After more than a decade of delays and litigation, Wellington has collected $9.4 million in a case involving a developer’s handling of an environmental preserve, and village officials are discussing setting aside that money to preserve or create green space.
“It shows violators, particularly when they are violating environmental and wetland laws, that we are serious about the environment,” Village Attorney Laurie Cohen told the Wellington Village Council at its meeting Tuesday, April 8. “We think that’s a great accomplishment by the village.”
The case involved Palm Beach Polo Inc. and code enforcement efforts by the village regarding the Big Blue Preserve, described as the largest remaining cypress hammock in Florida.
“We have brought this to finality in a way that benefits everyone,” Mayor Michael Napoleone said. “We have rules, and they’re going to be enforced, and people need to appreciate that and not just flout them and think they can do whatever they want.”
Fines and penalties that built up in that case can help foster other green areas, Councilman John McGovern said.
It was a case that spanned several different iterations of the council and ultimately unsuccessful appeals to the supreme courts of Florida and the United States. In filings, developers raised “due process” concerns about the village’s approach. The final amount collected was $9,447,056.08, Cohen said.
In a workshop on Friday, April 4, council members and village budget managers talked about ways to dedicate the money, rather than simply sticking it in the general revenue fund.
For example, McGovern cited a former golf course property of more than 50 acres near the Wellington branch library that could become a village park area as part of the approval of a development plan in the equestrian area by Wellington Lifestyle Partners.
The developer has agreed to make contributions toward preparing the area known as the North Course, but the village will be responsible after that.
“We know that area will require future investment from us,” McGovern said.
Or consider the existing village pool area that will be replaced by a new aquatic center at Village Park, he said.
The latest plan is to recreate green space there, perhaps supplemented by a splash fountain for children. It all serves to demonstrate the village’s commitment to environmental standards, not just rhetoric, he said.
“This fund is literally putting our money where our mouth is and designating it and walling it off,” McGovern said.
It could also be used as matching funds for grant applications, Deputy Village Manager Tanya Quickel noted.
In other business:
- At its April 8 meeting, the council unanimously selected Tanya Siskind to serve as vice mayor, after McGovern’s one-year term in that role ended. The council also unanimously approved a new contract for Cohen to continue as village attorney through April 2029.
- The council recognized Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Nichole Addazio for graduating from the FBI National Academy course in Quantico, Virginia. She leads the PBSO district serving Wellington. About one percent of law enforcement personnel in the nation are selected for the prestigious program. She became the second woman in PBSO history to achieve the distinction.
- On its consent agenda, the council unanimously approved nearly $144,000 for the overhaul of an aging traffic light at Bent Creek Road and Binks Forest Drive.
Several residents expressed concerns not just about malfunctions there but also what they see as a need for a full-time light with continuous red, yellow and green cycles, rather than a flashing yellow during non-school hours.
“There’s very little visibility,” resident Danielle Greenfield said. “It’s a very scary area.”
Napoleone noted that he lives near that light and is aware of the concerns, but the first step is to get it functioning properly. “We’re working on it,” he said.
- The council also approved code changes designed to clarify “normal hours of operation” for construction near homes to include 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Another measure, also passed unanimously, updated a noise ordinance to say certain work that produces noise across property lines of residential neighborhoods faces restrictions between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Friday and 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday.
