[{"_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",6096235,"mediaKeyId","2833492-b62a1cf704ac0387c942b73fc77a9032","parentId",2833492,"title","West Palm Beach OKs term sheet to negotiate sale of part of 316-acre site for private school; proceeds earmarked for Roosevelt Elementary","audioSeconds",3027,"startMs",761000,"endMs",3788000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833492-b62a1cf704ac0387c942b73fc77a9032&start=761&end=3788","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833492-b62a1cf704ac0387c942b73fc77a9032/thumbnail_761000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6096235/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/West-Palm-Beach-OKs-term-sheet-to-negotiate-sale-of-part-of-316-acre-site-for-private-school-proceeds-earmarked-for-Roosevelt-Elementary","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096235-26a07ae99fcb12dd418402589e041887/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146663&Signature=egvSoXM9mwcglf9uOJHANQkDzvLUcNIMM69DuRsmq14XfHoaGfmELpDaJBEbM6QqZmQQwLy6nB2gdnAL6OAVW7WZ2MHQ~w3yy18kq3eB9eRSA86R5fZkHcAo68DHzOn8UpscqrCVgMU6b05LZAkVmwAkk5-9joun5zLvKLV~4zbSjrbQ2gcdTdpdV3kVWse7zlG8wv6-O2DII3WGyvM6iYu1x1cMyupS6spsHUv2nSSr~GyOF67p9RUZgZsXUvuZK3lzqTxfnIO81yCIGwozsMtgpfC6eNrLEwzpjkhnqAWShNmF62QJgH77TpUQzwG6pDYmJCaNh-OKVd5l6FpHRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of West Palm Beach, FL","date","2025-04-01T11:55:11Z","article","The West Palm Beach City Commission on a March meeting voted to declare a portion of a city-owned parcel surplus and approved a term sheet to negotiate a future sale to Related Ross for development of a private K–12 school, city staff said. The action launches a six‑month due‑diligence period and directs staff to return to the commission with any final purchase and sale agreement.

Assistant City Administrator Armando Fauna, who presented the proposal, said the commission was not being asked to approve a final sales agreement at this stage. \"The purpose is to declare a city property as surplus, discuss a term sheet for future negotiations, and for additional due diligence that is needed to look at the site,\" Fauna said during the presentation.

The term sheet covers an approximately 55‑acre portion of a larger, roughly 316‑acre city parcel south of Roebuck Road near the Florida Turnpike. Staff said the site could accommodate a K–12 campus (about 35 acres is typically needed for a school with athletic fields) but also carries constraints: about 20 acres of the 55 would be subject to restrictions and held to preserve room for future well fields, portions of the site are raw and forested with no existing access roads, and utilities and site infrastructure would need extensive work.

Why it matters: City staff and Related Ross told the commission the proceeds from any sale would be used to help fund Roosevelt Elementary’s improvement program, an initiative dubbed Roosevelt Rising. The school district has committed $4 million of the estimated $12.5 million budget for Roosevelt improvements; Related Ross has pledged $1 million and the term sheet is intended to help close the remaining funding gap using sale proceeds if a deal is reached.

Key terms and open questions
- Appraisals: City code requires two appraisals for property over $500,000. Fauna said the city and Related Ross appraisals were dated and differed substantially; the city appraisal led to an averaged value of $6,500,000. Related Ross’s appraisal was higher before deductions. The commission removed a proposed waiver of the six‑month reappraisal requirement when it approved the resolution.
- Purchase process and price floor: The approved motion instructed staff to remove the appraisal‑timing waiver and included language establishing a purchase‑price minimum as stated in the motion. The commission approved the resolution unanimously.
- Due diligence and timing: Related Ross offered a $100,000 deposit to start the six‑month due‑diligence period. Fauna and Related Ross emphasized the sale process must move quickly because Roosevelt Elementary has immediate needs; staff will present progress at a three‑month mayor/commission workshop and will return before any final sale for two readings.
- Infrastructure and site work: Related Ross’s offer includes up to $1,500,000 for water‑system improvements (pump station or tank) to help pressure in western neighborhoods. Related Ross and the prospective school developer would be responsible for site clearing, roads, and building utilities—the city will not be paying for those on the parcel offered \"as is,\" Fauna said.
- Scholarships and eligibility: The term sheet includes up to 20 annual scholarships (term sheet language) for West Palm Beach children; commissioners and Related Ross discussed raising that figure or structuring scholarships as a percentage of enrollment instead of a fixed number. Details (eligible residents, full vs. partial scholarships, target grades or Title I priorities) are to be negotiated and written into a purchase and sale agreement if the deal proceeds.
- School operator not yet identified: Related Ross said it does not plan to operate the school itself; it intends to market a site in hand to prospective third‑party operators. Rajagoda (Related Ross) said identifying a school operator may take years and estimated a three‑to‑five year horizon in comments to the commission.

