[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6630971,"mediaKeyId","2688491-c2996951b239aa82ad333dd69dcd95b3","parentId",2688491,"title","Boca Raton council approves interim agreement with developer for downtown campus; residents press for protected recreation","audioSeconds",3773,"startMs",1517000,"endMs",5290000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2688491-c2996951b239aa82ad333dd69dcd95b3&start=1517&end=5290","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2688491-c2996951b239aa82ad333dd69dcd95b3/thumbnail_1517000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6630971/Boca-Raton/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Boca-Raton-council-approves-interim-agreement-with-developer-for-downtown-campus-residents-press-for-protected-recreation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630971-26dc097d317b52f689849c6afd07b0b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770541680&Signature=TGS4Tfnrrzcrts6VeGhmnHJU7X3LTAmmfE9ayU1X7gkE~-wXYV5eOGN90jM665E3aA72GtzNmy4t6RFXvM7P1NotpfQhTWZBn~wEyEjo0QaHjuWTrgf-EPJWCW9MJ8OdhIo-H0lWGBc7g2qasLHictQ-vGjPu8bNKacPOtiQ3XpZl2VOuOSIpp-fAxBu95hmYqhxu~Gg0vvmvNz5WUxdqXG9GdrRHRWthphAa-bjNHA9OcKqzPIi~AAVs3~z11enpY2xk-DxyF~4IEnChpHs6ntgfi6ovvbEaymaBgTrnjHHtp2ktJrBcf0pAQLQJcNUKWjt1FGhinRqwr43n87ZBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Boca Raton","date","2025-03-18T17:49:00Z","article","Boca Raton officials on Tuesday approved an interim agreement that lets the city begin formal due diligence with the Tara Frisbie team on a multi‑block proposal to redevelop city‑owned land into a mixed‑use downtown campus, while residents pressed elected leaders to preserve existing recreational facilities.

The City Council voted 4‑1 to authorize the city manager to execute the interim agreement with Boca Raton City Center LLC (Tara Frisbie), allowing the proposer to prepare an interim master plan and begin a 150‑day due‑diligence period that staff said will include geotechnical studies, traffic and mobility analyses, infrastructure capacity reviews and community design charrettes.

The interim agreement establishes a timeline of milestones, with an interim master plan due in May and a planned council review of that document in June; staff said a final partnership agreement and master plan would be expected in the fall if due diligence and public input proceed as scheduled.

Why it matters

City leaders described the agreement as a procedural step to allow a ranked proposer to perform studies, respond to staff comments and bring forward a cohesive plan for council review. Supporters said a well‑designed campus could knit together isolated parts of downtown, create pedestrian connections and finance replacement of antiquated municipal facilities. Opponents said the public needed clearer guarantees that current recreation — notably the downtown tennis courts, skate park and softball fields — would be replaced on or near the site and questioned using city land for long‑term private leases.

What the agreement does and how the process will work

Deputy City Manager Andy Lukasick told the council the interim agreement establishes a framework for a 150‑day due‑diligence phase followed by a finalization period leading to a possible master partnership agreement. Lukasick said the due‑diligence work will include technical studies and frequent community outreach, starting with a design charrette before an interim master plan is submitted on or about May 12. He described June meetings as the time staff and the proposer would check in with the council on direction.

Staff and the proposer will be required to produce a sequence of studies — mobility and traffic analyses, infrastructure capacity reviews and site planning work — and the timeline in the agreement was revised after the proposer requested accelerated milestones.

Public concerns and staff responses

Dozens of residents attended the meeting to press concerns about recreation, parking and traffic. Speakers from East Boca urged the council to preserve the Boca Raton Tennis Center’s 10 courts and sought a firm guarantee that replacement courts, softball fields and the skate park would remain available and accessible to downtown residents. Several speakers asked that any loss of recreational amenities not force residents to drive farther to use facilities and that replacement amenities be built before demolition.

