Heated public comment at Boca Raton council focuses on downtown campus, ballot language and 'Save Boca' petition

Dozens of residents and stakeholders testified at the Boca Raton City Council meeting on Dec. 16 about the proposed downtown government campus and the citizen‑led Save Boca petitions challenging aspects of the plan and ballot language.

The meeting's public‑comment block ran for multiple hours and featured a mix of complainants and proponents. Opponents asked for more rigorous independent fiscal analysis, questioned the appraisal methodology and discount rates used in the city's PFM financial model, and objected to a 99‑year lease term for 7.8 acres of city property. Supporters of the project said the plan will protect green space in some areas and bring needed downtown investment.

Financial and legal questions dominated much of the testimony. Michelle Grau, a CPA who said she consulted a nationally recognized P3 expert, urged the council to use higher, industry‑standard discount rates when evaluating the public benefit of public‑private partnerships. "When projections fail, taxpayers bear the cost," Grau said, recommending discount rates between 7% and 12% for commercial real‑estate P3 projects. Using a more conservative discount rate, she argued, would dramatically reduce the present value of the developer's commitments to the city.

Other residents raised concerns about the city's ballot language for the March referendum, saying the wording was slanted and that outside marketing by the project partner was influencing the public record. Martha Parker read excerpts of an internal memo and asked why the city's partner was consulted on ballot language; City Attorney Koehler replied that his office prepared the language and coordinated with transactional documents to ensure consistency.

Several speakers invoked legal precedent and municipal examples from other Florida cities to argue that public land transfers or long‑term leases should require voter approval. Attorney Daniel Kleeman and other speakers urged greater clarity about which legal entity (Boca Raton City Center LLC / Terra Frisbie) would control the land and what guarantees would protect the city if a private LLC's finances deteriorated.

Transportation and facility‑service issues were also repeatedly raised. Alex Pollock urged a traffic study performed during peak season and recommended the city produce a range (peak vs. low) so voters would see conditions at different times of year. Speakers also voiced concerns about where new softball fields would be built if Memorial Park is redeveloped, whether Title IX equity standards are being satisfied, and the proposed $30 million parking garage reported in project materials.

Supporters appeared as well. Bob Tucker told council that many in the community back a downtown government campus, saying the project offers renewed investment and civic amenities. Rescue Boca and other groups urged investigations into petition and campaign conduct where they alleged irregularities.

What happens next: Council members acknowledged the volume of questions and asked staff to follow up on specific requests (traffic studies, timing and maintenance of fields, and clarifications about ballot materials). The downtown campus partnership and any related agreements remain on the council calendar for future meetings (planning and zoning and upcoming council dates were referenced), and public commenters said they intend to continue engagement before the March referendum.

Why it matters: The downtown campus proposal involves long‑term lease arrangements, large capital commitments and potential changes to public parkland. Residents pressed the council on fiduciary duty, transparency, and protecting public trust ahead of a ballot decision.

Key voices quoted

- "We're fighting it... we are very confident we're going to win it so that the people of Boca Raton can pass into law to save Boca laws to protect our parks and public land," John Perlman said, summarizing Save Boca's position. - "When projections fail, taxpayers bear the cost," Michelle Grau said, arguing for more conservative discounting in the city's financial model. - City Attorney Koehler said his office prepared the ballot language and coordinated with transaction documents to ensure accuracy and consistency.

Documents and authorities: Public speakers referenced the city's PFM financial reports, independent appraisals provided to the council, and the proposed partnership documents (described as "transaction documents"). Several speakers cited ordinances and examples from other Florida municipalities as precedent for voter approval on certain land dispositions.

Reporting note: This account summarizes a sustained public‑comment period during which multiple citizen groups, technical experts and candidates spoke. Quotations are drawn from the council meeting transcript of Dec. 16, 2025.