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Residents urge Royal Palm Beach council to notify homeowners about proposed Commons Park access easement
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Summary
Several homeowners told the Village Council they were not informed about a 2019 capital-improvement plan (EN1902) showing potential access across private yards into Commons Park; staff said the plan is illustrative and would not proceed without willing property owners.
Several Royal Palm Beach homeowners pressed the Village Council on March 19 to explain why a 2019 capital improvement entry (EN1902) showing a possible access point into Commons Park appeared online without direct notice to some affected owners.
Mary Harden, who said she has lived at her Meadowlark Drive property for 27 years, told the council she discovered the site plan only when checking the pavement schedule and asked, "I would like answers," saying she had not been notified and that the revised project description and an increased budget were alarming.
Claudette Rifenberg, whose house borders the park, echoed Harden’s concerns, saying she was not contacted and that the plans—in her view—replace an intended berm with a walkway that would reduce privacy and increase theft risk. "It's my park," Rifenberg said, describing long-term residence and objection to selling an easement. Another resident, who gave his first name as James, argued the proposed route would create minimal distance savings while imposing costs for property access, lighting and maintenance.
Village Manager Ray Liggins (as identified during the audit presentation) responded that the mapped paths were illustrative planning tools put on a capital-improvements map to show desired connections; staff said similar illustrative routes were posted in several locations in 2019 and that the council previously rejected taking homes by purchase and demolition. "If nobody is willing to sell us an easement for access, then it won't be an access," Liggins said, and he emphasized that the village would not proceed with condemnation in the current approach.
Staff told the council they would follow up with property owners and review notification procedures. Residents requested clearer outreach and advance notice when property-specific capital plans are posted or updated.
The council did not take formal action on EN1902 that evening but agreed to revisit the matter in follow-up communications and to include the issue in upcoming strategic planning discussions if necessary.
