Chapel By The Lake WPB - Preserve this Ministry

01/30/2023

https://palmbeachpost-fl.newsmemory.com/?publink=513e802f2_134aa16

To the victor go the spoils.

Alexandra CloughPalm Beach Post USA TODAY NETWORK Family Church in Wes

01/30/2023

05/28/2015

There’s no sales center yet.

05/12/2015

By Tony Doris - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer


WEST PALM BEACH —

The demolition of a dozen buildings on South Flagler Drive alarmed some nearby residents that yet another development project might be in the works near Family Church Downtown at First Baptist.

But the church says they need to have faith.

Pastor Kevin Mahoney said Tuesday that no new buildings are going up. The church, just south of downtown at 1101 S. Flagler, is merely clearing buildings as old as 60 years to make room for landscaped parking. The 70-foot strip of Flagler will be lined with “a fence of plants and trees that will make it a lot more pleasant ride.”

The church is putting in new parking lots, lighting and landscaping for it and Palm Beach Atlantic University, he said. It’s part of a redesign of the church campus.

The buildings being demolished included youth ministry buildings, a building for university students and a former medical clinic that has since moved to Congress Avenue and 45th Street, he said.

“Our primary church building is going to now be surrounded by beautiful landscape and trees that will accentuate the beautiful property God’s given us,” Mahoney said.

The project is across the street from the Chapel by the Lake site sold by the church to a developer. That site has been approved for construction of a 22-story condo tower.

05/05/2015

CTG PRESS RELEASE – SETTLEMENT

Citizens for Thoughtful Growth (CTG) has reached a settlement with the City of West Palm Beach and the developer (GAK Partners, LLC and Flagler Investors, LLC) in all pending litigation (3 matters) regarding the Chapel by the Lake project. Despite CTG’s strong opposition to the City’s actions in approving this project, the ability to continue engaging in litigation became insurmountable. The combined resources of the City and the developer (who shared the same attorneys and who the developer paid for at no cost to the City) could not be matched. CTG, in its best estimate, was being outspent by a margin of 10-1 with respect to fees and costs for legal services, experts, and lobbyists. Even though there was support from citizens, both financially and otherwise, CTG was willing but not in a financial position to continue its fight.

This is a bittersweet resolution for CTG. On one hand, CTG was not able to force the City to comply with its Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code on this specific project. On the other hand, a substantial and significant settlement has been reached which will allow CTG to be a financially viable and active organization to monitor and litigate, where appropriate, future issues of growth management through the conclusion of litigation, including those on Flagler Drive. Policy 3.1.2 of the Coastal Management Element of the City of West Palm Beach Comprehensive Plan explicitly states “Scenic vistas of the Lake Worth Lagoon and its associated habitat shall be preserved and enhanced.” CTG cannot comprehend why the Mayor and City Commission ignored (and will probably continue to ignore) this and other provisions of WPB’s Comprehensive Plan as mandated under law.

With this settlement, CTG is a stronger organization. But an organization like CTG is only as strong as its leadership, members, and their joint dedication in purpose and action. CTG is incredibly grateful for the support it has received from individual citizens through financial contributions and attendance at public hearings and Court hearings. CTG was able to fight as long and hard as it did because of generous support by its members. CTG is willing to refund donations back to its members if same is requested and will be in touch with donors in the very near future. CTG would ask that members seriously consider keeping their donation with CTG.

It is clear the City will continue to act in an arbitrary, ad hoc manner and will continue to favor developers who will spend whatever money is necessary on experts and lobbyists to get their projects approved. The ability of West Palm Beach to preserve and protect itself from massive non-compliant projects is to elect a responsible Mayor and City Commission who believe and commit to complying with the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code (along with any appropriate proposed changes to both) and who will seriously consider and balance the input of citizens against profit making developers in the future.

Remember, the current Mayor and Commissioners were only elected by approximately 19% of the voting public. So change is very attainable! CTG is “for the citizens of West Palm Beach” and requires your support. As Dr. Seuss taught us in The Lorax, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

03/23/2015

Please help Citizens with legal costs.
Donations may be mailed to Citizens for Thoughtful Growth
P.O. Box 3281
West Palm Beach, Fl 33402

03/23/2015

Judge tosses developer’s suit against tower opponents

Updated: 7:49 p.m. Friday, March 20, 2015

By Tony Doris - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer


WEST PALM BEACH —

Neighbors who oppose a 22-story condo on South Flagler Drive have filed a new petition to kill the project at the former Chapel by the Lake property and have won dismissal of the developer’s lawsuit against them.

