Royal Palm Beach Group 1 forum: incumbency, traffic and redevelopment dominate debate

At a candidate forum sponsored by the Town Crier, Adam Miller, the incumbent for Royal Palm Beach’s Group 1 council seat, and challenger Selena Samuels laid out differing approaches to growth, traffic and local services ahead of the March 10 municipal election.

Miller said he is running to continue the council’s recent stewardship, citing 22 years as a resident and a background in education and school administration. “We have strong reserves,” he said, noting the village’s 1.92 millage rate and past budget decisions that he said keep services funded. He described his priorities as supporting teachers, advancing regional transportation solutions and completing a planned recreation center.

Samuels emphasized transparency, senior services, and limiting overdevelopment. She described coordinating free senior transportation, improving park and recreation facilities, and pushing for signage and other business supports. She said she has repeatedly voted against variances she judged would raise density in neighborhoods and stressed negotiating developer terms that secure seats and grants for local residents at proposed schools.

Traffic and redevelopment along State Road 7 became focal points. Miller said he supported a mixed-use rezoning recommended by the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council as a way to reduce car trips and make the corridor more walkable. Samuels countered that the corridor is already strained by traffic and urged exploring alternative uses — medical offices, hotels, sports complexes — and amending plans that would create high-density residential in areas she said are incompatible with current neighborhood character.

Both candidates discussed the stalled Tuttle Royale project: Miller said council should hold to the village’s plan and push the project forward; Samuels said she opposed higher-density requests and voiced concern about environmental features that were proposed to be paved over, noting the developer’s recent bankruptcy-related changes and that one parcel (pod 6) was sold to new owners for $60,000,000.

The candidates also fielded questions on workforce housing, where both said the village’s options are constrained by being largely built out and by market forces; on parks and recreation, where Miller highlighted recent budget approvals and Samuels described ongoing facility renovations; and on transparency, where both pointed to expanded digital access (the Royal Palm Beach Connect app and an updated village website) and to more proactive agenda outreach.

Samuels used her closing remarks to “clear the record,” stating there were no plans to build a hotel on Madison Green and directing voters to selenaforcouncil.com for additional information. Miller closed by citing his endorsements and urging residents to vote on March 10.

The forum was moderated by Joshua Manning of the Town Crier and included audience-submitted questions collected during the event. The Town Crier and village officials reminded attendees where to find agendas and meeting videos online and encouraged voter participation.