Highland Beach board finalizes logistics for Delray Sands dune‑restoration field visit; attendance capped at 30

The Town of Highland Beach Natural Resources Preservation Advisory Board on Nov. 5 reviewed final logistics for a dune‑restoration event at the Delray Sands scheduled for Nov. 12, including a presentation by consultant Dan Belante and an on‑beach demonstration.

The event is slated to begin at 9:30 a.m. (the room will be available at 9 a.m.), with breakfast served before a field walk on the dune. Miss Allen, the town planner, said the town manager approved the event details but set a cap at 30 attendees; she told the board that was the limit "he agreed to." The board reported a far larger number of RSVPs than seats: "We have about 71 people approved for the event, including wait listed," said board member Kiki Baxter, who volunteered to call and email registrants to confirm attendance.

Why it matters: the field visit is designed to pair resident outreach with practical demonstration of dune restoration methods and to build support among condominium associations and residents for shoreline vegetation work.

Key details and next steps

- Attendance: Official cap is 30 unless the town manager grants a short‑notice change; board members discussed confirming guests and accepting a limited waitlist. Baxter said she would call and email RSVPs this week to free up seats if attendees do not confirm.

- Check‑in and materials: Board members volunteered to staff check‑in and transport informational materials to the hotel. One member offered to drive materials; another said they could bicycle and deliver items locally. The board agreed to identify who will bring the boxed handouts to the hotel and who will manage check‑in.

- Feedback: Members agreed to collect quick attendee feedback at the event. Baxter volunteered to draft a 4–5 question paper form that attendees can complete before leaving to gauge whether the event prompted any follow‑up action and whether participants would attend a future similar event.

- Budget and room capacity: The town arranged breakfast service for 30 people as the contracted count; board members discussed overbooking risk and the town’s limited short‑term flexibility to increase the contracted headcount.

What the board did not decide

No formal motion was required for the logistics discussion. The board did not change the town’s cap during the meeting; Miss Allen said she would follow up with the town manager if members wanted to request a larger capacity on short notice.

Provenance: Board discussion on Delray Sands logistics began at 00:13:01 of the meeting and continued through routine planning items toward 00:27:31.