A lawyer for developer G.A.K. Partners LLC says neither legal development will stop the project, which has twice won city commission approval. The lawyer, Michael Berman, said he plans to refile the suit against the neighbors.

Citizens for Thoughtful Growth on Tuesday petitioned an appellate court to quash the city’s Feb. 17 approval of the proposed 291-foot tall tower. Though the project is scaled down from its original 384-feet, the group asserts that it’s still too big for the 3.2 -acre site at 1112 S. Flagler Drive, for which the city comprehensive plan normally would require 10 acres.

The petition for writ of certiorari asserts that the city commission denied them due process of law by failing to follow proper procedures in the vote, using incorrect standards for considering the matter and failing to make proper disclosures about commissioners discussing the matter outside the public forum.

If this sounds familiar, there’s a reason: The city commission’s first approval also was appealed, and was struck down last December by an appellate panel. The commission failed to first have the Planning and Zoning Board give its recommendation on the project, the three-judge panel found.

So the project went back to the Planning and Zoning Board, which then recommended in favor of it. Then the commission voted its approval again on Feb. 17.

The new petition by the citizens group, filed by West Palm Beach attorney Robert Critton Jr., said that prior to that second approval, the city attorney incorrectly told the commissioners they could consider new information given at the hearing, not just whether the Planning Board acted properly, and did so without advance notice to the project opponents.

From the developer’s presentation at the meeting, Critton said, it was clear the city gave the developer advance notice. “They let the developer know but didn’t tell us.”

In a separate action, the developers sued Citizens for Thoughtful Growth, alleging they interfered with and delayed the project. The suit called for compensatory and possibly punitive damages.

Circuit court Judge Gregory Keyser dismissed that suit March 12, but gave G.A.K. the right to file an amended complaint within 30 days.

“They just want to ignore the fact that the city commission and planning board over and over again have approved this project and they just don’t like it,” Berman said. “These are the elected representatives of the City of West Palm Beach. They want the project and these people can continue to try to crawl through all the legal loopholes they want to but the city is going to continue to approve this project. It’s a good project for the city and for its residents.”

“It’s not loopholes,” Critton countered. “You have to comply with your comp plan. If not, you lose.”

03/02/2015

From Citizens for Thoughtful Growth:
The final vote of approval for the Chapel by the Lake Condo (aka the Bristol) "redo" will be taken tonight at the regularly scheduled meeting at 5 pm at City Hall.

As the news reports, the expectation is that the Commissioners will vote for approval.

Our legal challenge is active and will go forward.

Thank you for your interest and support. The saga continues as citizens fight for their voices to be heard insisting that the City abide by the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Zoning Code!

Contributions for legal costs are truly appreciated and needed.

Citizens for Thoughtful Growth
P.O. Box 3281
West Palm Beach, FL 33402

02/17/2015

From the Palm Beach Post today:
Tony Doris
Goin’ to the Chapel vote
February 17, 2015 | Filed in: Community, Downtown, Government.
Comments 1

Two city meetings Tuesday could determine the fate of the proposed Chapel by the Lake condo tower:

At a special meeting at 3 p.m., the city commission will hear an appeal by Citizens for Thoughtful Growth of the Planning Board’s Jan. 21 recommendation in favor of the project.

Then at 5 p.m., the commission during its regular meeting, is scheduled to vote on whether to give the project its initial OK.

Everything appeared to be a go when city commissioners approved the tower at 1112 S. Flagler Drive in January 2014, even though it was closer to adjacent properties than the city’s setback rules allow, requiring three times as much land as it has.

But a judge ordered a redo, since the commission gave its approval without first letting the planning board weigh in. Back it went to the planning board, which approved it, only to have that decision appealed by the group opposing the condo.

Opponents call the project a monstrosity; supporters say the luxury condos will be good for the city’s economy.

01/22/2015

Read this article people!!!! These are the same people who made the decision to sell Chapel By The Lake to developers who they knew intended to flagrantly violate zoning codes. These people are creeps. Get out and vote them all out of office!!!!!!!!!!!!

