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Open letter to the BocaWatch reader(s) and follower(s):
City Council Members
City of Boca Raton
As chairman of the committee that gathered 1,728 + Boca Raton citizenĀ signatures on the initiative petition and on behalf of those citizens, weĀ object to the position stated by Councilman Weinroth regarding OrdinanceĀ 5356, the city of Boca Raton Question on the ballot, at the October 13, 2016 City Council meeting.
Proposed Ordinance 5356 serves to protect city owned lands from commercialĀ development and exclusionary, multi-year leases while allowing concessionsĀ as they are allowed currently in water-front parks; to wit: Gumbo Limo, Spanish RiverĀ and the Pavilion.Ā The people deserve concessions that suit the needs of all people.Ā The Committee will not accept any other interpretation. Ā The Council represents the people.
Below are videos of City executives relating to the acceptability of concessions. Ā Deputy City Manager George Brown along with Senior Staff person, IngridĀ Allen both stated on the record that the City Council has the authority toĀ decide on the implementation of the Ordinance.
In their words this can”Include concessions allowing for paddle board, kayak, canoe and otherĀ sports equipment rental along with food concessions.”
Board Certified Attorney Ralf Brooks, the attorney who drafted the ordinance language, outlines, with particularity, the options the City Council would have at its discretion when the ordinance passes. Further, the City Attorney also stated that Council can modify or adjust the interpretation and implementation to suit and protect the City while honoring the expressed intent of the people.
So, it is unacceptable for CouncilmanĀ Weinroth to blatantly misrepresent that the ordinance is restrictive on the peoples’ right to enjoyĀ the recreational benefits of land they own.Ā His individual choice of a restaurant takingĀ up 70+ percent of the land area in question is the most restrictive single use.Ā Of course, he is free to vote his one vote as a resident whichever way he wants.
Below, for your convenience, are the videos in support of the Petition committeeās position. Ā We hope the press will view these videos an realize that Mr. WeinrothĀ misrepresents the facts and, in fact, lies to the people he serves.
Weinroth
Brown & Allen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=y3ii1RvndHs&app=desktop
Ralf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iCNOqJ3V9k&feature=youtu.be
Diana
PS – Robert Weinroth wants a restaurant on a single piece of city owned property known as the Wildflower. Ā Yet, he will forsake all the waterfront parks and chooses to support the Chamber of Commerce in its stated directive: Ā “Monetize all of our waterfront parks starting with the Wildflower property and taking each additional park on its own merits”. So says Jerry Fidele, President of the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce.
Please do not sit back and allow these people to take the citizen owned land that makes Boca great. Ā We can and will “Have our parks and eat there too” but not by selling them to developers.
YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICEā¦.VOTE YES for the Boca Raton Question on November 8th
I and my entire family have lived in and out of the City limits of Boca for 35yrs. I’ve worked at the same law firm on Federal for 33yrs. I will be listing my home and plan to move to Boca Square in the spring. At least then I can vote. Mr. Weinroth and whomever else helped ruin downtown Boca need to go. He in particular needs to go and be reminded he serves the people. I commented on recent Sun Sentinel article this week and hope that others pile on and another effort to be heard. Thank you for all of your hard work. Without you, we would have lost very important land to development.