HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Town Hall Meeting Agenda 033105City of Palm Beach Gardens- Town Hall Meeting March 31,2005
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City of Palm Beach Gardens- Town Hall Meeting March 31,2005
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City of Palm Beach Gardens- Town Hall Meeting March 31,2005
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City of Palm Beach Gardens- Town Hall Meeting March 31,2005
City of Palm Beach Gardens- Town Hall Meeting March 31,2005
City of Palm Beach Gardens- Town Hall Meeting March 31,2005
North Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce
Position Paper
For
The City of Palm Beach Gardens
Town Hall Meeting March 31, 2005
INTRODUCTION OF ALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
The North Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce
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represents the business community in eight different political
jurisdictions in North Palm Beach County. The businesses we
represent are as diverse as the communities in which they
reside, including two cities, two Villages and four towns. But
one thing we will all quickly agree on ... the importance of our
community’s high quality of life. And in order to sustain this
high quality of life for all the residents of North Palm Beach
County, it is imperative that we focus on meaningful measures
directing at accommodating the demands of our growing and
diverse po pu I at i on.
I am here to speak to you on behalf of this diverse business
population. As different as we are, the issues of interest to the
business community here in Palm Beach Gardens are not that
different from all of Palm Beach County and southeast Florida
for that matter. They include, by way of example, land use
regulatory reforms, attainable workforce housing, traffic
congestion, integrated inter-modal mass transit, transit oriented
development for mixed uses, balancing the rights of property
owners with reasonable environmental protection, future water
supply, attaining a balanced portfolio of residential and
business usage and tax burden, an educational system that
produces a qualified workforce, an economic development
strategy that incents value added employment and the removal
of barriers that impede regional planning and collaboration to
maximize scare resources.
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A daunting list at first glance. But in reality, none of these are
isolated issues. The interaction of each of these issues creates
either a vibrant community or a stagnant one. Let me illustrate
with an example.
Within a couple block radius of this very building one of the
City’s premier employers, Anspach employees over 200. They
have been qualified by the City as a value added employer,
providing an average salary required by the program in excess
of $48,000 per year. But, even if their employees were lucky
enough to have amassed at least $75,000 in their personal
savings account towards a down payment on a house, their
annual salary would have to be increased to one and half times
what they are currently making in order to qualify, under normal
and accepted financing practices, to purchase the average
house that sold in Palm Beach Gardens last year.
So, lets make the logical assumption that most won’t qualify.
They are now seeking housing solutions in Martin and Saint
Lucie County. And what has that done for us? It’s put more cars
on the road for longer periods of time thereby contributing to the
traffic congestion problem. It has put more children in Martin
County recreation and parks programs rather than the ones the
City has so proudly invested in.
But let’s not stop there. We recently passed legislation in the
city providing for fast track permitting for businesses that create
value added jobs. Again, Anspach is our example. But as
Anspach fast tracked through the permitting process in the City
to add hundreds of additional good paying jobs to the
community, it quickly got stopped dead in its track because the
cities lack of available traffic capacity limited the companies
ability to get permitting at the volume of jobs it needed to meet
its expansion requirements. So the regulatory reform and the
incentives to value added jobs were negated by traffic
concurrency.
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Now its not hard to see that businesses, like Anspach, will soon
start saying, if I can’t get permitting for the jobs I need, if my
employees have to live miles and miles away to be able to afford
a house, and productivity starts to suffer from long morning
traffic delays because there are no other integrated mass transit
opportunities, maybe I need to look at relocating my business.
Which only leads to a greater imbalance of the city’s land use
portfolio, with greater tax burdens placed on remaining property
owners.
So with just one example we have illustrated the importance of
most of the issues enumerated earlier, and their dependence
upon each other for success.
The recently adopted motto of the City of Palm Beach
Gardens ... the place to live, play, learn an work ... needs to be
more than a motto if it is indeed going to be successful. This is a
unique time in the City’s life cycle. There are limited
opportunities to affect vacant parcels of land. The development
plans of these parcels must be viewed against their ability to
effectively meet the City’s goal of live, play, learn and work.
There are limited opportunities to address potential
redevelopment areas of the City right now, well before they need
to occur. These too must be viewed with these goals of the City
in mind.
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We continue to move forward in our development of the
bioscience industry and Scripps here in North County. We must
proactively engage ourselves in understanding all the
ramifications of recruiting that industry segment. Does it bring
with it special needs and challenges and if so, what have we
done as a community to prepare for them? Many of these issues
go beyond the borders of the City. How do we engage our
neighboring communities to proactively participate in these
conversations with us?
So what really are we asking the Council to do? We are simply
asking for two things. First and foremost that you support the
concept that a healthy business environment is an equal partner
in the creation of a vibrant community. Secondly, that you allow
us to work together in a collaborative process to develop a
wholistic and strategic approach to address these issues.
