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Publisher’s Comment: Developers at best are kids in a candy store, and at worst ‘pigs at the trough’ – they continually work every angle and method available to them, mostly legal – to their benefit, and as best they can, out of the public’s eye and with cooperative elected officials, chipping away at the City’s Zoning Codes & Ordinances to enable greater profits/returns on the developer’s investment with little thought to the public’s interest or the resident‘s quality of life’. The BIG win or prize generally being coveted is some sort of VARIANCE; a VARIANCE granting entitlement allowing for what the code is designed to prevent. An egregious example of this is found with the variance granted on what was an unbuildable land parcel, east of A1A, at 2500 N. Ocean Blvd.. Granting of this one variance now may intrude upon the Coastal Construction line by approving the placement of a 4 story, 10,000 square foot structure on that section of Boca Raton’s pristine beach; a VARIANCE granted over residents’ objection and defended by then Mayor Susan Haynie and now acting Mayor Scott Singer. The granting of this VARIANCE has now empowered the property owner to demand a sum in the multi-millions of dollars for what was basically an unbuildable lot; an entitlement that has caused the Beach and Park District to discontinue negotiations to purchase the property and preserve the beachfront; a prime example of the BIG prize. Profit is the main motivator of any developing land owner; that is not in dispute. What is in dispute is the elected official(s) who is complicit in granting the entitlement when the interests of the resident and our quality of life are at stake and are legally defensible. Thank you Acting Mayor Singer for being primarily and directly responsible for this incredibly ‘resident unfriendly’ result.
Al Zucaro
Publisher of BocaWatch
are all entitlements bad? doesn’t boca need necessary and appropriate development? One other thing. I notice Afred Zucaro is not only publisher but also a politician running for office. shouldn’t one of these positions be a conflict of interest? If he’s running for a political office then his publication may contain pregudiced news or “fake news” like some of the other newspapers we read at a national level.
Mr. Hookman,
Thank you for your comment…as for BW news…If you find anything reported that is factually incorrect, please let Jason Pelish, the BW editor know…
Yes, I am the publisher of BocaWatch and have been for 7 years….I am also a candidate for Mayor. Knowing that allows you, the resident and consumer, to make evaluations on what is in BW articles. Of course, you do realize that many of the articles are from residents. BocaWatch is a platform for all residents to submit items for publication; for residents to have a voice in matters concerning Boca Raton and the quality of life. Your comment, however, is very much appreciated.
When elected, there may be an issue as you have observed but until elected, I will remain the publisher.
Al Zucaro 561-644-1665