[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6471422,"mediaKeyId","5778019-38f34878fe11b9d4dbb90304f0b1fd7d","parentId",5778019,"title","Votes at a glance: Boca Raton City Council, Sept. 9, 2025","audioSeconds",3243,"startMs",18387000,"endMs",21630000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778019-38f34878fe11b9d4dbb90304f0b1fd7d&start=18387&end=21630","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778019-38f34878fe11b9d4dbb90304f0b1fd7d/thumbnail_18387000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6471422/Boca-Raton/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Votes-at-a-glance-Boca-Raton-City-Council-Sept-9-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6471422-d358938e3799b52479b186db923fcb5c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770505137&Signature=jE7RjXYK2GoD0yXyFqh6r5hNRf5gJtWVX2jPlgqFEEIDKnhL5Xv-nZHQG57U9uugaqsBj2YkXZ8QS7Nomd~RU3vn0UIwWaLgraakIaqBRgSkDyf1ew7Ls4MBk8biB9OrxYE4MaYwD~EDd7xdTbSENCCufOvT5TtzKagFJz4EEj2sGOhiZkUUiWnp90wBP8FVCZFTLJODRTG8KFGMO3LquVZv1Q0Ss2QUyg9ajTGuL6A4~IvXglj3O01k5crgDHZdJ7euTYxjQM~1ZglV3LZwUgNT1Jo49DhLKQZbXyNY-RcwiQesLqKmcDXClBF815ccJI9sTUFeGaHxdv84Bu2~Ng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Boca Raton","date","2025-09-09T17:46:00Z","article","The Boca Raton City Council adopted multiple ordinances and franchise agreements at its Sept. 9 meeting. Key outcomes and recorded votes appear below.

- Ordinance 57-41 (R-5 zoning amendment — increased maximum building height to 100 feet for planned developments of 100+ acres): Adopted 5–0 (roll call recorded). This amends Chapter 28 (zoning) to allow the height with increased yard/setback requirements.

- Ordinance 57-43 (nonexclusive C&D debris franchise: Waste Management of Florida): Adopted 5–0.

- Ordinance 57-44 (nonexclusive C&D debris & commercial franchise: Panzarella Waste & Recycling Services): Adopted 5–0.

- Ordinance 57-45 (nonexclusive C&D debris franchise: All County Waste Inc.): Adopted 5–0.

- Ordinance 57-46 (nonexclusive commercial solid waste collection franchise: FCC Environmental Services Florida LLC): Adopted 5–0.

- Ordinance 57-47 (historic designation clarification for Singing Pines/Merrick–Williams House): Adopted 5–0 (clarifying language added to affirm the building’s designation applies to the structure rather than the parcel and that designation remains in effect irrespective of location).

- Ordinance 57-48 (amendment to the amended downtown redevelopment plan — TIF projects and program updates): Adopted 5–0; CRA recommended approval Sept. 8.

- Ordinance 57-49 (sale of underground easement in Spanish River Park to allow an undersea fiber landing — Telcius Cable USA): Adopted 4–1 (Thompson opposed). Appraised easement price ~ $2.6M; 10% deposit on file; sale conditioned on required state and city permits.

- Other items: The council introduced budget and millage ordinances (57-51 and 57-52) and an implementing pension-lump-sum ordinance (57-50) for future consideration and public hearings.

