Don't Let Commercial Low Office (CLO) Land Use Change / Commercial Re-zoning Destroy Our Community!

At the present time there is an application before the Palm Beach Board of County Commissioners to change the zoning and land use from residential to commercial on the 2 acre lot on the SW corner of Lantana and Hagen Ranch Rd.  (You see the signs every day when you drive by.)   A small group of homeowners have been fighting this since May 2011 but now WE NEED YOUR HELP!

As we all know, this is already a fast, busy and accident prone road and intersection.  If this zoning and land use is approved the business will generate an additional 996 cars which will make this road and intersection an absolute nightmare for residents who use it daily! 

The developer wants to build 13,780 sq ft, 24 ft high dental, medical or professional strip mall with over 60 parking slots with an entry off Lantana Rd. and another entry off Hagen Ranch Rd.  (Professional could mean anything!)

The only way you will be able to enter off Lantana is to almost stop in the right turn lane and turn into the business.  The only way you will be able to enter off Hagen Ranch is to almost stop in the right left merge lane and turn into the business.  This will make that corner extremely dangerous for drivers and young children walking to Corel Reef Elementary School.   Every school day the children will have to cross two busy commercial driveways with distracted drivers who try not ram into the car in front of them!

The proposed application for this change of zoning and land use will not only negatively affect traffic here but it will change the landscape of our rural community forever, increase crime and hurt the values of our homes!   In the present social and economic times do we need more development and empty strip malls (blight) in the middle of a residential community and near an elementary school? 

We should maintain our identity as a rural community, preserve the quality of life in our community and continue to support the current local retail economy that is built in a planned commercial area.

Now is the time for each of us to let our elected officials know that this zoning and land use change is not be in the best interest of the community or commuters in the county.  If this is approved the only one who wins is the developer who bought the land at retail price and is now lobbying the county commissioners to get the rules changed!   We have to stop “pay to play”.

The Palm Beach Board of County Commissioners (BCC) will make their final decision on January 5, 2012.  We need every one to send an email to the Commissioners!  In the subject line put: I OPPOSE Stunkel Medical Office on Lantana & Hagan Ranch!   In the body put your name, address and any other comments. 

The Commissioners emails are: 
KMarcus@pbcgov.org  
pburdick@pbcgov.org  
svana@pbcgov.org  
SAbrams@pbcgov.org  
BAARONSO@pbcgov.org   
jsantama@pbcgov.org   
ptaylor@pbcgov.org    

or to all of them at once:  BCC-AllCommissioners@pbcgov.org