Boca Raton staff outline parks master‑plan concepts and a quick‑build pedestrian plan for Palmetto Park Road

City recreation staff and the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District used the July 22 workshop to present a joint needs assessment and conceptual ideas for parks and recreation investments, and Municipal Services presented a temporary quick‑build concept to improve pedestrian safety on East Palmetto Park Road.

Recreation Director Greg Stevens and District Executive Director Brianne Harms said the needs assessment identified high community demand for pickleball, walking trails, open space, a replacement or major renovation for Meadows Park Pool, and a second field house. Harms described a concession agreement the district approved for a private group (Boca Paddle) to build a $17 million indoor paddle and court facility on part of the North Park site; the district will receive revenue under the concession and the private operator will construct and operate the facility.

Stevens and colleagues outlined conceptual uses for the larger North Park property: passive trails and 6+ miles of shared‑use pathways on the east side, dog parks, playgrounds, and, on the west side, an arrangement of supplemental golf amenities, a field house and an aquatic center. Stevens noted the high capital cost of modern aquatic complexes and urged the council to consider staged, strategic implementation to avoid spending on facilities that would not meet long‑term needs. "We have to be ready for sticker shock," he said, referencing recent regional projects and the potential $20–30 million cost for a large aquatics complex.

Separately, Municipal Services Director Zach Beere presented a pedestrian improvement concept for the Palmetto Park Road segment east of the Intracoastal to A1A. Beere said the corridor study found pedestrian crossing warrants at one key midblock location and sight‑distance/queueing issues; staff recommended a quick‑build treatment with lane geometry deviation, median refuge islands, in‑road lights (RFBs), speed feedback signage and removal of a limited number (about 11) of parallel parking spaces in the focused segment. "It takes about 60 steps in its current configuration walking in between the cars to get all the way across," Beere said, arguing the median refuge would make crossing feasible for slower pedestrians.

Business owners in the Palmetto corridor warned about employee and customer parking impacts; staff emphasized the quick‑build approach would be temporary to test impacts and that any permanent change would require coordination and permitting with Palm Beach County (the road owner). The council expressed support for a quick‑build pilot with strong outreach to businesses and residents and requested a timeline and parking‑inventory detail.

Next steps: staff will continue concept development, pursue county permitting for temporary installations, engage affected businesses and residents in outreach, and return with outcomes from the pilot and recommendations for any permanent installations or CIP programming for park master planning.