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Council approves sale of undersea cable easement at Spanish River Park over objections from nearby property owners
Summary
The council voted 4–1 to authorize sale of a nearly 0.5-acre underground easement at Spanish River Park for an undersea fiber route. Opponents demanded environmental review and assurances the cable route would not cross private property; the developer and staff said the work will use existing conduits and is subject to state permitting.
The Boca Raton City Council on Sept. 9 approved the sale of an underground easement at Spanish River Park to Telcius Cable USA for a planned undersea fiber-optic cable, adopting ordinance 57-49 by a 4–1 vote.
The ordinance authorizes a purchase-and-sale agreement for a 0.493-acre easement that will link an undersea cable to the city network at an existing access point in Spanish River Park. The city’s independent appraisal set the easement price at about $2.6 million; Telcius deposited 10% of the purchase price with the city prior to introduction of the ordinance.
Opposition at the hearing Residents and nearby landowners raised procedural and environmental objections. William Swain, who said he manages a nearby private property interest, said his group had not been notified and urged the council to confirm the cable would not be routed across adjacent private parcels. "Can you confirm that these cables are not going across any of our properties?" Swain asked; staff responded the sale before the council is limited to the park parcel shown on the map and that the city will not allow work on third-party property without consent.
John Perlman of Save Boca urged the council to delay the sale until DEP and environmental approvals were complete, saying the city "did not need" the money and describing Spanish River Park as ecologically sensitive.
Developer and staff responses Michel Mocaniete, the applicant’s network planner, told the council the work west of North Ocean Boulevard would not create new trenches across private property: "There is nothing new on this side from the Spanish River Park to our building. We are using existing conduits and infrastructure that has been there for 20 years." City staff said the seller is requesting the easement to secure rights before starting the state permitting process; the sale is contingent on the applicant obtaining necessary permits and the purchase agreement allows refund of portions of payments if permitting fails.
Vote and council comments Councilmember Thompson voted against the ordinance; four other councilmembers voted in favor. City staff and the Planning & Zoning Board had recommended approval after the appraisal and required public-notice steps. The council instructed staff to ensure that the city’s permitting and construction process protects adjacent property and that the city’s long-standing policy for permitting utilities in parkland was followed.
What happens next The applicant still must secure state permitting, including review by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for the undersea landing and coastal work. If the state and city permits are granted, the agreement provides a payment schedule and requires the applicant to construct using underground conduits and entry points described in the easement deed.