What the commission approved and next steps
The commission approved a resolution declaring the property surplus and authorizing staff to continue negotiations on the term sheet with Related Ross (the resolution approval removed the appraisal‑timing waiver and included minimum‑price language as read into the record). The approval starts Related Ross’s six‑month due‑diligence period; staff will bring back the purchase and sale agreement (two readings) if a qualified school operator is identified and negotiations conclude successfully.

What remains uncertain
No final buyer, operator, or site plan is in place. The sale is limited by deed/use restrictions to school use (and possibly limited workforce housing for faculty only if land remains), the exact scholarship terms were not resolved, and rezoning will be required for the school parcel if the project advances. Fauna and Related Ross both emphasized that the term sheet is a starting point and that a final sale is not guaranteed.

The commission’s action begins a public process that will include further staff reports, a three‑month workshop on Roosevelt Rising, and two public readings before any final purchase and sale is approved.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Commission Meeting | March 31, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The West Palm Beach City Commission on a March meeting voted to declare a portion of a city‑owned parcel surplus and approved a term sheet to negotiate a future sale to Related Ross for development of a private K–12 school; proceeds are intended to help fund Roosevelt Elementary’s improvement program.","taxTitle","West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",4250,"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},6096226,"Votes at a glance: West Palm Beach City Commission actions on surplus land, zoning and development items",3058,727000,3785000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833492-b62a1cf704ac0387c942b73fc77a9032&start=727&end=3785","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833492-b62a1cf704ac0387c942b73fc77a9032/thumbnail_727000.jpg","/articles/6096226/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Votes-at-a-glance-West-Palm-Beach-City-Commission-actions-on-surplus-land-zoning-and-development-items","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096226-7314e4b024f811ee4d55cb0da2db4020/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146663&Signature=Kwqb01AH7dbfAtw9UuAlyAetHWTRbNT29d2J7492n4ZkbBIMa08PJ0QpZ0tezRt2iwh9TcpHdi~SMTCUPo0NvhIBWpG0LPcWIPxQXcO7LybkWwQoXGpMF8iR1HipHTcFYJ~nzFfqvknLQnGxIQTsDLG5CThN8T47RnikkdTCLK8E-KRpSYlzRCkS1z36fG~FSQNi-tbZtj3t~ZCh-56rsXILmnrfVcmOqWe0SuxPD~8W0aWkGEdaL5Yb4Ag-Teg09p~4eCtK-SLIJkUvgnMJwloQxzeFUivjlp97hMl5Ua2K1CuRCe7QV8ELn8dHWvcFC14Fh3QG8Omd~bIOQIjyTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Palm Beach City Commission took the following formal votes during its March meeting.

Votes and outcomes
- Consent calendar (Items 7.1–7.12): Approved unanimously. The commission approved routine consent items by voice vote.

- Resolution No. 54‑25 (Item 8.1) — Declare surplus and authorize term‑sheet negotiations for a parcel south of Roebuck Road: Approved unanimously. The motion approved declaring the portion surplus and authorizing negotiation of a term sheet with Related Ross; the motion removed a staff request to waive the six‑month appraisal‑timing requirement and included minimum‑price language as read into the record. The approval starts a six‑month due‑diligence period.

- Ordinance No. 51 26‑25 (Item 9.1) — Zoning text amendment to allow limited special dimensional exceptions for contributing shotgun houses in the historic Northwest residential district: Approved unanimously. The amendment gives the Historic Preservation Board authority to grant exceptions (lot area, width, setbacks, lot coverage, FAR) for qualifying shotgun‑house parcels where the standards are met.

- Ordinance/Rezoning (Item 10.1) — Rezoning of 4906 North Flagler Drive to create the Apogee Residential Planned Development (RPD) and resolution establishing development regulations: Both the rezoning ordinance and the accompanying resolution establishing the development regulations were approved unanimously. Staff said there were no changes from first reading and the planning board had recommended approval.

- Item 10.2 — Request to continue a major amendment to the Palm Beach Atlantic University community service plan development: Continued. The commission granted Related’s request to continue item 10.2 to the April 14, 2025 meeting.

How the commission voted: All recorded motions carried unanimously by voice vote; no roll‑call tallies with named yes/no votes were read into the record during the meeting minutes.