Mr. Lukasick and city staff told the council that the city is committed to replacing the recreation amenities, that the developer has proposed supplemental facilities, and that staff is working on a plan to provide replacement tennis courts and softball facilities outside the downtown during the project’s phasing. Staff also said the police department is adding traffic enforcement resources for downtown and that the city plans at least one additional officer dedicated to downtown traffic enforcement in next year’s budget.

Council debate and vote

Council members debated the pace of the timeline and whether the interim agreement should include campaign‑contribution restrictions on the proposer. Council member Jonathan Thompson led a failed motion to add a decades‑old city contract clause that limits political campaign involvement by vendors; council later amended the agreement to require the partner to comply with state and county ethics laws and agreed to workshop a broader policy on campaign contributions and proposers before future long‑term public‑private transactions.

The council approved the interim agreement by a 4‑1 vote. Council member Thompson cast the lone no vote, saying he wanted more time to evaluate campaign‑contribution language and that he felt the timeline might be too aggressive.

Next steps

Under the interim agreement as revised, Tara Frisbie will deliver an interim master plan in May, followed by a council review in June. Staff said the interim report and a refined plan are expected in early September, and the city could consider a final master partnership agreement in October, though staff also said the council retains authority to extend any due‑diligence deadlines if more time is needed. The council directed staff to continue public outreach and scheduled additional workshops on campaign‑finance safeguards and project parity issues for other proposers.

Provenance

The council opened the public hearing and staff presentation on the campus interim agreement beginning with Deputy City Manager Andy Lukasick’s remarks on the interim agreement and timeline (transcript excerpt: \"Good evening, mayor and council, Andy Lukasick, your deputy city manager\"), and closed the public hearing with the council vote recorded later in the meeting (transcript excerpt: \"Motion passes 4 votes to 1\").","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Boca Raton - City Council Regular Meeting - Mar 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Boca Raton’s City Council on March 18 approved an interim agreement with Boca Raton City Center LLC (the Tara Frisbie team) to begin a 150‑day due‑diligence period for a proposed downtown campus, setting a May interim master plan deadline and prompting repeated public calls to preserve downtown recreation facilities.","taxTitle","Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",3932,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6630962,"Council adopts school‑zone speed detection ordinance after debate over rollout and outreach",3776,3624000,7400000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2688491-c2996951b239aa82ad333dd69dcd95b3&start=3624&end=7400","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2688491-c2996951b239aa82ad333dd69dcd95b3/thumbnail_3624000.jpg","/articles/6630962/Boca-Raton/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Council-adopts-schoolzone-speed-detection-ordinance-after-debate-over-rollout-and-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630962-9777fe1497a6b7ced92eadf97361bc68/orig.mp4?Expires=1770541680&Signature=T6FgDKQf-VlFYSugwh7tc1EPxN3dXEAZnZqLimVMgDFVtrFD64Hjf7YGLo4LYlIW8J5ERhW4RbE9NqicYLKZSMx0ojsiHoeZfPRT1QGuLldVkuMjJh4Oa0LKK3MrQLGanU9I4j3EH0PWyrxH~M3u51XZ7HzWNvwP13nu4kkCxKFsc7F5uhj5cdvaVh4M86vbWbzKqxOeRLktEK~5hpKr8LIHnTf~7pP3CApYBntt5KZxszoLxhd9JnVjRrWfm5~F8QfJaFtDly4k8AtRpbU9lC0KAuQV3KmIaO~aKPp34P2uM7mzPuMM6lwg8o9ZOku6g57JdWO16Z5KA716zRg-1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Boca Raton City Council approved an ordinance authorizing automated school‑zone speed detection systems for specified school zones, clearing the way for a program that staff said will focus initially on school hours and heavy education and public‑outreach prior to issuing citations.

The measure creates a city code chapter that allows installation of approved speed‑detection equipment in designated school zones, establishes hearing procedures and a local hearing officer, and requires public notification and signage; it also requires contractors or partners to comply with Florida election law and county ethics rules as amended by the council during debate.

