The “facts” as presented by Minto West executives in their recent mass mailings to Acreage residents, and throughout Palm Beach County, are misleading at best, and purposefully distorted at worst.
The Indian Trail Improvement District owns and maintains our existing roadway system, bought and paid for without reliance on Palm Beach County, or anyone else. It is true that our annual budget is $10 million. Within that budget, we have maintained our roadway and drainage system since 1957. We will continue to do so. The current population chose to live in the district because of the 1.25-acre home sites, dirt roads mixed with paved roads, quiet and rural atmosphere.
In misrepresenting a statement made by ITID consulting attorney Marty Perry, a recent mailer quoted Mr. Perry as stating that a long-term regional approach to roads is needed here. An accurate statement would have been that the ITID Board of Supervisors, staff and consultant team are urging a “long-term regional approach to all development” in west central Palm Beach County.
The ITID board has no intention of lowering the level of service for road maintenance during the next budget year. The budgeted reduction in road maintenance was a conscious decision to dedicate some extra funds to the development of a long-term drainage plan and continue with the canal and drainage maintenance successes we have realized during the past year. It is true that financial resources are limited. But, they always have been. Our job is to maximize every taxpayer dollar spent, and ITID board members and staff take the job seriously.
The recent mailer mentions the nearly 10 percent overall average increase in assessment rates. This percentage equates to roughly $3.36 per month. This assessment rate is still under discussion. There will be one more public budget forum, and one more regular board of supervisors meeting before anything is finalized. The Minto mailer also failed to mention that current ITID assessment rates are at the 2007 level, and have not risen above that level over the past seven years. Prices in the economy have not been maintained at 2007 levels. The ITID board has kept our rates low because of the bad economic years.
Minto West is already approved for 2,996 homes, and 235,000 square feet of commercial space. The ITID Board of Supervisors and residents realize that fact and can deal with it. However, Minto is seeking 6,500 homes and 1,400,000 square feet of commercial. This density would create an impact to our roadway system that must be considered. The impact is there, regardless of the final density approval by Palm Beach County.
There will be quantifiable impact to The Acreage as we know it. Minto West needs to pay for that impact. The $50 million figure they tout as their share of impact fees should actually be closer to $250 million when considering the impact of their overflow and cut-through traffic onto district roads.
Statements by Minto that “closing our roads divides our community” are false. First of all, these are only discussions about limiting access. The board of supervisors has asked staff and consultants to explore all possibilities in order to make certain that our residents are not cheated out of the lifestyle they chose by moving here. Secondly, Minto is not yet a part of “our community,” so why the arrogant attitude? They are presuming to tell Acreage residents what they need to complete their lifestyles.
Minto West wants what it wants. They have not been forthcoming in discussions with the district, nor have they made any effort to work with the board of supervisors or consultants as a “new neighbor.” I urge all concerned residents to consider carefully before accepting Minto’s “facts” or signing Minto’s support petitions.
Jim Shallman, District Manager, Indian Trail Improvement District
