Letter: Minto And SR 7: Live And Learn

The Minto West changes will accomplish removing the Indian Trail Improvement District from all control and ownership of the drainage/road infrastructure along the routes that will have dissected our neighborhoods. The quality of life we know will disappear forever.

The brass ring in the Minto West changes isn’t the residential, it’s the 2.1 million square feet of commercial/industrial zoning. The 2.1 million could be later sold off and increased by a request from a new owner. This is the economic engine that Minto and Palm Beach County see in the future use of the land. Of course, traffic flow will substantially increase way above the visions that we believe will be harmful to our community.

The Sawgrass Mills Mall and the Potomac Mills Mall in Virginia share the same history. They started out at a couple of hundred thousand square feet, and then expanded to a couple million square feet. The parking areas are the size found in Disney World. Both malls attracted foreign and local shoppers who want to live nearby.

You should know that at the October ITID board meeting, ITID’s legal representative at Palm Beach County Commission meetings reported some very interesting things:

• Minto West, GL homes and other developments need SR 7 to Northlake and Roebuck Road to parallel Okeechobee. Otherwise, these developments are in jeopardy.

• GL Homes, 5,000 acres, needs 60th and Persimmon to pass through Minto West and the Acreage for SR 7 access.

• The 2.1 million square feet of commercial/industrial space could be increased in the future.

• The negotiators for Minto West remain obstinate.

• The commissioners will probably approve the Minto West changes on Oct. 29.

• Suggested litigation could challenge a county approval by non-compliance with the comprehensive plan and traffic studies.

After the legal report, most attending the meeting realized that Minto West and Palm Beach County have pushed ITID and the Loxahatchee/Acreage area into a corner. The consensus was to fight our way out, and then Supervisors Jennifer Hager and Gary Dunkley made the motion to do just that.

Then, without any hesitation, four of the five ITID supervisors approved Hager’s motion to start legal preparation to fight Minto West.

Disturbing ITID supervisor traits I’ve become aware of:

• Refuse or hesitate to join the other four supervisors opposing Minto West.

• During the formation of the Agricultural Enclave documents, cracks were introduced into them. We are witnessing the Minto West cracks opening up enough to drive a bus through.

• Displays of lukewarm opposition toward Minto West, and then a firebrand to fight the good fight.

• Mocking the “No to Minto” efforts and the thousands of signatures.

We must know a supervisor will protect and preserve our quality of life to the bitter end. We can’t risk our way of life on a supervisor who puts up a fake offense and then punts the issue back to the adversary.

I trust Jennifer Hager, Alan Ballweg and Betty Argue to fight the good fight.

If and when the SR 7 extension starts again, it will be for the benefit of Palm Beach County, Minto West and GL Homes. The City of West Palm Beach’s opposition may become a non-issue.

Do we need to rethink community support for the extension? Maybe joining the City of West Palm Beach opposing the northward progress from 60th will help Loxahatchee/Acreage and the other western communities preserve and protect their quality of life.

Bob Sommer, The Acreage

6 COMMENTS

  1. There is 1 political candidate who is advocating for talking to the Minto West developer rather than holding the developer to the building units that were approved.

    Development, unfortunately, will occurr along Southern Blvd. We’ll be soon be talking about the ‘good ole days’ when Southern Blvd was a 4 lane divided highway from Forest Hill Blvd, West to the Glades.

    When you elect political candidates who have no interest in the western community, other than their own political advancement, then we will continue to see increase density by developors.

    Your vote and voice count in this District 6 Commission seat. Vote for candidates who state unequivocally, that they do not support an increase in density.

    We do not want to elect someone who is afraid of lobbyists and Tallahassee. We need to elect people who will fight for what the people of District 6 want!

  2. To Disgusted Acreage Resident. What kind of hate drives you to speak about fellow residents in this manner?

    To Don Reese. Since you have such a hard time grasping the mission of No To Minto I will try to reword it in such a way that you can wrap your head around. How about Yes To Minto staying at 2996 homes and 235,000 sq ft of commercial?

    • I have no problem grasping the concept of your group’s mission. First it was No to Everything Minto or otherwise. When that fell through it was No to more than 350? Then it was No to more then 2996 under the new mantra “because that’s what they are approved for”. What will it be when they get approved for the increase, because THAT will be your NEW APPROVED density? Will you then have to change out your mantra and those ugly signs in the neighborhood?

      Your group are the ones that have no concept of what you are trying to accomplish.

      Had you a real leader with vision, you should have attempted true negotiating, but your fearless leader deemed that a dirty word. So now here we sit.

    • In response to People not Lobbyists – You are Right and the only candidate who has lived in District 6 (consistently) for more than 20 years and lives the quality of life we are trying to protect is Andy Schaller. He will stand for you not only with Minto but in holding all developers accountable to keeping our rural and equestrian lifestyle. He has no business interests to protect as one candidate and certainly is not beholden to the developer interests of the lobbyists. VOTE Schaller on Nov 4!

  3. Alan Ballweg is a slumlord and crook. He is not even fit to handle his own person finances (10 rental foreclosures), let alone millions of dollars of our tax money.

    Betty Argue is nothing more than a soccer mom with zero experience who has only lived in the US for a few years and is spoon fed her answers from Patricia Curry.

    Jennifer Hage cannot even finish a sentence with our slurring her words. Please watch ITID past videos to see this. She has no business on the ITID board and should not be representing anyone.

  4. STOP wasting OUR Tax money!

    It’s not the NOtoEverything’s and their
    puppet Supervisor’s personal pocketbook.

Comments are closed.