[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6296404,"mediaKeyId","2516133-b76e4c2b704f26ee58f511ef68ef78ed","parentId",2516133,"title","Votes at a glance: Highland Beach commission approves planning-board appointment, backs clerks’ records-exemption bills; one appointment postponed","audioSeconds",342,"startMs",6670000,"endMs",7012000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2516133-b76e4c2b704f26ee58f511ef68ef78ed&start=6670&end=7012","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2516133-b76e4c2b704f26ee58f511ef68ef78ed/thumbnail_6670000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6296404/Florida/Votes-at-a-glance-Highland-Beach-commission-approves-planning-board-appointment-backs-clerks-records-exemption-bills-one-appointment-postponed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296404-2953c8ba9499b24e3d5b93e97f92f121/orig.mp4?Expires=1775312719&Signature=kmbxxmssADk5wOKHNQQFQPJwxKoQCSgCE848fc27uZR6KttUES7yv11K2Ke46WuIB5FgZMDNPpy8f8hEWGXvLb1nQyUs03aef6V8-nlIyKBqMaN2TgLVksNUKGazmlPDVE35BfjEmVgCYn8LY7vbdn6dEO3KZfd0QWLHu5lfWjUb3Om5-cOWRWV5L9m41SBsM4DLc2MBq3E5UR1SfIwGqONuMieFw7qbv9SXZkdLmikdqURAVl7iPBoiaY59tixGv6ZdMkUxUXY-EvMZhVvj8dMDnENlBjJvR~vQxZncBEVpx4EqdZM4-JHm2niqY~AreG-Q4-MRZIUcKF10Te0pAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Highland Beach, FL","date","2025-03-05T08:51:03Z","article","The Town Commission of the Town of Highland Beach took three formal actions on March 4: it postponed one appointment resolution, approved a planning‑board appointment, and adopted a resolution supporting state legislation to limit public disclosure of certain municipal clerks’ personal information.

Resolution 2025‑005 (board of adjustment and appeals appointments) — postponed
The commission discussed resolution 2025‑005, which would ratify appointments to the board of adjustment and appeals. An expected appointee was not present, and the commission voted to postpone the resolution to the next meeting. No formal motion text naming a mover was recorded in the minutes; the outcome was a unanimous voice vote of “aye” to postpone.

Resolution 2025‑007 (planning board appointment) — approved
The commission considered resolution 2025‑007 to appoint Commissioner Evelyn David to the planning board. A motion to accept the resolution was made and seconded; the commission approved the resolution by voice vote. The meeting transcript records “Aye. Motion carries.” No roll‑call tally by name was provided in the public record excerpt.

Resolution 2025‑006 (support for HB 517 / SB 840) — adopted
The commission considered resolution 2025‑006, a resolution supporting House Bill 517 and Senate Bill 840 to create a limited public‑records exemption for municipal clerks and employees who perform election work or code‑enforcement functions. After discussion of clerks’ safety and privacy concerns, a commissioner moved to adopt the resolution; the motion was seconded and approved on a voice vote. The transcript records “Aye. Motion carries.”

Each of these actions is recorded below with the motion text as provided in the public transcript, the mover/second (when recorded), and the documented outcome. The commission did not provide member‑by‑name vote tallies in the excerpted minutes for these items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","March 04, 2025 Town Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At its March 4 meeting the Town Commission approved one planning‑board appointment and adopted a resolution supporting state bills for limited clerks’ records exemptions. A separate appointment resolution was postponed to the next meeting.","taxTitle","Town of Highland Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",75679,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6296409,"Highland Beach commissioners agree to study smaller temporary real‑estate signs, legal review to follow",1953,4938000,6891000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2516133-b76e4c2b704f26ee58f511ef68ef78ed&start=4938&end=6891","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2516133-b76e4c2b704f26ee58f511ef68ef78ed/thumbnail_4938000.jpg","/articles/6296409/Florida/Highland-Beach-commissioners-agree-to-study-smaller-temporary-realestate-signs-legal-review-to-follow","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296409-a47969e57c94ee462f106c87a0dc7f64/orig.mp4?Expires=1775312719&Signature=b1zcvLVAbZj26SprdN4PoZf2QZvNtkEWNYsNsj3vg3jzcm-qWPEOihXK-XyU7Fo7uyIavtfx3Ln3JidXhyTtnOmJvKc0or5P0DZFm8Hsm9B6FgXWDPrVjCbYBmp5kIssC6nHPoxq4Zroyb0DBH3g2MDgcMh7dRSeHKX8Zqavqe523onr9Iwi0E--6N8f5nRBL3lWC8HJYFxj1YmbUBXYAlmfhZU1~-aseM5LlIobhuANihik2w01Tc6qDTBlFtlI0q7NDG9fjbmgMy5FS2iGy2JXqaaE4vEYM1Y56eYMMCDSdHr6o95mj-BpAPtr7xOzq1LRYykt96jfatgWrKIXqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town Commission of the Town of Highland Beach debated temporary signage rules on March 4 and directed staff to develop a more detailed proposal and legal analysis rather than adopt immediate rule changes.

