Letter: So Much For The Comp Plan

The Palm Beach County Planning Commission is made up of concerned residents dedicated to serve the public and appointed by the Palm Beach County Commission. They demonstrated their respect for the Palm Beach County Comprehensive Plan by not approving to initiate the Minto text amendment changes to the agricultural enclave provisions.

No one believes the Minto group and its hired hands didn’t approach most of the Palm Beach County Commissioners and their staff. The Palm Beach County Planning Commission wasn’t considered by the Minto forces as a player that needed to be reckoned with. This was obvious in the Palm Beach County Planning Commission’s vote — it was unadulterated and steadfast to resist self-serving changes to the comprehensive plan.

The Palm Beach County Commission approval to initiate the Minto text amendment changes and forward them to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity does convey a willingness to accommodate the petitioner. A non-approval result by Palm Beach County would have sent a clear intent to the state to leave the comprehensive plan alone, unchanged at this time. Furthermore, if the petition reached the state another way, this also would have sent a negative tone to the state regarding the county commission’s reluctance to change the comprehensive plan.

Some of the Palm Beach County commissioners believe they must move Minto’s interests forward to discover the full intent of the proposed changes to the comprehensive plan. They don’t want to realize the threat to the Acreage/Loxahatchee culture and believe the issues the residents make of it are not significant.

The Palm Beach Planning Department should already know the heartbeat of the majority of the residents living in the community. They should already know the significant and quantifiable public benefits the community wants and will use. The department wants and needs another analysis to make an informed decision based on facts, then the department should be replaced. The Palm Beach Planning Commission didn’t need another analysis to make an informed decision.

If the Palm Beach County Commission had not approved the Minto text amendment, what would be their loss from the potential gain by approving it?

The future is that your community is next. Prepare yourselves says the watchman.

Bob Sommer, The Acreage