Working with the North Palm Beach County Chamber of
Commerce, the City’s Economic Development Department and
the City’s Economic Development Advisory Board, a Community
Development Workshop could be produced to further engage
the business community. From this collective effort would come
the development of a community and economic development
strategy that would address and integrate these issues for the
City of Palm Beach Gardens and its neighbors for the next ten
years and beyond. We stand ready to help in that endeavor in
whatever capacity Council should so deem appropriate.
We recognize that the City of Palm Beach Gardens does NOT lie
at the root of all the problems we have enumerated here this
evening. Nor do they lie at the solution of all of them either.
Where you do find yourselves however is in a very unique
position to exemplify the leadership and visionary thinking
necessary to LEAD North Palm Beach County and beyond to a
very successful and enviable position .... that of long term
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economic prosperity.
We thank you for the opportunity to address you this evening.
We commend you for reaching out to the business community
and want you to know our goal was simply to raise the issues
worthy of future discussion. We are committed to supporting
you in your quest for solutions as we move forward from this
eveni ng .
PLANNER ON CALL
DAY TIME STAFF
MONDAY 8-1 "A
1-5 HEATHER
TUESDAY 8- 1 JACKIE
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WEDNESDAY 8- 1 JACKIE
1-5 HEATHER
8- 1
THURSDAY 1-5 HEATHER
AUTUMN
FRIDAY 8- 1 AUTUMN
1-5 "A
EXTENSION
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G: CL Planner on call schedule revised 050505
InterACT!
Summer Theatre Camp 2005
You may enroll throughout the summer for one week or any combination of weeks.
Grades 1-5
Premiere - Act I - Act II
Grades 1 - 5
June 6 - July 29
(Except July 4th - 8th)
One-week or Multi-week Sessions
Monday - Friday, 8:OO a.m. to 500 p.m.
“The Red Box Theatre” is the premiere program designed to introduce children to the world of
theatre. Activities include Puppetry, Story Theatre, Creative Dramatics and Theatre Games and
Exercises. Students in Premiere and Act One work together and perform for each other in our
Red Box Theatre throughout the day.
Premiere (Grades 1 & 2) & Act One (Grades 3 & 4) Puppetry, Story Theatre, Make-up, Mask
Making, Costumes & Props are all a part of the Red Box experience. Students participate in a
wide range of activities including creative dramatics and other theatre related exercises that allow
children to explore their own creativity playing with the elements of theatre.
Act Two (Grade 5) In addition to many of the activities that students in Act One enjoy, Act Two
students also work on scene, monologue and audition techniques. There are also workshops in
stagecraft, video production and acting for the camera.
Showcase Students may choose to participate in a Showcase held in the Studio at
Independence Middle School every Friday afternoon. The show begins promptly at 3:30 p.m.
Parents, family and friends are welcome.
For Middle and High School Students
Grades 6-7 %i 8-12
Act 111 - Encore!
June 6 - July 29
One-week or Multi-week Sessions
Monday - Friday, 8:OO a.m. to 500 p.m.
Act Three (Grades 6 & 7) students focus on studies and experiences including acting,
improvisation, movement, stage speaking, monologues and audition preparation.
Encore (Grades 8 - 12) students work in the acting studio on short plays, scenes, monologues,
writing, improvisation, elements of theatre and video production. Students work with staff to
design their own program after their first week.
Showcase InterACT! offers students an even more intensive experience geared toward the
dramatic product and performance. Each session culminates in a Friday evening showcase of
students’ work beginning at 4:OO p.m. Parents, family and friends are welcome.
(Except July 4th - 8th)
... more on page 2...
Returning This Summer!
Video Production InterACT! now has two editing suites with E-Mac’s featuring I-Movie!
Students in each age group have the opportunity to create their own videos. Students in Acts
Two and up can also choose to gain experience in editing.
Musical Theatre Michael Yannette, a gifted vocal coach and musical director will be in residence
through most of the summer at InterACT along with guest musical directors! For all age groups!
Design & Technical Studio Puppetry, Make-up, Masks, Costuming, Stagecraft and other design
and construction projects are back by popular demand.
Independence Middle School
4001 Greenway Drive in Jupiter, Florida.
Abacoa Development
North of Donald Ross Rd. between Military Tr. & 1-95
Registration: Tuition is $140 per week if registered by June 6, 2005. Tuition is $160 per week if
registered after June 6, 2005 (based on availability throughout the summer). There is a one-time
registration fee of $25 for all new InterACT students.
The camp is priced with careful consideration to the quality of instruction and commitment to the
student-teacher ratios. Discounts are not available for multiple weeks or multiple family
members. Weeks may be taken in any combination over the summer.
Lunch Bring it or order Subs, Salads or Pizza by special arrangement on a weekly basis.
Register at Open House
1455 Cades Bay Avenue (Abacoa)
Between Parkside and Stadium Drive
Saturday, May 14
Wednesday, May 26
Thursday, May 26
Saturday, June 4
1O:OO a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
4:OO p.m. to 6:OO p.m.
4:OO p.m. to 6:OO p.m.
1O:OO a.m. to 1:OO p.m.