Victories for downtown Boca sometimes come in small packages

By: Douglas Heizer

I congratulate members of the Boca Raton City Council for their recent decision to uphold the Planning and Zoning Board to allow for the creation of an upscale convenience store at831 East Palmetto Park Road, just a short distance from the beach.

This was a particularly difficult measure to adopt since it drew considerable opposition.  The rancor is a little difficult to fathom since the applicant, James Batmasian of Investments Limited, only asked for an increase of 777 square feet for the building at that address.

We have seen developments with tens of thousands of square feet adopted by the council with less trouble. We can only wonder why it required so much work and took so much time to get this petition through.

Actually, the Planning and Zoning Board, at its Aug.18 meeting, voted, 4-3 to allow the additional square footage along with site improvements within the previously approved800-899 E. Palmetto Park Road buildings. Robert Oksman of904 E. Boca Raton Roadappealed the board’s ruling, which brought the petition before the council at its Nov. 22 meeting.

Following lengthy discussion by those for and against the request, the City Council voted 3-0 to uphold the Planning and Zoning Board’s ruling. Two council members, Deputy Mayor Susan Haynie and Constance Scott, recused themselves.

City Clerk Susan Saxton said Oksman and two others filed the appeal, but the other two withdrew prior to the Nov. 22 hearing.

I visited that section of the city just a few days after the council meeting.  It was a sunny day, and the buildings on the east side of Palmetto were sparkling as I drove over the Intracoastal Bridge.

But as I got closer, I saw a lot of nothing.  I mean, many of the buildings were empty. I found it difficult to believe that so many vacant buildings could be located so close to a busy and wonderfully attractive beach.

I also pondered why a convenience store described as “a new 7-Eleven prototype [to be built] by Southland Corp.” would not be considered a good use in that area.

Visit Delray Beach orLake Worth, and as you approach the beach, you’ll find many thriving businesses. On the east end ofPalmetto Park Road, it doesn’t appear that much is thriving.

I remember a time when there were enough anti-development people on the City Council – and enough anti-development people in the city – to keep many new projects from happening.

Then, the tide changed.  Pro-development sentiment ran high. But that was the time when the economy started to turn. And many projects started with good intentions fell by the wayside.

Many people agree that Palmetto Park Roadneeds work. That’s the reason the city invested in construction of a pedestrian promenade – to slow traffic and invite citizens to visit the shops and restaurants along that road.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of empty places that were once retail stores and eating places.  There’s a whole bunch of vacant buildings that still have “For Lease” signs from Greg Talbott, the bankrupt downtown property owner.  That area needs cleanup badly.

So does the area near the beach.  On a hot Sunday, season or not season, there should be lots of people on those sidewalks visiting stores, buying ice cream and enjoying the fruits of city development.

Batmasian said the 7-Eleven will sell food and drink along with other convenience items.

I listened to the voices of the development foes, but their arguments were old and shopworn.  Objectors complained of increased traffic, lower property values and parking problems. Those seem hollow in the face of need.

At one time, that area was served only by the Boca Beach Market. That is long-gone, thankfully.  But the need for commercial, retail and restaurant uses in that area is very, very necessary.