[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6550626,"mediaKeyId","5385694-190d925d184f550e317b55fffde87a8b","parentId",5385694,"title","Residents press CRA for transparency on government campus, tennis center and public‑land protections","audioSeconds",474,"startMs",4522000,"endMs",4996000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5385694-190d925d184f550e317b55fffde87a8b&start=4522&end=4996","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5385694-190d925d184f550e317b55fffde87a8b/thumbnail_4522000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6550626/Boca-Raton/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Residents-press-CRA-for-transparency-on-government-campus-tennis-center-and-publicland-protections","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550626-a01d41a61d8ce9700ab6a8b4cdd86dff/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447627&Signature=XbLzq5iauq9W-ruCvUru-cSVV8JAMQh26FnKcnM1~CxjtROmE3XyyX5rb99E6SvXbAYSIa5mtGoi5Fq4EdWAkeuXJxLX5uLFB0DyY-5kWbXOLS-eHOJV75ttC3pTRcNI8iK733YrYucmfqQSck4C1ieKTLF~1BHtg-8vAyBetPkby7UO0Y~SsogNWAM3ZylO8PGJAXP~V2PfmFy6nknd2XyHnQ16BtFEDVX8hCZH-D9wKnwRnEZcbgXMEiGyw~t8AhBrh6Xxcqm14NmPF-sZH45Ns5799KOQyukZRxrUJDH8rq5pTpP2V7AOnEZ8Kc1W9xc2d5W06hAENgiCr1OuxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Boca Raton","date","2025-07-14T13:22:00Z","article","Several residents used the CRA public‑request period on July 14 to press city officials for more detailed information and transparency about plans for the proposed government campus and for assurances about the Boca Raton Tennis Center.

Key public comments
John Perlman, organizer of the Save Boca effort, urged the city to vet claims on a public website and to recognize an initiative petition his group circulated that would require voter approval before public land greater than half an acre could be sold, leased or alienated. Perlman said cost‑benefit and independent public‑benefit analyses required by Florida statutes for certain public‑private partnerships had not been completed, and he told the board those elements are necessary before proceeding.

Judy Morrow, representing tennis‑center users, said the city has not provided a written guarantee that the Boca Raton Tennis Center courts would be rebuilt at an alternate site before downtown courts are taken out of service. She requested an estimated cost and schedule for relocating courts, and urged the city to ensure replacement facilities are in place “before they knock down our tennis courts.”

Other public speakers, including Rita Head and Diane Glenny, asked for detailed schedules, phase descriptions, city financial obligations, appraisal information for any future sale of parkland and clearer public reporting. Several speakers asked staff for specific answers and asked that those answers be posted where the public could easily find them.

City response and next steps
Mayor Singer (speaking as a city official at the meeting) said the city has an online project page (myboca.us) and that staff and consultants are preparing reports, including CBRE analyses and other due diligence. He emphasized the project is in an early planning phase and that a workshop and additional meetings are scheduled; staff said they would transcribe public questions and provide written responses to attendees. The mayor and staff highlighted that moving certain facilities (for example, the children’s museum) had been planned previously and that the city is studying tennis relocation, financing and scheduling as part of the larger planning process.

Several residents requested clearer, centralized disclosure of financial commitments, schedules and contingency plans if all phases of a large redevelopment are not completed.

Clarifying details
Speakers asked whether the city had completed independent cost‑effectiveness and public‑benefit analyses required by Florida law for some public‑private partnerships, and whether appraisals and ordinances specifying sale terms would be completed prior to any sale or long‑term lease of public land. City staff committed to compile written answers to the questions raised and share them with attendees and the public.

Sources: public‑request testimony and city responses at the July 14 CRA meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Boca Raton - C.R.A. Regular Meeting - Jul 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple residents and organizations urged the CRA and city leaders to provide clearer financial and schedule information about the proposed government campus redevelopment, called for guarantees on replacement tennis courts, and promoted a Save Boca petition to restrict the sale or lease of public land without a public vote.","taxTitle","Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",3932,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6550631,"CRA reviews digital‑kiosk pilot proposal for downtown but board declines to proceed now",1341,5963000,7304000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5385694-190d925d184f550e317b55fffde87a8b&start=5963&end=7304","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5385694-190d925d184f550e317b55fffde87a8b/thumbnail_5963000.jpg","/articles/6550631/Boca-Raton/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/CRA-reviews-digitalkiosk-pilot-proposal-for-downtown-but-board-declines-to-proceed-now","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550631-59f315229ac2cbc793759b6c5a82ae50/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447627&Signature=fN7XAsXiA-sEX0XHMXU9ncHFwLVQ-l1bUYklXD39T7CPPGiu3eyy4nuulpbksoPOukXvyTSOQEU2eUTCWJYPJ1NCy7WfwdfakppfnRaBaUBhtQW3Pr1-TFOTS3tnC7rkN72LYHg~E5uHxRB4uhtoLUIZ4MTmj2PAIQbjDg-BpiaVDvJ0GVn0Xx6keEScMBP3rOE0M49nzKZSj497GPvR0bZo7yH~ZeCnM4OPxDawYnlFFbhaBZyG-vXb3Va~g-Hl~-KI6cy7SbuY313alAMaM3l8ikRh0rIp~Trjz1zo264ZgrGV2LkD2djQv-C5uGFKRS9MaglbSDF~vJ9S9BO9rg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented a proposal to pilot up to five enhanced digital kiosks in downtown Boca Raton and sought board direction on vendor selection, scale and locations.