Inmate is daughter of powerful political figure

01/19/2015

Palm Beach Daily News weighs in:
By Lulu Ramadan
Daily News Staff Writer
When Toby Hartz used to look out the window of his waterfront home on Chilean Avenue, he saw the Chapel-by-the-Lake in the West Palm Beach skyline. Now, all he sees is a problem in desperate need of attention.
“My view will be completely and forever changed if this thing goes up,” he said.
Development of a 22-story condominium, named The Bristol, was approved by the West Palm Beach City Commission last January. The condos would be built near the Royal Palm Bridge, obscuring First Baptist Church, which owned the chapel until 2010, from view from across the waterfront.
“It’s a monstrosity,” Hartz said. “They didn’t do any studies on the traffic effects or the shadowing effects on Palm Beach residents.”
Many island residents agree
On Feb. 19, a group called Citizens for Thoughtful Growth filed two court actions against the city of West Palm Beach, claiming the commission approval of the condo broke city codes. The commission approved the condo despite the city planning board’s unanimous rejection of it several months earlier. The commission also approved the project as “residential planned development,” which requires at least 10 acres for development. The property is 3.2 acres.
Ten months of litigation resulted in a three-judge panel determining that the project has to go back to square one and get re-approved — starting with a city planning board vote Wednesday.
Palm Beach residents consider this an opportunity to speak out against the project.
“The infrastructure of the island is fragile,” said resident Jere Zenko, who also raised the issue at a Town Council meeting Tuesday. “The traffic, the density, the people, we don’t need any more of it.”
The project would generate $9 million in annual property tax revenue and create more than 1,000 jobs, developer Flagler Investors LLC told the Palm Beach Post earlier this month. The property had been cleared and prepared for development when the lawsuit delayed the project.
In a statement released Dec. 23, Flagler Investors said they don’t “foresee any issues” getting approval again.
“They’re interested in the taxes and that’s it,” Zenko said, referring to West Palm Beach officials. “They’re not considering anything else.”
Resident Henry “Rip” McIntosh started an email chain last week with more than 300 residents to inform them about the development.
“I’ve had people walk up to me saying they agree with me, and it’s a travesty that they’re trying to build,” McIntosh said. Residents are mainly concerned about the lack of research on potential traffic effects.
But they don’t plan to stay quiet about it.
Call to action
Hartz has handed more than 300 fliers urging residents to go to the upcoming planning board meeting in West Palm Beach.
“It’s an opportunity to have our voices heard,” Hartz said. “They unanimously shot down the project once before.”
About 50 residents plan to attend the meeting, he said. Kiwi Hilliard is one of them.
“You’re putting huge condominiums right next to the bridge where we already have traffic issues,” said Hilliard, who lives on South Lake Drive along the waterfront. “It’s bound to be a problem.”
A town divided
The condo concerns Palm Beach Planning and Zoning Commission chairwoman Susan Markin, too.
“If they allow this over-development, it will cause incredible density and traffic,” she said. “It will ruin the waterfront.”
According to Markin, the town can take information about the condo to state officials for review. If they determine that the project also affects Palm Beach, there are ways to appeal the project.
“The material can be reviewed to determine if development affects Palm Beach,” she said. “If effects are a potential problem, we can have a say in development.”
But Palm Beach isn’t planning any action right now, according to Town Manager Tom Bradford.
“I’ve heard concerns from residents, but no complaints have been filed,” Bradford said. When West Palm Beach residents voiced concerns about the condo at a Town Council meeting on Tuesday, the council agreed to discuss it at the Feb. 10 council meeting.
But the town needs time to analyze the project and determine if there are possible effects, Bradford said.
“If the development makes it more difficult for residents to drive through West Palm Beach, that’s an entirely different situation than if it spills over into our town causing traffic issues,” he said.
Markin said the issue needs more attention.
“It’s like it’s being downplayed,” she said. “The town has the right to give input in this. We certainly should be at the table.”
If the development is approved by the city planning board, it will go to the city commission for a vote. If the project is approved again, developers can start building.
“It’s a concern of ours, but of course none of the Palm Beach residents can vote on it,” McIntosh said. “The most we can do is stay informed and voice our concerns.”

01/14/2015

Dear Members, Supporters and Concerned Residents,

As you know, The Chapel by the Lake Condo project will again be heard by the West Palm Beach Planning Board as a result of the legal appeal of the previous approval by the City Commission and a ruling by a three judge panel in December.

West Palm Beach Planning Board Meeting:
January 21, 2015
6:00 pm
West Palm Beach City Hall - at the corner of Clematis Street and Dixie Highway

Many have requested updated information on the project. The attachment to this email provides such information that you might wish to consider is writing emails and/or speaking at the meeting.

Please ATTEND this very important meeting to make your thoughts known! Feel free to email us at [email protected] if you have questions or need additional information.

Thank you for your interest and support,

CTGWPB