Votes recorded in the public roll calls are matched to the minutes where available; if a roll call name was not announced for an individual motion the official minutes capture approve/deny recorded as part of the clerk’s roll call.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Boca Raton - City Council Regular Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of ordinances and franchise agreements the council adopted on Sept. 9, including land-use and franchise matters. Includes vote tallies where recorded.","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},6471427,"Council affirms Singing Pines historic designation applies to structure, not the land, and preserves status after clarifying ordinance",691,18689000,19380000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778019-38f34878fe11b9d4dbb90304f0b1fd7d&start=18689&end=19380","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778019-38f34878fe11b9d4dbb90304f0b1fd7d/thumbnail_18689000.jpg","/articles/6471427/Boca-Raton/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Council-affirms-Singing-Pines-historic-designation-applies-to-structure-not-the-land-and-preserves-status-after-clarifying-ordinance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6471427-ce89409aef71bb2d9a9687cf8be28c40/orig.mp4?Expires=1770505137&Signature=ZQGeg0NuObuYFDhvpVYa6qN81DNfI14N9KY43vU5h5Y~pjSg5yYJ7NL62XYHjbiRi6QampKCpE8Pv7gHnUGB4xz70DTUj67kbGat7JsXna-3zXmbQrxDClHyrrjzxOB9vJQ7Q2wgY7uvlYMrBn66cL5taxPJXauFuU~FZ7bCTX-QPLvSgV2X8qj0ujpPiBRGIT3R65ol-79NkdNeySacpluxf6OyIPrx0wBDNL20eK8WR8MyrV5NXjTBrD2w1MgBkd6QqFJ6~MkdE4Gsdukb2Vom0Mm7tFnMb4BbWdK7IcSTMfNiHblHM1uU9-7IAsSkbBiPHTy~weVZrcspdNeIKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Boca Raton City Council on Sept. 9 adopted ordinance 57-47 to clarify that the 1988 historic designation for the property known as Singing Pines (the Merrick–Williams House) applies specifically to the building rather than to the underlying land. The council added a clarifying sentence that reaffirmed the structure’s historic status \"irrespective of its physical location,\" and said the city supports relocating the building if necessary to enhance public access and programming.

Historic background and staff findings
Planning staff recounted the structure’s history: built in 1914 by William Merrick, sold in 1917 to the Reis family and later associated with Lillian Williams, the house was moved to its current site at 40498 Crawford Boulevard in 1976 and restored by the Junior League with city assistance. The historic preservation board recommended designation in 1988, which the council adopted as ordinance 37-28. Staff said the original ordinance included a legal description of the parcel only as an administrative locator and that the legislative record did not show an intent to designate the underlying land.

Council action and rationale
The council unanimously approved clarifying language to preserve the building’s protected status and to expressly state that the ability to relocate the structure is intended to enhance public activities and use of the building. Peter Begovich, senior planner and historic preservation liaison, presented the city's research tracing the property's ownership and the house’s significance to the city’s early history. The council noted the clarification preserves protections while allowing flexibility for future public-use planning.

What this does and does not do
Ordinance 57-47 does not remove the structure’s historic designation. It clarifies the scope of the 1988 designation as applying to the building. The council later noted the proposed physical move of the house to Meadows Park is on hold pending decisions in the downtown redevelopment process; council action on the designation is independent of the relocation discussion.","By unanimous vote the council confirmed that the 1988 historic designation for the Merrick/’Singing Pines’ house applies to the building itself — not automatically to the underlying parcel — and added clarifying language while reaffirming the structure's protected status.",{"_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},6471434,"Council approves sale of undersea cable easement at Spanish River Park over objections from nearby property owners",1686,19634000,21320000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778019-38f34878fe11b9d4dbb90304f0b1fd7d&start=19634&end=21320","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778019-38f34878fe11b9d4dbb90304f0b1fd7d/thumbnail_19634000.jpg","/articles/6471434/Boca-Raton/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Council-approves-sale-of-undersea-cable-easement-at-Spanish-River-Park-over-objections-from-nearby-property-owners","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6471434-3bf76e0fa0518c7763237f730ebda5a5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770505137&Signature=IEUGtZuWYhaVO-uuKk0sqVDFlO36dT9dJWy90IF4VX5Ue-1Lv~TT9m3LF-zthSE652Nd4nrsQotVL35fo9Iz-X99Y4hKggIwjT~vTTJZmXhmE0nis9co-GGYtA8eWY6gqG-rNAX2TqmM-sea3fDMF9V6NrS9aHINLlNPWt9wpT1v~t~4UFOUtNhaoTw6W2uGSOww8iK1Z2pEGMXuV4qNISiOnXeCk7ZLSvrgd4uDDBvLsniIJ761fF8ue91Q2qOhaOyShSWiA0KOV5zBge4F71g0iTyFViWLlnzWgsnTPZTis5SjKxG2WzLGRmlIg7aM~ZofxanND4EeHE3fp8RLdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Boca Raton City Council on Sept. 9 approved the sale of an underground easement at Spanish River Park to Telcius Cable USA for a planned undersea fiber-optic cable, adopting ordinance 57-49 by a 4–1 vote.