Ruby Riley, downtown manager, described a Toshiba Outdoor Solutions option that would provide ad‑free, interactive wayfinding kiosks with remote monitoring, daily health checks and a five‑year maintenance warranty. Riley said the pilot focused on transit‑adjacent locations and that the leased option would convert to city ownership at the end of a five‑year term; staff provided lease and purchase price estimates for 1–5 units.

Board concerns and outcome
Commissioners questioned the public demand for kiosks versus competing priorities such as sidewalk width and pedestrian mobility. Commissioner comments included concerns that kiosks occupy sidewalk space, that most visitors use smartphones for wayfinding and that the financial model proposed (city cost versus advertising revenue) shifted the project from revenue‑positive to a net expense for the city. Vice Chair Thompson said he was “not ready to move forward” and identified sidewalk space and visual clutter as concerns.

Several board members suggested alternatives: improve the downtown mobile website and integrate interactive maps or AI‑assisted guidance for phones rather than deploy fixed kiosks; test nonadvertising pilots on a smaller, shorter timeline; or revisit a revenue‑generating advertising model if the board wished to avoid net cost to the city.

No adoption or procurement decision was made. Staff will revisit options after further guidance from the board and may bring alternatives back for future consideration.

Clarifying details
The staff memo described kiosk features (24/7 operation, graffiti‑resistant screens, cellular data, emergency alert integration), a proposed five‑year lease term with city ownership at term end, and potential locations near the Brightline station, Meisner Park, Palmetto corridor near Trader Joe’s and Camino Real/Publix transit stops. Riley said there had been no substantive public requests for digital kiosks but ongoing demand voiced for wider sidewalks and improved pedestrian infrastructure.

Sources: downtown manager presentation and board discussion at the July 14 CRA meeting.","Staff proposed a 1–5 kiosk pilot (no advertising) using Toshiba outdoor kiosks; commissioners raised concerns about cost, sidewalk space, lack of demonstrated public demand and alternative approaches such as improving mobile website and wayfinding. The board did not reach consensus to move forward.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6550638,"CRA approves Modera Boca development with 8-foot Dixie Highway sidewalk; parking reduction granted",31,557000,588000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5385694-190d925d184f550e317b55fffde87a8b&start=557&end=588","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5385694-190d925d184f550e317b55fffde87a8b/thumbnail_557000.jpg","/articles/6550638/Boca-Raton/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/CRA-approves-Modera-Boca-development-with-8-foot-Dixie-Highway-sidewalk-parking-reduction-granted","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550638-e06268c3028faa9c86c903b9e4131eda/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447627&Signature=UzlCdS1kqr-1X1nVtkaUYGd4prPyrUOSJMw8Q7y3PM13neE4WzyBCmTnqQyYo1wnp~9D6tc2Ffc0oHZwBv8XQj0qk1vlMf2RWw-7kJmw861J40-wFEdMS2HL6fEVc2zVwVzF6Ld8eTosa59NQ9z1lymjkZJ0CmGU1pgB2QYyLoq9y1s1senSdB57~jiRLuVSfHUZr7jmAtYOuYpUUwyOlbF~gKg2gQr5y7LO871rsmeWwfb9zMYCB2dN3hJRoaCN-g3d1HNEGBo5aAgbsDr7YBC0Wzv5OtmAkRHvHT29yFEeNmC1oBd-cXwGwa7ULZLvNKXMZ2ERsD8F959T-MTghw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Community Redevelopment Agency of Boca Raton on July 14 approved an individual development approval (IDA) for the Modera Boca multifamily project at 400 South Dixie Highway, authorizing a 12‑story, 306‑unit apartment building with a seven‑level integrated parking structure and related streetscape and easement changes.

The project, filed as DDRI application CRP2401, will replace an existing office park on approximately 1.7 acres and includes streetscape improvements, a new sidewalk and landscaping on an adjacent city‑owned lot, the abandonment of two easements and transfers of office‑equivalent development between downtown subareas. The board approved a technical deviation to reduce required off‑street parking from 538 spaces to 468 spaces (a 70‑space reduction). The board also amended the IDA to require an 8‑foot sidewalk along South Dixie Highway and adopted staff conditions. The final motion passed on a 5–0 roll call vote.

