WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Growing tensions over the future of downtown West Palm Beach spilled into a second packed public meeting this week, as residents demanded more transparency and a larger role in shaping redevelopment plans they fear could permanently change the city’s identity.
WATCH OUR REPORT:
Residents wearing blue “Save West Palm Beach” shirts filled Wednesday’s Downtown Action Committee meeting, just two days after a contentious city commission meeting where frustrations over rapid development, high-rise construction and developer influence led to heated exchanges between residents and city leaders.
The debate centers on concerns that West Palm Beach’s recent growth boom is moving too quickly and prioritizing large-scale projects over neighborhood character, infrastructure and public input.
“I have seen a decline in West Palm Beach,” resident Ellen Rampel said during public comment Wednesday.
Others said they support growth but want development to better reflect the city’s existing scale and culture.
“I’m all for growth and I just hope that growth is approached thoughtfully and with respect,” resident Briana Gerrett said.
Several speakers criticized what they described as efforts to transform the city into a financial hub.
“We do not want Wall Street South,” resident Draana Conetan said.
The controversy intensified Monday night when the city commission considered appointing a Stephen Ross executive to the Downtown Action Committee, which helps guide planning and development discussions downtown.
Ross, chairman of Related Ross, has become one of the most influential developers in West Palm Beach through major investments and redevelopment projects.
West Palm Beach
Conflict of interest? Developer's ties to city board spark concerns
Residents accused city leaders of becoming too aligned with developers and not listening to the public.
“I don’t think you have the nerve to say no to Stephen Ross,” resident Alan Lavine told commissioners. Another resident urged officials not to approve the appointment, calling the move inappropriate.
The executive was ultimately appointed, drawing loud criticism from the audience and prompting an emotional response from Commissioner Stephen Sylvester.
“Don’t instill fear and don’t threaten us by saying, ‘Oh, well, do what you’re going to do. You’re already bought and paid for' and whatever else was said," Sylvester said. “That does bother me.”
Amid mounting backlash, Mayor Keith James announced the city would pause work on the Downtown Master Plan while creating a new resident-led coalition designed to give community members a stronger voice in future planning decisions.
“This would be a partnership,” James said.
He described the initiative as a way to build trust, improve communication and ensure residents have “a meaningful seat at the table as we shape the future of our downtown.”
The announcement was welcomed by members of Save West Palm Beach, a grassroots organization formed in recent weeks in response to growing concerns about development and transparency at City Hall.
Co-founders Catherine Adler and Fatima Sanandaji said they arrived early for Wednesday’s meeting expecting to speak about the Downtown Master Plan before learning it had been removed from the agenda.
“Save West Palm Beach was formed because we kept hearing about the frustration and the anger that residents have, and they just feel like they’re not being heard,” Sanandaji said.
The group said it has gathered more than 3,500 signatures from residents concerned about the pace and scale of downtown development.
“People are very upset, people are angry, people want to be heard,” Adler said. “Many meetings get changed by the city at the last minute. You had one date on your calendar, and then boom, you turn around and the building’s going up, and you say, ‘How did this happen?’”
Despite criticism of the process, Adler and Sanandaji repeatedly emphasized that they are not opposed to development itself. Instead, they said they want growth to happen in a way that respects the city’s historic character, existing neighborhoods and infrastructure limitations.
“We want to collaborate with the mayor, with the commissioners, and with the developers,” Adler said. “The developers are not bad guys. The mayor’s a great guy. We just need to have conversation. We need transparency. We need to know that the opinions and the needs of the citizens are being heard.”
West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach mayor pauses proposed downtown waterfront park project
Sanandaji said many longtime residents worry West Palm Beach is losing the smaller-scale atmosphere that once defined it.
“When I first moved here, West Palm Beach was kind of a funky Victorian-ish town,” she said. “Not too tall buildings, but it had a feel. It had a nice, slow, small-town feel.”
She pointed to the original design of CityPlace — now known as The Square — as an example of development that blended with the city’s history and architecture.
“CityPlace is beautiful. It is in keeping with the history of this area,” Sanandaji said. “And now all of a sudden, jutting out everywhere, these tall steel and glass skyscrapers. It’s like, ‘Well, how did this happen?’”
Residents repeatedly called on city leaders to focus on improving existing downtown areas such as Clematis Street while ensuring future projects better complement nearby neighborhoods.
“What’s overlooked is harmonizing,” Adler said. “There’s been no attempt to harmonize with what was.”
Despite the tension surrounding recent meetings, both Adler and Sanandaji described Wednesday’s Downtown Action Committee session as productive and more collaborative than previous encounters.
“I felt it was very positive,” Sanandaji said. “The Downtown Action Committee should be commended for listening to all of us. Truly listening.”
The group said it hopes the city’s decision to pause the downtown master plan marks the start of a more open public process, with future discussions taking place publicly and involving a broader cross-section of residents before major development decisions are made.
“We want to work with the mayor, we want to work in a public forum,” Adler said. “We’re ready to sit down and talk with the mayor, with developers, with commissioners, and bring along people who live in Palm Beach and West Palm Beach.”
