BOCA RATON, Fla. — More than 5,000 Boca Raton residents have signed a petition opposing the newly proposed Boca Raton Government Campus and downtown development project.
The project, led by Miami’s Terra Group and Palm Beach’s Frisbie Group, includes a multimillion-dollar mixed-use development. WPTV has reported extensively on the development.
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Petitioners say they don’t want it in their city.
“Tonight, I have a special delivery for the city council, 5,200 signatures from all across the city of Boca Raton for our initiative ordinance to protect our public land,” said Jon Pearlman, founder of Save Boca.
The petition seeks to amend the city charter to require a public vote on the sale or lease of public land larger than half an acre. Petitioners are calling for a stop to the development, even as the city maintains it will have a tremendous economic impact.
“The voice of the people are stronger than ever and they are saying loud and clear, stop this project. The people do not want it,” Pearlman said.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, dozens of residents voiced support for the movement, urging the council to reconsider over concerns about congestion and the loss of city landmarks.
“I’m opposed to city land being given or leased to private or profit developers without City of Boca Raton taxpayers’ approval.”
Residents also raised concerns about the future of Memorial Park, the city’s tennis park and the skatepark.
“If we need a better tennis center, improve the one that’s there. If you want an outdated skatepark to be improved, improve the one that’s there. If you want a softball field with concession stands, build concession stands.”
According to a presentation by representatives of Terra Group and Frisbie Group, the project would generate $3 billion for Boca’s economy over the life of the lease, or about $350 million a year for 99 years.
Mayor Scott Singer pushed back on what he called “misinformation" about the project.
“What we’re doing is expanding recreation and moving it offsite to other places. Taking the tennis courts and augmenting them. Taking two softball fields that don’t even have restroom or locker room facilities and adding them to our baseball fields,” Singer said.
He said the city is not giving away land but entering into a public-private partnership.
Singer also warned that requiring public votes on land transfers would limit the city’s ability to work with stakeholders.
“It would imperil the city’s ability to convey any sort of land, including for property owners and nonprofits. It would dramatically impact the way we do business with nonprofits.”
It is not clear how the city plans to proceed with the signatures collected from the petition.
