The Wellington Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board on Wednesday postponed a request for the voluntary annexation of 10.5 acres in the Village Professional Park at the applicant’s request.
The property is north of Wellington Regional Medical Center about 600 feet west of State Road 7 and about a half-mile north of Forest Hill Blvd., and is currently under Palm Beach County jurisdiction.
Wellington Planning & Zoning Manager David Flinchum explained that on Monday, a discussion had arisen about the legal aspects of the property.
“There is still a question about an old 25-foot platted right of way that goes back 50-something years,” Flinchum said. “The agent has agreed to postpone it. Our recommendation is to postpone it.”
Flinchum said that the issue had come up without sufficient time to delay the item without a formal vote. “That would be to postpone it to a date and time certain, which would be your Dec. 2 meeting,” he said.
The board agreed unanimously to postpone the item, and Flinchum asked board members to keep their staff packets for the next meeting.
“The recommendation was for approval,” he said. “There will be very insignificant changes in your staff report. The agent just needs to document that they have clear title and that there are no other parties involved.”
Flinchum said that the title can be obtained, but may involve the Lake Worth Drainage District, which historically wants to be compensated for their lands, and it will have to go to the LWDD Board of Supervisors.
“The only monkey wrench I can see in this is that it may not be accomplished in a 30-day period,” Flinchum said. “I’ve dealt with that district before on cases, and it sometimes takes several weeks. Either way, the applicant owns both properties to the north and to the south. There are some state statutes that say once you are surrounded, you assume that there are no other interested parties involved, but we’ll get it cleared up.”
Board Member George Unger asked how the LWDD got involved, and Flinchum said it has some holdings west of State Road 7.