Why it matters: The vote advances a large residential project in a part of downtown that city leaders say has seen relatively little redevelopment and is central to planned downtown infrastructure and streetscape investments funded by CRA tax‑increment financing. Board members and staff framed the decision around pedestrian improvements, updated downtown design guidelines and an applicant study justifying a lower parking rate for a downtown urban setting.

City planning presentation and staff rationale
Jacob Germen, Planner II in the Development Services Department, presented the IDA, saying the project proposes a 12‑story, 306‑unit building totaling about 416,137 square feet with a 147,321‑square‑foot parking structure that includes one below‑grade level. Germen said the proposal requests a technical deviation from the DDRI development order to reduce required parking from 538 to 468 spaces, and described proposed alley improvements, a new six‑foot (amended to eight‑foot) sidewalk along South Dixie Highway, and redeveloped landscaping on an adjacent city lot.

Development Services Director Brandon Schad told the board staff recommended approval of the parking deviation based on the applicant’s parking analysis and industry guidance: “The Institute for Transportation Engineers ... recommends a rate for a downtown urban setting of 0.75 parking spaces per unit,” he said, and staff found the applicant’s mix‑of‑unit approach reasonable.

Applicant presentation and community input
Ellie Zacharitis, speaking for the applicant team, described design and pedestrian‑oriented elements, including active ground‑floor uses, a landscaped pocket park on the adjacent city lot proposed to be improved and maintained by the developer under a revocable license, and rooftop amenities over the parking structure. Zacharitis said the developer proffered approximately $300,000 for park improvements and volunteered an annual contribution to the city circulator transit program “just shy of $15,000 a year.”

Project consultants and nearby property owners spoke in support during the public hearing. Ignacio Diaz of Group E6 and John Grimaldi of Mill Creek spoke for the development team and thanked city staff. Several residents and property owners offered both support and opposition at the public hearing; objections cited perceived scale and traffic concerns while supporters emphasized downtown vitality and improved Dixie Highway frontage.

Tree relocation and landscaping
Applicant consultant Mark Jacobson described a landscaping plan that included planting larger street trees (18–22 feet tall for certain species) and said the team sought but could not feasibly relocate two existing banyan trees on the city lot after arborist and tree‑mover evaluations. The applicant said it will install an increased number and size of new street and park trees.

Board discussion and vote
Commissioners asked questions about parking, the transfer of office‑equivalent development between downtown subareas, alley access for deliveries and vehicle circulation, and park hours. The board voted first to amend the IDA to require an 8‑foot sidewalk along South Dixie Highway and then to adopt DDRI application CRP2401 as amended, including staff conditions. The roll call recorded five affirmative votes and no opposition; the motion passed 5–0.

Votes at a glance: the board approved the Modera Boca IDA (CRP2401) as amended to require an 8‑foot sidewalk, to grant the requested technical deviation for parking, and to support the applicant’s easement abandonments and transfers of office‑equivalent development. The approval includes standard staff conditions in the IDA and requirements for a revocable license and maintenance agreement for the city lot park improvements.

What the approval does not do
The board’s action grants the IDA and associated deviations and easement abandonments; it does not itself finalize building permits, which remain subject to the city’s permit review and public‑works processes, nor does it change the DDRI development order beyond the specific approvals recorded in the IDA.

Implementation and next steps
Staff noted the project will proceed through building permit review and public‑works coordination, including alley paving and utility loop work. The applicant indicated it expects to submit for permits soon and to construct the park and streetscape improvements under a licensing and maintenance agreement with the city.

Clarifying details: The approved IDA includes (a) a seven‑level internal parking structure with one below‑grade level; (b) a technical deviation reducing required parking from 538 to 468 spaces; (c) abandonment of a 12‑foot utility easement and part of a 15‑foot roadway easement; (d) transfer and conversion of office‑equivalent development between downtown subareas as described in the staff report; and (e) an amendment to require an 8‑foot sidewalk along South Dixie Highway.

Sources: city staff presentation and applicant remarks at the July 14 CRA meeting, public hearing testimony and the board’s roll call vote.","The Community Redevelopment Agency approved an individual development approval for a 12‑story, 306‑unit Modera Boca apartment building at 400 South Dixie Highway, granting a technical deviation that reduces required off‑street parking by 70 spaces and amending the project to require an 8‑foot sidewalk along Dixie Highway. The vote was 5–0.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents press CRA for transparency on government campus, tennis center and public‑land protections

CRA reviews digital‑kiosk pilot proposal for downtown but board declines to proceed now

CRA approves Modera Boca development with 8-foot Dixie Highway sidewalk; parking reduction granted