The item grew out of resident complaints about large, stacked for‑sale signs and signage that remains in place for long periods. John Chapelleer, a Bel Air Drive resident, and volunteer Maggie Chapelleer urged smaller, more restrictive standards used by nearby municipalities. “If you simply change that one thing [sign size], I think you would accomplish 90% of what I’m trying to accomplish here,” John Chapelleer said, referring to adopting a roughly 5‑by‑8‑inch footprint used in other seaside towns.

Town Planner Ingrid Allen told commissioners that current code (chapter 23) defines temporary signs and allows up to four temporary signs per parcel and that no permit is required for such signs. Allen said the code is silent on many durations and that enforcement is difficult when signs are placed in the public right-of-way. The commission discussed legal limits on regulating sign content: town staff noted a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court precedent requires content-neutral treatment for many temporary signs, which constrains some types of differentiation (for example, having different sizes for political versus commercial signs).

Commissioners and residents raised several practical issues for a rewrite: whether to limit cumulative stacking (so a single parcel cannot present multiple stacked panels that together exceed the size limit), whether to set a duration limit (for example, a maximum consecutive time a temporary sign may remain), restrictions on placement in public rights-of-way and clearer parcel/side‑of‑street rules. Staff and the town attorney said size, height, setback from right-of-way and duration are generally content-neutral tools that cities can use, but that any ordinance must be drafted with attention to case law.

Rather than sponsoring an ordinance immediately, the commission asked staff to prepare a fuller package for a future meeting: comparative sign samples from other towns, explicit size and stacking alternatives, draft text that is content‑neutral, a preliminary enforcement approach, and an analysis of potential First Amendment constraints. The commission did not adopt any new rule tonight.

Town Manager Marshall said the process typically takes time and that staff would bring examples and legal guidance; commissioners suggested including mockups (actual sign samples) and a recommended timeline. Several residents said political signs are not the principal concern; the emphasis was on real‑estate signs that remain in place and large stacked displays on small residential streets.

Next steps: staff will assemble sample signage, legal analysis and draft ordinance language for the commission to review at a future meeting. Commissioners recommended the public be included in review and that any ordinance explicitly address stacking, duration and right‑of‑way placement.","After residents urged tighter limits on temporary and for‑sale signs, the Highland Beach commission directed staff to gather comparative examples and legal guidance. Commissioners agreed to continue the item at a future meeting rather than adopt an ordinance now.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6296414,"Milani Park debate continues as Palm Beach County design moves forward; town says settlement limits options",592,285000,877000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2516133-b76e4c2b704f26ee58f511ef68ef78ed&start=285&end=877","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2516133-b76e4c2b704f26ee58f511ef68ef78ed/thumbnail_285000.jpg","/articles/6296414/Florida/Milani-Park-debate-continues-as-Palm-Beach-County-design-moves-forward-town-says-settlement-limits-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296414-e17a910601888de69d31390eae59133b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775312719&Signature=O14ewx1xIJF-9r1mRXzROAT5y4ytMYrSp2j2vXG-3bZ8~PgfTCXB-3Nc7xn3rWIrC5Um~lnNDQidJSZPNSL5G0kActe8zvHUFsuBO03ROIcB48GsJREwnPErkGw2xvQUye-RwfcIY-l0D117KYQhyaprim4FNjeMaqyaEZPLd835iZdVw6x3yrli2rfrTptkHkFT11udkyF37ROK3lTiSEXxQk7LvfQ46siW3JaxE~qreGHKF-2Kzgv~PWIaKojGaJGZl8hQv9PfXpXuHIYnbqZir6tzvegpIYW8qvpig2T5vSg3SjD-0Vy-gBJuuyvoSxvCWFtx2n~2H2Nfu5YlRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town Commission of the Town of Highland Beach heard more than an hour of public comment on March 4 about Palm Beach County’s planned Milani Park and a conceptual design presented to the town, with residents raising concerns about parking, traffic, safety and impacts to sea turtles.

