Coming up on the City Commission's April 2, 2013 regular meeting agenda...

I will be giving an update as chair of the Historic Resource Preservation Board.  On a rotating basis, approximately every six months, volunteer advisory boards are asked to highlight recent activities and programs and share that information with the public and the Commission.  The last time I made a presentation like this was last October.  Yesterday, I put together a simple PowerPoint presentation of the sorts of applications we have reviewed as a board and highlighted our various historic districts within the city.

Part of the presentation will include the unveiling of this brochure put together by the city's historic preservation staff.  I think it is excellent work and a concise educational piece on historic preservation and what it means in the city of Lake Worth.  It also has a very old picture of the Gulfstream Hotel that I had never seen before.  Do check it out.

This weekend in our own Bryant Park!

Fane Lozman, Corruption Fighting Activist 03/22 by High Noon in Lake Worth | Blog Talk Radio

Join me as I welcome Fane Lozman to the High Noon in Lake Worth studios.  As described on his website, his story is of a persistent and tenacious underdog who fought against the city of Riviera Beach's seizure of 2200 homes and businesses in 2006 only to see that same government arrest and destroy his floating home three years later, for an alleged failure to pay one month’s rent at the marina. Fane Lozman did not give up but continued the improbable climb from a county court eviction case to the US Supreme Court - where he won on a 7-2 decision.  

Click title for link to show.  Post questions to ask during the show below under comments.  Link will lead to archived show after it airs.

Two of the looks of the former Patio Restaurant

Southeast corner of Cornell Drive and Dixie Hwy.

And a slightly older version...both are cool.

Rainer Maria Rilke

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” 

StarMetro - It's Electric! | News | Talgov.com

Check out how the citizens of Tallahassee gets around on all electric buses.  This article is about a new fast-charging station which allows for a recharge within 10 minutes.  Click title for link to article.  Also check out their website.

Facebook law: Florida court rules threats posted on a personal Facebook page can be a crime

Interesting.  Not much difference between a FaceBook post or a blog entry, it seems to me.  Click title for link.

City Launches Moonlight Historic Cemetery Tours | City of West Palm Beach

Nifty idea being planned by our neighbor to the north.  Click title for link.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

County ‘outgunned’ on selling tourism | www.palmbeachpost.com

I don't think that the Silver Lions Motel on Dixie Hwy. north of Sixth Avenue South contributes much to the cause.  But it is charming.  The article talks about the importance of the tourist economy and Palm Beach County's relative position in the state of Florida. Click title for link.

Build a Better Block project..

This is what Delores Key mentioned during today's edition of "High Noon in Lake Worth."  Inspirational - especially when contrasted with the political folly we endured the past month or so.

Delores Key - Lake Worth Economic Development Manager 03/15 by High Noon in Lake Worth | Blog Talk Radio

Join your host, Wes Blackman, as he welcomes Delores Key to the High Noon in Lake Worth studios. Ms. Key is the Economic Development Manager in the city of Lake Worth's Sustainability Department. She recently presented an item to the City Commission which paves for the way for the city to establish an Enterprise Zone. We will explore the implications and possibilities during the show.  Click here for information on Ms. Key's professional background.

Click title for link to show in between noon and 1 p.m. for the live show.  Leave questions to have answered during the live show as comments below.  Click title after the live show to listen to an archived version.

Lake Worth CRA Wins National Diversity Award

LAKE WORTH, FL. -   The Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the Lake Worth NSP2 Consortium have been recognized by the National League of Cities and the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO) at the 2013 City Cultural Diversity Awards for the remarkable Lake Worth NSP2 Consortium Affordable Housing Program. The CRA won first place in the 25,000-100,000 population category.  In total,seven cities were honored on March 11th 2013 for implementing programs that enhance and promote cultural diversity in communities. The City Cultural Diversity Awards recognize municipal programs that encourage citizen involvement and show an appreciation of cultural diversity. Cities honored for 2013 are: Fort Worth, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Lake Worth, Florida and Hermiston, Oregon. In addition, three cities were honored as runners-up: Tempe, AZ; Coral Gables, FL; and District Heights, MD.

The City Cultural Diversity Awards program was established in 1995 by the NBC-LEO to promote cultural diversity in community governance through citizen and community participation. Winning cities are selected from a pool of applicants and are grouped according to population.

In 2009, the Lake Worth NSP2 Consortium (led by the Lake Worth CRA and made up of 20 community based organizations and local companies) was awarded $23.2 million as part of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program grant authorized under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. These funds were used to purchase over 100 foreclosed and abandoned properties and provide rehabilitated or brand new housing to revitalize a culturally diverse area of the city.

"It is always satisfying being recognized for the hard work you do but this Award is special to us at the CRA. We strive, with our consortium partners, to reach out to those who voices may not always be heard. Our mission includes building and strengthening our diverse community," says Joan Oliva, Executive Director of the Lake Worth CRA.  "On behalf of our Board, Staff and many consortium partners we are thankful for the opportunity to provide much needed housing and jobs in our City and hope we can continue these efforts for years to come." 

PARROT COVE MEETING NEWS RELEASE

PARROT COVE NEIGHBORHOOD  ASSOCIATION GENERAL MEETING

MONDAY, MARCH 18

BELIEVERS’ VICTORY CHURCH at LAKESIDE & 10th AVENUE NORTH

7:00pm

Karen Vaughn will be the guest speaker at Parrot Cove's meeting on Monday, March 18th, at 7 p.m.   Karen is the Planning and Preservation Manager for the City of Lake Worth.  She has a Bachelor’s degree in Geography and is nationally certified through the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).   Karen has 23 years of experience in land planning and development and worked in New Orleans under a 2-year FEMA Katrina recovery grant helping the southern parishes with Comprehensive and Resiliency planning.  Before that she managed the Planning Division of the City of Pacific Grove, California.  Karen will be speaking about the National Historic Preservation Act, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Buildings, the Seven Aspects of Integrity, and Historic preservation myths.

Kelly Christensen, the City’s Preservation Planner, will also be on hand to discuss the History of the North East Lucerne and Old Lucerne districts.   In addition, Kelly will talk about the architectural styles found within those districts and the COA process for proposed development and improvement projects.

Everyone is welcome to attend - you don't have to be a resident of Parrot Cove or an Association member.

Lake Worth voters approve cap on downtown building heights | www.palmbeachpost.com

Never totally happy, the "Yes" voters on building heights find something to be upset about.  I am not sure which is worse - sour losers or sour winners.

Let's step back a bit and look at what the "Yes" signs insinuate:  That the height limit applies to all of Lake Worth, instead of just a portion of the downtown area and that a "No" vote is for a "high rise" city.  Both of which are untrue.  In reality, both sides want Lake Worth not to follow the pattern of local municipalities and have excessively tall buildings in the downtown area.  The difference is that the "Yes" voters wanted heights controlled in the Charter and the "No" voters were comfortable with those regulations being limited to the Comprehensive Plan and the Land Development Regulations.  In one spirited exchange with a key "Yes" voter yesterday, I ended up suggesting that their position would ultimately "upload" the Land Development Regulations to the Charter - which would be form of "Hometown Democracy," part of Amendment 4 that failed on a statewide basis a couple years ago.

All that I can say is that it is at least over and now perhaps we can finally finish the process the city started 8 years and $1.2 million ago (and counting) and get a coherent set of regulations together that will guide the redevelopment of Lake Worth and put the city on a path toward a brighter economic future.

Click title for link to PBP article.