The ordinance authorizes a purchase-and-sale agreement for a 0.493-acre easement that will link an undersea cable to the city network at an existing access point in Spanish River Park. The city’s independent appraisal set the easement price at about $2.6 million; Telcius deposited 10% of the purchase price with the city prior to introduction of the ordinance.

Opposition at the hearing
Residents and nearby landowners raised procedural and environmental objections. William Swain, who said he manages a nearby private property interest, said his group had not been notified and urged the council to confirm the cable would not be routed across adjacent private parcels. \"Can you confirm that these cables are not going across any of our properties?\" Swain asked; staff responded the sale before the council is limited to the park parcel shown on the map and that the city will not allow work on third-party property without consent.

John Perlman of Save Boca urged the council to delay the sale until DEP and environmental approvals were complete, saying the city \"did not need\" the money and describing Spanish River Park as ecologically sensitive.

Developer and staff responses
Michel Mocaniete, the applicant’s network planner, told the council the work west of North Ocean Boulevard would not create new trenches across private property: \"There is nothing new on this side from the Spanish River Park to our building. We are using existing conduits and infrastructure that has been there for 20 years.\" City staff said the seller is requesting the easement to secure rights before starting the state permitting process; the sale is contingent on the applicant obtaining necessary permits and the purchase agreement allows refund of portions of payments if permitting fails.

Vote and council comments
Councilmember Thompson voted against the ordinance; four other councilmembers voted in favor. City staff and the Planning & Zoning Board had recommended approval after the appraisal and required public-notice steps. The council instructed staff to ensure that the city’s permitting and construction process protects adjacent property and that the city’s long-standing policy for permitting utilities in parkland was followed.

What happens next
The applicant still must secure state permitting, including review by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for the undersea landing and coastal work. If the state and city permits are granted, the agreement provides a payment schedule and requires the applicant to construct using underground conduits and entry points described in the easement deed.","The council voted 4–1 to authorize sale of a nearly 0.5-acre underground easement at Spanish River Park for an undersea fiber route. Opponents demanded environmental review and assurances the cable route would not cross private property; the developer and staff said the work will use existing conduits and is subject to state permitting.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6471439,"Developer revises One Boca plan after weeks of protests; council pauses vote and developer backs referendum",1924,1694000,3618000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778019-38f34878fe11b9d4dbb90304f0b1fd7d&start=1694&end=3618","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778019-38f34878fe11b9d4dbb90304f0b1fd7d/thumbnail_1694000.jpg","/articles/6471439/Boca-Raton/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Developer-revises-One-Boca-plan-after-weeks-of-protests-council-pauses-vote-and-developer-backs-referendum","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6471439-71c041f76b374c01f528475087312461/orig.mp4?Expires=1770505137&Signature=hnlOy0V7yEzlyTTjeE1SFSMVN1TnP341sTlX3pbnhKDQzgkdjY68TaL~wpJ3N2KipAnI5Hs2LGouaqhETNFJ2010CzSTrZlNqMENdAxGk9tUo551losVS0yl~fX~MjYRpdXRnaoz5h82MjlNZjjXj8NreXWLlHA59dTI0IiBMhO2trzuBngd-MvWWeFkKffZVPY-4IyzT1OhIlYEtJp0lVJ4VHQ41wyqIXMu1U-MxDu9EbLE6~euQnlR-o-G5DEBH8-AGPm9UqayU8Om5wfATOfFmDAHPVrzh7REgol-cANmW7Dz4xcHPh4rkQ0eOClMaSre7VNEFgwuJCdzCdLJwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Terra/Frisbie partners David Martin and Rob Frisbie presented a substantially revised plan for the downtown city hall campus on Sept. 9, saying the proposal now reduces residential density and commercial square footage, adds park and recreation facilities and preserves historic banyan trees. After several hours of public comment — much of it opposing private development on Memorial Park — the Boca Raton City Council agreed to push back any final vote and directed staff to prepare referendum language; the developers said they would support submitting the project to a citywide vote.

