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Taken from: Boca Teeca Residents Blogspot
At the Monday, 6/20/16 meeting of the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Parks District, all commissioners announced their support for the purchase of the Ocean Breeze golf course by the City with cooperation by the District. The issue will be on the agenda at the next meeting for a resolution or other action to be considered by the District.
WOW – this is a major milestone in support for keeping the Boca Teeca golf course as a public facility. But it must be noted that the City is not expected to take action quickly as demonstrated by the lack of cooperation between the Beach and Park District & the City, which has delayed for over a year the expansion of the new Spanish River Blvd. Park “on City owned land”. This stalemate appears to be over money and the interlocal agreement between these two elected bodies. This has been frustrating to local soccer organizations including SABR, since they having a limited number of fields for the growing number of children programs.Commissioners also noted that this may only happen IF the city decides to sell the current golf course on west glades road which is well outside the city limits. Based upon a letter and appraisal submitted to the city by Lennar, the current municipal golf course could net the city over $20 million if Lennar can get development approvals form Palm Beach County. City council member Jeremy Rodgers mentioned that property could be valued at up to $50 million and there have been reports that other developers are interested in the property.What does this mean for Boca Teeca residents?
The elected officials are cooperating, but Wells Fargo has a contingent contract with Lennar. It would be necessary for Lennar and Wells Fargo to cooperate with the City in order for the deal to get done. Meanwhile, Wells Fargo is planning to pull the plug on the Ocean Breeze golf operation and the property will be vacated as of 7/1/16. Residents may communicate their complaints to Wells Fargo by sending emails to the Wells Fargo chairman – john.g.stumpf@wellsfargo.com with a cc to the Wells Fargo VP responsible for the decision to close the course- marc.curtis@wellsfargo.com
The BackStory
The Ocean Breeze golf course property in Boca Teeca (just north of Yamato Rd between NE 2nd Ave and I-95) is currently owned by Wells Fargo bank through a foreclosure process. Lennar Development has recently shown interest in purchasing the green space to develop homes. A great majority of Boca Teeca residents, along with a number of other citizens including Councilman Jeremy Rodgers, have been vocal about our City maintaining the golf course. Currently there is no 18 hole championship public golf course within the Boca Raton city limits.
Residents Thoughts for an Alternative Plan
A community center could be built where the current Ocean Breeze hotel is located, with meeting rooms and a police substation included as a possibility. This building could be designed after significant input from the residents and these are only a couple of ideas for the use of this property that would meet some of the wish list items of residents.
Residents Say Funds are Available for the City and/or Beach & Park District Purchase
At a recent meeting of the Federation of Boca Raton Homeowners Mayor Susan Haynie announced potential plans to build a much bigger City Hall and Community Center.. The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District has spent over $10 million on the phase 1 development of the Spanish River Blvd. park with another $7 million budgeted for an expansion of this park and they are currently spending $2 million to rebuild the boardwalk at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. These are NOT profit-loss focused projects. They are civic and community based recreational facilities for meeting the growing number of residents as a result of our growing population.
It has also been discussed that the City owned golf course west of the turnpike on Glades Road (beyond city limits) could be sold. The money from that sale could then be directed to buying the Ocean Breeze golf course within the city limits.
Residents Are Asking to Preserve the Deed Restriction
Is Wells Fargo aware that the Boca Teeca owners control the deed restriction and they do not want to see any development on the green open space adjacent to our property? Apparently not.
Owners of Boca Teeca property individually control the deed restriction on the adjacent golf course property as defined in the legal document that was filed in 1974 by the original Boca Teeca developer. This deed restriction requires this land to be used as a golf course unless a majority of the owners provide written consent to amend or eliminate this restriction. Accordingly, to maintain the open space provided by the golf course, owners simply need to ignore any efforts by Lennar or condo association officers to request a signature on a document that would remove the deed restriction on any of the golf course property. Condo associations have no authority on this issue as this is not a common expense and they may be violating Florida laws by providing payments to the BTUOA for non-common expenses of the association/section 718.115 of Florida Statutes.
CALL TO ACTION
-Call or email Lennar’s representative & inform them that you are not interested in their proposals – Bruce Grundt – 305-485-2026, email: bruce.grundt@lennar.com
-Contact City Councilman Jeremy Rodgers and thank him for supporting Boca Teeca efforts to save our golf course by having the City and/or Beach & Park District buy the property and retain the only PUBLIC championship level golf course within the city. Councilman Rodgers jrodgers@myboca.us. Copy all other Council Members: shaynie@myboca.us, mmullaugh@myboca.us, rweinroth@myboca.us, ssinger@myboca.us – City Hall telephone – 561-393-7700.
Upcoming Meetings at City Hall at 6pm: 7/26, 8/9, 9/13, 9/27 (up to five minute public comment available near end of meeting)
Contact and thank Greater Beach & Park District Commissioners for their support in our efforts: Earl Starkoff estarkoff@mybocaparks.org , Robert Rollins rrollins@mybocaparks.org, Steve Engel sengel@mybocaparks.org, Dennis Frisch dfrisch@mybocaparks.org, Susan Vogelgesang svogelgesang@mybocaparks.org
Upcoming Meetings at 5:15 pm at Sugar Sand Park: 7/5, 7/18, 8/1 (five public comment at the beginning)
– Share you perspective with Wells Fargo Regional & National Contacts: Chairman, John Stumpf john.g.stumpf@wellsfargo.com (San Francisco, CA), Regional President, Joe Atkinson joe.a.atkinson@wellsfargo.com – 305-523-2500 (Miami), Assistant to Regional President saira.jacobs@wellsfargo.com – 305-523-2518. Responsible for Closing Golf Course July 7, 2016- Mark Curtis marc.curtis@wellsfargo.com – 704-383-1421
Stay Up to Date on this Boca Teeca issues at: Facebook – Boca Teeca
Internet News – www.bocateecaresidents.blogspot.com
Update from Boca Teeca:
Residents met with Mayor Susan Haynie today and we learned “the rest of the story” as Paul Harvey would say….the city has received multiple offers to buy the municipal golf course on Glades Rd. including an offer of approx $24 million from Lennar who has a contract to buy the Boca Teeca golf course. But, the current high offer is $34.2 million base price plus $76k+/each unit-house approved for development, so with an estimated 200 homes, this would be another $16 million or approx $50 million total. The city has allowed Compson to take core samples & do extensive environmental research on the current golf course as illustrated by the large detailed offer to buy the property. It would appear that the next step would be for a formal rfp process in order to make sure the city gets the highest value.
We educated Mayor Haynie that our deed restriction does NOT involve the condo associations since each property owner controls the voting process, so we are in the process of emailing petitions to all owners with the cooperation of most condo assoc leaders and we hope to get the majority returned prior to the 7/26 council meeting. We will also need to provide copies to Lennar and Wells Fargo in order to encourage them to cooperate, but if not then we may need to start picketing Wells Fargo and Lennar business locations. Meanwhile we will encourage all residents to email Lennar & Wells Fargo their opposition to their closing of the golf course on 7/1 and their half hearted effort to speak with the city about buying the property prior to contracting with Lennar – with many contingencies.
Thank you Boca Watch for your support.