Next steps: Several items approved require follow‑up steps before implementation: the Related Ross term sheet action (Resolution 54‑25) initiates a six‑month due‑diligence clock and will return to the commission for two readings if a negotiated purchase is reached; the Apogee RPD will proceed under the development regulations adopted by resolution; the zoning text amendment takes effect and will be applied when property owners seek the Historic Preservation Board exceptions.","A roundup of the meeting’s formal votes: consent agenda approved; resolution 54‑25 on surplus property and term sheet approved with caveats; zoning text amendment for shotgun houses approved; Apogee rezoning and development regulations approved; item 10.2 continued to April 14, 2025.",{"_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},6096230,"West Palm Beach amends zoning to let historic 'shotgun' houses be subdivided in Northwest neighborhood",837,3810000,4647000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833492-b62a1cf704ac0387c942b73fc77a9032&start=3810&end=4647","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833492-b62a1cf704ac0387c942b73fc77a9032/thumbnail_3810000.jpg","/articles/6096230/West-Palm-Beach/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/West-Palm-Beach-amends-zoning-to-let-historic-shotgun-houses-be-subdivided-in-Northwest-neighborhood","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096230-742f03cdef9659f2f0220e87b83b3fde/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146663&Signature=lY9IFqqoK8VIRGVQAUsIZHZbpfQhWBqQa~N8R9qOMX0wwYZt5DPkhC99d34RCZaDluebN3YxEfUZEu5synJXnejzedC9ga4feILDSnghy0mZ20V-gkeCqm~gvsyNZYCzsLe~OeeWpPTvX2q1mAk8iwkrx-8QiMLgjXXABhlOJpakMkljwLZXV1k~092hcdXXSC~-mrcQCj-XFBOkUmD537HLDvhmB4hygucrZR0DIta7Wsc5Jxci2j~AnPAZeCNf~bjbgt-uaLkwOWBlOBbn3ShxLQk1NLDInbOF4PSIvnb8OxgJVR~oOtVZPUls53oclh-cBRCAWznpReWP1Bn5Ew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Palm Beach City Commission approved a zoning text amendment to give the Historic Preservation Board authority to grant special‑dimensional exemptions for contributing shotgun houses on parcels containing multiple historic structures in the Northwest residential historic district.

Leslie Olson, principal at District Planning Group representing the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, told the commission the CRA bought a parcel with six shotgun houses at 610 Douglas Avenue and sought a way to rehabilitate and enable long‑term affordable, fee‑simple ownership for each small house. Olson said conventional zoning and the historic ordinance did not allow subdivision at the small lot sizes needed, and that an owner‑occupied, fee‑simple option would avoid creating a costly homeowners association for six units.

Chris Chimerley, senior urban designer for the city, said the parcel is currently a legal nonconformity: under today's zoning it could only support two units on the lot rather than the six existing structures. The amendment narrows applicability so the special exceptions apply only where the structures are contributing, are historic shotgun houses, are principal dwellings, provide street frontage after platting, and minimize nonconformities to the greatest extent feasible.

Why it matters: The change is aimed at preserving an architectural housing type that once provided inherently affordable homes and to enable rehabilitation, long‑term ownership and occupancy in the Northwest historic district. Staff and the CRA emphasized limits on broader use: the amendment is tailored to the shotgun typology and to the Northwest historic residential district to avoid a general relaxation of dimensional standards across the city.

What the ordinance allows and limits
- Allowed exceptions: lot area, lot width, setbacks, lot coverage and floor‑area‑ratio may be exempted by the Historic Preservation Board where standards are met.
- Applicability limits: all structures must be contributing historic shotgun houses, must be principal dwellings, lots must provide street frontage, and the subdivision must not create substantial new nonconformities.
- Geographic scope: staff recommended (and the commission adopted) language that limits the amendment’s immediate application to the historic Northwest residential district; staff identified several other parcels that could later be evaluated.

Public comment and votes
A resident commenter urged caution about structural condition and costs; the commission voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance (Ordinance No. 51 26‑25) on first reading and carried through to approval at this meeting.

Next steps
If property owners in the Northwest district seek to subdivide under this rule, they will pursue a special exception from the Historic Preservation Board and must show compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for rehabilitation. The Development Services Department will process any such plats and waivers per the amended code.","The City Commission approved a text amendment letting the Historic Preservation Board grant dimensional exceptions that would enable subdivision of contributing shotgun houses into fee‑simple lots in the historic Northwest neighborhood, intended to preserve housing affordability and return derelict properties to use.","actionData","errors"]

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West Palm Beach OKs term sheet to negotiate sale of part of 316-acre site for private school; proceeds earmarked for Roosevelt Elementary

Votes at a glance: West Palm Beach City Commission actions on surplus land, zoning and development items

West Palm Beach amends zoning to let historic 'shotgun' houses be subdivided in Northwest neighborhood