Why it matters

Council members described the program as an engineering‑and‑education effort that offers an additional tool to protect students, pedestrians and bicyclists in and around school zones. Supporters said automated enforcement will reduce speeding and increase safety; opponents and some residents urged broader outreach, careful attention to signage and to the balance between education and citation issuance, and protections for privacy and data use.

Key points of discussion

- Enforcement windows and notice: Staff said citations would be issued only during school‑zone times indicated by the flashing lights and posted school‑zone signs; staff emphasized that the program’s initial phase will focus on education and warnings before issuing citations, and that further stakeholder workshops and outreach would precede a full citation rollout.

- Data privacy and permissible uses: City legal staff and council members noted statutory limits on data use. The ordinance was amended during the meeting to require partner compliance with state and Palm Beach County ethics and election laws and to clarify that the systems are not to be used for general remote surveillance beyond school‑zone speed enforcement.

- Rollout and public outreach: Council members asked staff to prioritize signage, mailers and coordinated outreach with schools, and to test pilot locations. Staff said they would place signs, run public‑information campaigns (city text alerts, MyBoca app and Nextdoor), and conduct stakeholder workshops. The council asked for additional traffic‑safety events and bicycle education for Bike Month and pledged to evaluate lessons from other Florida counties that temporarily paused their rollouts.

Vote and next steps

The council adopted the ordinance by a 5‑0 vote. Staff said it will pursue a phased implementation, starting with the school list identified in the ordinance; stakeholders will be invited to workshops and the city will post clear notification prior to citation enforcement. Legal staff will return with any technical clarifications and staff will seek procurement options to implement detection devices and training before citations are issued.

Provenance

The city read the ordinance title at the start of the hearing (transcript excerpt: \"Ordinance number 57 31, an ordinance of the city of Boca Raton creating chapter 16, traffic and vehicles, article 5, school zone speed detection systems\") and recorded the council’s unanimous vote to adopt later in the meeting (transcript excerpt: \"Motion passes 5 votes to 0\").","Boca Raton’s City Council on March 18 adopted an ordinance authorizing school‑zone speed‑detection systems after extended discussion about signage, public outreach and data use; the measure passed 5‑0.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6630967,"Council continues appeal over proposed freestanding emergency room at 1001 East Telecom; hearing reset to April 8",1417,6195000,7612000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2688491-c2996951b239aa82ad333dd69dcd95b3&start=6195&end=7612","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2688491-c2996951b239aa82ad333dd69dcd95b3/thumbnail_6195000.jpg","/articles/6630967/Boca-Raton/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Council-continues-appeal-over-proposed-freestanding-emergency-room-at-1001-East-Telecom-hearing-reset-to-April-8","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630967-6302a68aecc00949ce5847196ca0a3f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770541680&Signature=hQxjJQ2CqRlfU9GI8Sl6g9UCaS0Cy-MhcLsdkmsINAaF-kNtkcHU2ZlWXAD2h7DueDsMWbrXk6crBIo222qLuEzAW87R~NiL-Pr~7C~AhlemNvlQP0BqoFyp0bAU-Ezud-Z9oFceLynPoTD3ixHeh8fLlGXF6jZIAKUlEFXdNLwf0yYc~MmwhtmEEKxf~qayKlozf2dmMTTbYmxoKPelQzE0PcmhPCU6oOL8W7b9Sy3wLOzPMVuLndN2TQy93hRM1T-ag3ceNDusREmrYaZZ8JA0tKeZFHe7Kjma3sHGXDWTcTITYWxSFZkGA2YxHE~CtPX9u2bPc8vqn2XM8xJ7-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Boca Raton City Council on March 18 heard an appeal of the Planning & Zoning Board’s approval of a site plan and three technical deviations to allow a 10,860‑square‑foot freestanding emergency room (FSER) at 1001 East Telecom Drive. After more than seven hours of testimony, cross‑examination and public comment the council continued deliberations to its April 8 meeting to allow more time for review.

