Boca Raton council continues review of downtown government campus plan amid resident concerns over density, trees and traffic

City staff updated the Boca Raton City Council on May 13 about the ongoing government campus partnership process and the next decision milestones for a proposed downtown redevelopment that would include a new city hall and community center paired with private development.

The city is scheduling a May 27 meeting to discuss decisions that will influence the master plan, City Manager Brown told the council, and staff expects to deliver several financial models and short-term relocation options for city operations in the coming days. Brown said the city received an updated plan from Terra Frisbie on the morning of May 13 and will post it on the city website.

City staff described four downtown city hall scenarios that will be modeled: a mostly ceremonial city hall for meetings only; a partial city hall with some administrative and public-facing functions; a full city hall excluding development services; and a full city hall including development services. Staff said those scenarios will be compared against construction costs and potential revenue from ground leases tied to private development. A fifth short-term relocation option for city operations had emerged and was being evaluated, staff said.

The presentation prompted extended public comment. Resident Steve Zumtobel told the council he supports preserving Boca Raton's "charm" and urged less density and more greenspace, citing more than 1,800 apartments available for rent in the city. "Where are these people going to park? How is the traffic going to flow?" Zumtobel asked.

Yvonne Zumtobel, who said she serves on the city's historic preservation board, warned that the plan threatens mature trees and neighborhood green amenities around City Hall. "Boca Raton has been a certified Tree City USA for 44 years," she said, asking whether long-standing banyan trees would survive and whether affordable community center programming costs would rise.

Longtime resident Michael Welch and Steve Griffith also urged the council to preserve green space and raised traffic and safety concerns along Palmetto Park Road and A1A.

Brown and Mayor Singer and other council members emphasized the process is ongoing. Brown said staff will package the forthcoming models and assumptions so council members can review them in one packet. Singer and Brown described the effort as a place-making opportunity to create a "vibrant civic square" and said the plan being advanced by the majority of the council aims to be the least dense option among those considered.

Staff said traffic studies, additional outreach by Terra Frisbie, and individual meetings with council members are underway, and the May 27 meeting will present the materials for public review and council deliberation. Council members asked residents to review the updated plan when it is posted.

Implementation details remain contingent on Terra Frisbie's phasing and on decisions the council will make at upcoming meetings; staff warned some assumptions could change if the developer modifies the phasing or interim master plan.