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Weiss Works for You is a video series showcasing how our office helps residents. The latest is especially compelling, and features a magnificent character: local gem, actor, and activist Chris Noel. Be sure to check it out and read about Chris in the Spotlight section of this newsletter. However, as always, we begin with an update on what's going on in the county. Here’s the word:
Since being elected county commissioner in 2018, Gregg has been pushing for smart traffic signalization. Smart traffic lights can detect what is going on around them and adjust the signal based on what is happening, in order to improve the flow of traffic. The county received a $2.75M state appropriation in 2024 to change the 13 signals on Okeechobee Blvd. from I-95 to Flagler, and in 2025 an additional $3M to change the eight signals on Quadrille. These projects are being combined into one, with the bid set for October, the contract award scheduled for January, and the work expected to be done by December of next year.
A lot is happening in Westgate, a 1300-acre area between Okeechobee Boulevard and Belvedere Road, east of Military Trail and west of Florida Mango Road. It was once the western gateway into the City of West Palm Beach, until it was de-annexed in 1931. Since then it has been part of unincorporated Palm Beach County.
In 1989, the County created the Westgate Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to improve the neighborhood by addressing drainage, sewer, streetlights and other infrastructure needs to help with economic and housing development. These public investments are now paying dividends, with private investment following suit, further sprucing up the area.
On Thursday, September 25, the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) unanimously approved two housing projects in Westgate.
Westgate Village MUPD, located at the Kennel club site, on the northwest corner of Belvedere Road and Congress Avenue, was approved for 406 apartments as part of the Phase 1 redevelopment, which, in subsequent phases will add more housing, including workforce, office, and commercial space in a walkable community with plenty of green space. The Kennel Club stopped operating its dog tracks in 2020 following a referendum that banned the practice. The land was acquired by the Frisbie Group from Palm Beach and Coconut Grove-based Terra Group, who plan to develop it.
Less than a mile away, the BCC approved the rezoning for another project. Neighborlee Living Westgate proposes to build 38 apartment units with parking and 1,500 square feet of commercial space on Westgate Avenue. These units are affordably priced without government subsidies because they save space where possible. Focusing on single-person households, the project offers a mix of efficiency micro units, efficiency studios and 1-bedroom units. The spaces are small, but each apartment comes with a balcony and there are rooftop amenities available to all residents. Gregg complimented the applicant on the architectural design and is hopeful projects like this can help address the housing affordability crisis. Watch what it will look like.
At the same meeting, under his comments, Gregg emphasized the need to empower county staff in dealing with development applications and permits. The book that outlines the rules for development in the county, known as the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC), is a complex document with over 1,200 pages plus exhibits. Gregg would like to see a rewrite that makes it shorter and easier for professional staff, allowing them to handle proposals more expeditiously. It would reduce the time needed to review and thereby the costs. It’s something that Gregg has mentioned before and staff has been working on, and the Planning, Zoning, and Building Director told the board they are actively seeking a party to help move this forward.
Monday, September 22 marked the start of Rosh Hashanah, the New Year in Judaism. It is the first of the High Holy Days, a day when people attend synagogue services, eat a good meal, and reflect on past and present. Not in Tallahassee, where the Florida House Committee on Property Taxes scheduled meetings for Monday and Tuesday, coinciding with the holiday. Gregg sent a letter to the committee co-chairs, the Speaker of the House, and the Governor, requesting consideration be given to major religious holidays observed by members of our diverse community, writing: ”Ensuring that all members of our legislative community can fully participate in the democratic process, regardless of their religious background, strengthens our institutions and reflects Florida's commitment to religious freedom and inclusivity.”
Shana Tovah, a good and sweet year, to all!
Thanks for being a reader.
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