LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — Lake Worth Beach residents will head to the polls Tuesday to vote on five charter amendments, but two proposals tied to the future of the city's public land are drawing the most attention.
WATCH BELOW: 'The city needs the finances to actually take on these projects,' City Commissioner Anthony Segrich tells WPTV
Questions 2 and 3 on the ballot would allow the city to lease certain publicly owned properties to private partners for up to 99 years, something city leaders say could help bring investment to aging infrastructure.
But opponents argue the change could reduce voter oversight and potentially open the door to overdevelopment.
From the historic City Hall Annex in downtown Lake Worth Beach to the public beach and city golf course, the vote could determine who has the final say over the future of some of the city's most recognizable public spaces.
City Commissioner Anthony Segrich, who represents District 4, is leading the push for residents to approve the amendments.
Standing outside the vacant City Hall Annex building, one of the properties potentially impacted by the proposal, Segrich said the city needs new options to revitalize deteriorating facilities.
"Right now the city is facing kind of an existential threat to our finances," Segrich said.
The commissioner pointed to the deteriorating annex building as an example of infrastructure the city cannot afford to fix on its own.
"This building has been sitting vacant and empty. It's rotting from the inside," Segrich said. "It's going to cost over $6 to $7 million just to remediate it."
Currently, voters must approve long-term leases for certain city-owned properties. If amendments 2 and 3 pass, the city commission would have the authority to approve leases of up to 99 years for certain properties.
Supporters said the change would make it easier to attract private investment through public-private partnerships.
"We're going to need something longer than a 20-year lease to partner with somebody," Segrich said.
Question 2 applies to city-owned property east of A1A, including the public beach. The amendment would allow leases up to 99 years but specifically prohibits hotels or residential development.
Question 3 applies to city-owned land west of A1A, including the golf course, City Hall Annex and other municipal properties. Unlike Question 2, it does not prohibit lodging.
Segrich said without private investment, the city may struggle to repair aging infrastructure.
"The city needs the finances to actually take on these projects," he said. "Without a public-private partnership, it's just not going to happen."
He also said public access protections would remain in place, noting the golf course would still have to remain a public course.
Kim Stokes, a former Lake Worth Beach city commissioner and president of the community group Lake Worth for All, is urging residents to vote no on the amendments.
Standing along the city's public beach, Stokes said the proposal could allow large-scale projects to move forward without voters having a direct say.
"When we're talking about giving the commission the authority to enter into 99-year leases without bringing that project to a vote, we're opening up a whole world of possibilities at this beach," Stokes said.
She said many residents are concerned about how development could change the character of the city.
"I think a lot of people don't want to see this turn into a commercial space first, with a little bit of beach in the background," Stokes said.
Stokes said her concern isn't development itself but ensuring residents maintain control over decisions involving public land.
"It's not no on development," she said. "It's voting against giving up your right to have a future say on development on our public spaces."
Segrich argues the changes could bring millions in investment to improve city facilities while helping the city prepare for potential financial challenges in the future, he went on to say, residents should consider whether they want to see city assets revitalized.
"Ask yourself, do you want to see these assets reborn and rebuilt?" he said. "If so, a yes vote is in order."
In addition to the two major proposals, voters will also decide on three other charter amendments:
Question 1: Updating the city charter to reflect that the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections certifies election results.
Question 4: Requiring the city to begin the process of filling a permanent city manager vacancy within 90 days.
Question 5: Removing outdated language from the charter referencing city-run police and fire departments, which no longer exist.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m..