What the appeal sought to overturn

The applicant sought and planning staff recommended approvals that included: (1) a conditional finding that the proposed FSER could be treated as a medical/medical‑office use allowed in the Light Industrial & Research Park (LERP) district; (2) a technical deviation reducing the site’s required parking from 120 spaces to 82 (a 31.7% reduction); and (3) a technical deviation reducing the required driveway reservoir (throat) from 25 feet to about 13.7 feet (staff characterized the effective stacking area as 43 feet because of adjacent swale area).

Why it drew public and professional attention

Appellants (a neighboring property owner) and some speakers argued the FSER is materially different from routine medical office uses or urgent care clinics and may produce greater operational impacts (ambulance activity, off‑hour staffing and patient turnover) that a medical‑office parking standard does not cover. The appellent also raised circulation and safety concerns tied to the reduced driveway reservoir and questioned whether the planning board had adequate evidence to support the technical deviations.

What staff and the applicant said

Staff planner Owen Devlin told council that the city has previously treated urgent care and similar outpatient medical uses as allowable in the LERP district where “medical office” is permitted; Development Services concluded the proposed FSER is essentially comparable to an urgent care or medical office for land‑use and transportation impact purposes. Engineers for the applicant described contemporaneous parking counts at comparable FSER locations and submitted patient‑flow data from other HCA facilities; that empirical data and the applicant’s operational model were the primary evidence used to justify the parking reduction.

Traffic and circulation

Traffic consultants on both sides discussed the driveway depth and ambulance movement. The applicant’s engineer and staff said the driveway configuration and adjacent swale would provide adequate stacking and that expected ambulance arrivals would be low (the applicant estimated about one or two per day). The appellant’s traffic consultant said the reduced throat depth increases the likelihood that an ambulance or delivery vehicle could block circulation or pedestrian paths and noted that other FSERs in Florida typically provide a separate ambulance bay.

Public and clinical testimony

Doctors, emergency‑care clinicians and community volunteers spoke in favor of the application, urging more localized emergency access to serve residents and reduce waits at hospital emergency departments. Opponents included the adjacent property owner and technical witnesses who argued the deviations could be detrimental to circulation, future redevelopment of the nearby innovation campus and to adequate parking for both the office and emergency uses.

Council action

After extended testimony and cross‑examination, the council voted to continue deliberations so members could review the voluminous technical material and legal arguments. The matter was continued to the council meeting on April 8, 2025. The Planning & Zoning Board earlier approved the site plan and deviations by a 4‑1 vote; the appeal to council prompted a quasi‑judicial hearing, during which both applicant and appellant presented expert testimony and cross‑examination.

Why the council continued the case

Council members cited the complexity of legal and technical questions — whether the FSER is properly treated under the city’s medical‑office rules, whether the parking deviation was supported by sufficient evidence, and whether the driveway reservoir reduction raises safety or circulation risks — and asked for more time to review the record, consult staff and ensure procedural and evidentiary issues are clear before a final decision.

Next steps

The council will reconvene consideration of the appeal at its April 8 meeting. Staff and both parties may be asked to provide additional information or clarifying analysis before the council renders a final decision on whether to uphold or overturn the planning board resolution.

Provenance

The appeal hearing began with the planning staff presentation (transcript excerpt: \"Good evening again, or maybe good night depending on the timing. My name is Owen Devlin, senior planner with Development Services\"), the planning & zoning board action and public testimony are recorded in the hearing, and the council continued deliberations (transcript excerpt: \"All those in favor of continuing this matter to the date certain of April 8... Aye\").","A planning board decision to allow a 10,860 sq ft freestanding emergency room (FSER) at 1001 East Telecom Drive drew an appeal and a lengthy quasi‑judicial hearing on March 18. City staff and the applicant argued the use qualifies as a permitted medical‑office type and supported a 31.7% parking reduction backed by Institute of Transportation","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Boca Raton council approves interim agreement with developer for downtown campus; residents press for protected recreation

Council adopts school‑zone speed detection ordinance after debate over rollout and outreach

Council continues appeal over proposed freestanding emergency room at 1001 East Telecom; hearing reset to April 8