Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Last night's Lake Worth City Commission Meeting


Who would have known that this meeting would last three hours especially as there were 20 items on the Consent Agenda with none of them pulled for any discussion whatsoever. Throwing items onto Consent has become normal operating procedure. It used to be only for housekeeping items.

Over one hour was devoted to presentations and commission liaison reports.

The most interesting part of the agenda was Public Participation on non-agendaed items when Joseph Torres spoke and then Peggy Fisher. Torres is at 1:04:04 into the meeting about all of the crime in his neighborhood. He has spoken about this on many occasions finding it increasingly intolerable with nothing being done.

Peggy Fisher spoke at 1:12:28 on various concerns. She expects open straight forward communication and does not expect things to be hidden on Consent Agendas or hidden by not being "quite so open with the public" whether it is a huge FEMA impact or a problem with one of our facilities.  She does not like resolutions on Consent agendas as they are not being discussed. She wants more transparency.

There was a long discussion on land development regulations in our historic district. Many property owners have gone through hell just trying to get their improvements approved. Scott Maxwell and Omari Hardy said that there should be some sort of due process for homeowners and the city should get their input. Property owners should be allowed to install hurricane impact windows. They are now allowed to do that but the window must be compatible to what the city wants them to have. Maxwell wants the entire process "sorted out."

The state's Department of Interior sets the historical designation rules. Local laws need approval. Earlier in the year, the state rejected the first proposal.. Last night the city had its first reading and the new, relaxed rules in the Historic District were approved 5-0. It will come back for the 2nd reading on December 5.

The land use map was changed for the property at 507 South G Street. The site, located on the south side of 5th Avenue South at.South G Street and the Florida East Coast Railway, will be renovated and redeveloped. The area is zoned for mixed use and this site will be changed to commercial. Is this spot zoning?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

All the crime, renters, and the lack of the city elected and police to do anything about all the problems in the city and no one ever doing anything about it. They never address crime and blight and all the lawlessness in this city, never have. That is why I moved out of Lake Worth after living there for 20+ years. The current elected are the most corrupt and crooked elected ever, giving themselves 90% raises and do nothing was the tipping point for me. Lake Worth has such potential, but just keeps getting worse due to the corruption and ineffectiveness of the elected and management here. So sad for this city and people.

Anonymous said...

Yeah,it's spot zoning. No surprise because the rule in Lake Worth is that there are no rules.

Weetha Peebull said...

I moved after 22 years for the same reason as 1:43

Only in LW could a 25 yr old run the town and no one knows it!
Screw the Sustainibility (Revenue generator) dept and bring back
the BUILDING DEPT where one could actually do what they want to
their Private Property...PLUS the only reason gov was set up in
the 1st place - to PROTECT PROPERTY RIGHTS not Abuse them for MONEY!