It’s simple. Instead of wasting time in speculation and negotiation, Palm Beach County leaders can confidently oppose the Minto West application because the people of Palm Beach County set public consensus for national award-winning comprehensive policy on this farmland. The state extended those limits for Callery-Judge, so the only negotiation needed is the Palm Beach County Commission telling Minto to choose between the award-winning comprehensive policy or the original state enclave for Callery-Judge on this land.
Why do seasoned politicians need a developer to explain a project? The application up for approval clearly shows the horrific impacts and costs of Minto West on the Palm Beach County Comprehensive Land Use Plan, existing communities, taxpayers and laws of Palm Beach County. This is a nebulous “master plan” with excessive population, forcing taxpayers to fund roads and services “in stages” and setting precedents for more high-population piecemeal applications to kill the comprehensive plans of existing communities and limits on roads throughout the county. Promises of permanent open space are not backed by county law, and water control should be a condition of approval, not a bargaining chip. So why hesitate to recommend denial? Minto has been given alternatives or can resubmit.
Development corporations need our roads and taxes for their projects and profit, but “We, the People” fought for a national award-winning comprehensive plan that works for everyone. If a developer is facing resolutions or is reduced to attacking leaders with fliers in the mail, it means our comprehensive plan policies work.
The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors supports comprehensive planning and protects the community and citizens who elected them, instead of trusting or being intimidated by developers. Thank you. But please be careful. With this project, and in this political climate, the risk of losing laws already built from public consensus against projects like this, is too high. District 6 voters can’t elect six of the commissioners who, given the opportunity to write new policy, would not be bound by the due process of establishing community consensus in an overlay like a sector plan, a comprehensive plan revision cycle or the existing density and intensity public consensus of the tier system. A new plan by a few people can backfire to stop opposition, manipulate people, politicians and time, and kill existing comprehensive limits.
Rita Miller, The Acreage
