake Worth Beach to weather events and any potential shifts in the climate?
What are the vulnerabilities of the beaches in Lake Worth Beach and Lantana? On a policy matter, for example, should LWB construct a new swimming pool at the beach or instead focus on fortifying the beach property and seawall protecting the Casino and Beach Complex?
On these questions and more what follows are two excerpts from a piece by journalist Mary Hladky datelined Dec. 31, 2019, published in The Coastal Star:
Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Highland Beach, Lake Worth Beach, Lantana [emphasis added], Ocean Ridge and the county have approved an agreement to conduct a climate change vulnerability assessment. The County Commission was the last to sign on, voting Dec. 17. Once the municipalities and county have data on the threats they face, they will take up the task of making the region more resilient.
and. . .
The municipalities and county set a Jan. 15 deadline for consultants to submit proposals on how they would conduct the vulnerability assessment, and will select one in February to do the work. The consultant’s tasks will be completed in two phases, with two tasks to be completed by June 30. The remaining tasks will be finished and a final report issued by March 31, 2021. The consultant also will create a geographic information system-based interactive mapping tool that can be updated with new data and will allow users to zoom in on a specific neighborhood to see climate change impacts or zoom out to see regional impacts. The assessment will evaluate the vulnerability of people, property, water and transportation infrastructures, critical facilities, the economy and natural resources. The governments have budgeted $366,797 to do the work and will share its cost, supplemented by a $75,000 Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant to Boynton Beach.
To read the entire piece published in The Coastal Star by Mary Hladkyclick on this link.
As noted in the first excerpt above the consultant’s final report will be issued at the end of March, in just about eleven weeks.
Please join us in Lake Worth Beach on Monday, January 20th as we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pic.twitter.com/zAvQtGYLmj
![Dr. W. H. Cotton’s ode: “Oh, My Lake Worth, Florida!” [circa 1920].](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUL75cv6zJQFjX15ojOIIz9AjnbqH4asHJTYSDhnGnYr7rJZRha1NcNTirj2xPcId158vkz5Hw-wXgOfrlztj8Zr8jLFFCfuEN6PyV44ZlpMRmJ68xbtFL9vzxNiG7xDs_HJvm/s1600/LakeWorthPioneers.JPG)