The changes, Martin and Frisbie told the council, include keeping six large banyan trees in place, relocating and expanding recreational uses, reopening and renovating the children's museum, a minimum of eight clay tennis courts, a shaded children’s playground adjacent to the trees and a new “mobility hub” for electric vehicles and micromobility near the new civic buildings. \"We remain excited to continue to refine our proposal with the council and with the community feedback,\" David Martin said during the presentation.

Why it matters: The plan would use a mixture of public space, new civic buildings and privately developed residential and commercial property under a long-term public-private partnership. Supporters say the project could create a transit-oriented downtown, new community facilities and long-term revenue for city projects; opponents say the deal would privatize public parkland, harm traffic and change Boca’s character.

What the council and developers said
Mayor Scott Singer opened the evening framing the presentation as part of an ongoing, iterative process and said the council would allow more public engagement on the latest revisions. Rob Frisbie stressed the plan’s reduced intensity in multiple slides and highlighted commitments to add green space and a memorial element: \"This plan has already evolved based on your feedback. Building heights have been reduced, commercial space scaled back, and new commitments made to expand parks and recreation.\" When a council member asked if any council approval would be conditioned on a public vote, Frisbie replied, \"Yes, absolutely,\" and later said the team would work to ensure the community supports a ballot measure.

Public reaction and council direction
More than a dozen speakers urged the council to preserve Memorial Park as public land. John Perlman, founder of the Save Boca movement, said the park \"is the World War II memorial\" and warned the council the group planned a ballot-driven charter amendment to protect public land. Several residents referred to long-standing civic traditions and the park as an existing memorial and civic gathering place.

Council members signaled broad agreement that the October timeline originally under consideration was too soon. After extended discussion, the council directed the city attorney to draft language for ballot measures that would permit the electorate to approve any final deal. Council members also said they will extend the city’s interim schedule and continue public workshops; the developer announced two public meetings on Sept. 29 and Oct. 6 and offered to schedule additional sessions.

Details, disputes and next steps
- Density: The developer said it cut its residential count from earlier submissions (an earlier high of 1,100 units in a prior iteration) to roughly 740 units in the most recent plan and reduced commercial square footage to about 80,000 from earlier proposals. Those figures were presented by the developer as “program” numbers and will be subject to further refinement.
- Memorial Park and veterans: Martin and Frisbie proposed a dedicated memorial area and said they would work with veterans groups; some veterans and longtime residents countered that the park itself already functions as a memorial and asked that the city not transfer parkland to private control.
- Timeline and process: The developer committed to further public workshops. Council members asked the city attorney to draft ballot language so any council approval could be conditioned on voter approval. Multiple council members and staff said independent fiscal and traffic studies are ongoing or forthcoming, and that any final agreement would contain phased milestones and city checkpoints.

What’s next: The developer scheduled public workshops Sept. 29 and Oct. 6 and the council asked staff to prepare draft ballot language and to extend the project timeline so the public process can continue. The council did not take a final vote on the project on Sept. 9.","Terra/Frisbie presented a substantially revised downtown redevelopment plan that reduces residential and commercial density and adds park features. Following hours of public comment, council members agreed to delay a final vote and asked the city attorney to draft ballot language; the developer said it would support voter approval.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Boca Raton City Council, Sept. 9, 2025

Council affirms Singing Pines historic designation applies to structure, not the land, and preserves status after clarifying ordinance

Council approves sale of undersea cable easement at Spanish River Park over objections from nearby property owners

Developer revises One Boca plan after weeks of protests; council pauses vote and developer backs referendum