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

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…