Some Palm Beach County residents are balking on yet another housing project proposed for the county’s agricultural reserves and don’t want to advance plans for the 259 homes in West Boynton.
The project, called West Boynton Ranches, is proposed for a plot of land just south of Boynton Beach Boulevard and east of Lyons Road. 65 homes are considered labor housing.
Jmorton Planning & Landscape Architecture, the developer representing the project, is attempting to use the new county land use designation: “Required housing.” (JMorton Planning is also working on other AG Reserve projects, including warehouses around Bedner’s Market and proposals for Park West Proposal in Delray.)
According to the county, the main purpose of AG preparation is to “preserve and strengthen agricultural activities, the environment and water resources,” so low density development was the only kind that has long been permitted. But as the county’s population grew and more medical facilities, schools and industrial sites were built, the housing needs of those employed in those industries have grown, county officials say.
“Creating high density categories with both housing and conservation requirements for the critical workforce helps address this imbalance while continuing to support conservation goals and helps create a livable community while recognizing the unique characteristics of the area,” according to county staff.
The maximum number of houses allowed by a critical residential land use designation in Ag Reserve Land is eight units per acre, used by West Boynton Ranches Neighborhood.
Lauren McClellan, a member of JMorton Plan, told the county planning commissioner at a recent public meeting that AG Reserve single-family homes were selling for around $500,000 in 2020, but are now selling for more than $1 million.
“This has increased housing value by 130% in just five years. And while there is only one rental community currently being developed in the AG Reserve for farm workers’ housing, there is no other multi-family rental community in the AG Reserve that serves workers in the retail, restaurants, hospitals and other services industry,” McClellan said during the meeting. “We obviously need other housing options.”
Resident concerns
Unlike several other housing projects previously proposed for AG preparation, many of the county residents who went before the county planning board were not entirely opposed to the project, but they felt that the number of planned homes was too many.
Jeffrey Shepp, president of Valencia Reserve, is the president of Valencia Reserve, just east of the potential location of West Boynton Ranch, and said he and the rest of Valencia Reserve are concerned about safety.
“We are very concerned about the community over 55 and it’s about vehicles that are from development to hospitals in emergencies,” Shep said at a recent public meeting. “We’re not against essential housing. We understand the need for that, but once again I say I’m looking for four units per 8 acres.”
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The Barbara Roth coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations also encouraged a decrease in density.
“This is mere hatred in terms of the proposed density,” she said. “The density must be reduced.”
When asked if they were willing to reduce the proposal, Scott Bachman, an attorney for Miskell’s Bachman company, also represented the project, said the answer was no.
“We’ve already had multiple meetings and conversations with the community, and we’re going to continue these conversations. Eight units on acres are relatively middle tier density,” Bachman said. “Eight units of acres are not a huge density for creating projects. …I think it’s too early to handicap ourselves while sitting here today to create a viable and viable site planning development project.”
County Discussion
The county planning commissioner expressed conflicting feelings about whether to recommend the project for approval to county commissioners.
One of the planning committee members, Rafael Clemente, said he felt that demands like these would lead to “non-winning.”
“The only way to really provide labor housing is density. Is density appropriate in reserves? Probably not. But that is not permitted. Will the traffic generated by this new development have a negative impact on Boynton Beach Boulevard and everyone who is currently using it?” he said during the meeting. “It feels like everyone’s hands are tied here. This is a very difficult decision.”
Planning Commissioner Varisa Lall Dass pointed out the number of people who expressed their opposition to West Boynton Ranches that they live in Valencia Reserve, which is now part of the AG Reserve.
“I hope we’ll probably have more cooperation and flexibility on both ends so that we’ll try some of the density and be better than that community receives,” she said. “I would also like to point out that Valencia is part of the AG Reserve, so I’m sure the people who were the first defenders of Valencia had probably had some similar arguments about the arguments being made now.”
West Boynton Ranch ultimately failed to receive the recommendation from the committee, voted 6-2 against which Lardas and Clemente were among the six who opposed it.
The project will then be sent to county commissioners who will consider the Planning Commission’s recommendation to reject and vote on whether to approve the project.