The discussion matters because Palm Beach County owns the property and, commissioners and staff said, is proceeding under a settlement agreement and a county procurement process that have already triggered design, soil testing and an architect contract. That legal position leaves the town limited options to block the project, commissioners said, so the main leverage available is public input on design details.

Commissioners and staff outlined what they said were concrete steps the county has already taken: issuing a notice to resume development, advertising and awarding an architect contract (Brooks + Scarpa) for roughly $900,000, completing soil and archaeological testing, and moving forward on timeline triggers in the settlement agreement. Town Manager Marshall said the county’s legal counsel had advised commissioners that changes could invite further litigation and delay, and that the approvals and procurement work are substantially advanced.

Residents at tonight’s meeting called for different outcomes. Maggie Chapelleer, a volunteer with the town’s Natural Resources Board, said she had tried to work with county staff and encouraged the town to press for fewer parking spaces and more bicycle amenities. “If there’s gonna be a park, we want to be heard as to what we want,” Chapelleer said, urging residents to attend an April 2 Palm Beach County outreach meeting at the South County Civic Center.

Barbara Nestle, a neighbor of the Milani family, said the Milanis had recently signaled a willingness to negotiate and asked the family to submit a written position to the county. “They are hopeful that this initial step will pave the way for a final productive meeting between the Town and themselves,” Nestle said.

A member of the Milani family, Cam Malania, told the commission the family was open to discussion. “We live in Highland Beach. We are here with you. We care about this town,” Cam Malania said. “If that’s where this commission lands — that you really, really don’t want this park — we’ll stand with you.”

Commissioners repeatedly emphasized the town’s limited legal options. Commissioner Evelyn David and Mayor Moore said the county’s settlement agreement and court history left little ability for the town to stop the park outright. “They own the land, and we have a settlement agreement,” Mayor Moore said, summarizing the panel’s legal assessment. Moore and other commissioners urged residents to participate in the county’s April 2 public meeting to press for mitigations such as reduced impervious surface, more shade and safety accommodations.

Speakers also raised several technical and factual concerns the town said it will continue to press with the county: proposed parking counts (residents referenced figures including 100 spaces, and some callers urged a return to prior concepts showing 40–42 spaces), traffic stacking and left-turn queuing on A1A, potential demand for a traffic signal at the park access, beach and turtle nesting protections (commenters estimated 20–35 turtle nests in the adjacent shoreline area), and public-safety policing and trash/loitering control.

Town staff noted the county’s conceptual features as shown to the commission: a central median and circulation pattern intended to increase vehicle stacking without backing up on A1A, shaded parking and “grasscrete” areas to reduce visible asphalt, a boardwalk through retained water-retention areas, a single central beach access with both a ramp and stairs, lookout seating areas and small “playful” elements such as climbing ropes. Staff said the county intends to retain on-site stormwater retention and employ native, salt-tolerant landscaping.

No formal town action was taken on Milani Park at the meeting. Commissioners said there was no agenda item authorizing litigation or a new formal appeal, and several urged pursuing public input and cooperative design negotiations where possible. The commission recommended residents attend the county outreach meeting April 2 and said the town will keep a 3‑D model of the conceptual design on display at town hall clerk's office for public viewing.

The meeting underscored a split between residents who favor renewed negotiations with the Milani family and county, and those who believe the legal and procurement steps already taken by Palm Beach County make stopping the project unlikely. Commissioners repeatedly asked that any future negotiations or meetings involving the Milani family be held publicly and with notice so the town’s residents can comment.

Plans going forward: Palm Beach County is scheduled to present the architect’s design options and gather public input at the April 2 outreach session at the South County Civic Center; the town will share the model at its clerk’s office and circulate information on how residents can comment to county staff.","Palm Beach County’s plan for Milani Park drew more than an hour of public comment at Highland Beach’s March 4 commission meeting. County-held contract and a court settlement leave little legal room for the town to stop construction, commissioners said, though residents and the Milani family urged more negotiations and public input.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Highland Beach commission approves planning-board appointment, backs clerks’ records-exemption bills; one appointment postponed

Highland Beach commissioners agree to study smaller temporary real‑estate signs, legal review to follow

Milani Park debate continues as Palm Beach County design moves forward; town says settlement limits options