PBCEC March Meeting and Announcements

[Message to the PBCEC list]
Hopefully by now you already have the first monday of every month marked on your calendar for our monthly PBCEC meetings. March 3rd, 7pm, Howleys. We´ll be at it again... Our protest last week got more attention to the West County Energy Center than ever before. Now practically everyone across the county (and beyond) knows about the WCEC and they know the potential power of protest. Feb 18th was a success for our movement, we shut down construction for the day. Now we must continue on until the plant is stopped for good! So come help us plan our next attacks on FPL´s dirty energy plans and greenwashing scandals!!

For those who have Monday, Feb. 3 open in the daytime, there will be a court hearing for the arrestees from the WCEC protest at 8:30am in the downtown courthouse. We will meet at 8am out front along Dixie for a short support rally and then join them in court on the 9th floor, 9G, to silently show community support for the activists who risked their freedom and safety to bring our message to FPL and the public.

panagioti tsolkas
PBCEC co-chair
www.pbcec.blogspot.com

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Upcoming Events:
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-County Commission meeting on ´Development in the Central Western Communities´ TODAY (3/26) 3pm! please try and get there if you can!! [below is a statement from one concerned local resident about the County´s plans] meeting is a Commission Chambers, downtown WPB, 301 N. Olive

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-West Palm Beach Airport Expansion meetings Wed. & Thurs (2/27 & 2/28), 5:30pm, at the Airport Hilton, 150 Australian Ave. The FAA wants to expand West Palm Int´l. PBCEC intends to question this expansion, and possibly challenge it´s progress. We share the concerns of local residents and we also bring the global concern of the impact airplanes have on climate change. Scientists have identified air travel as a leading culprit of greenhouse gas emissions. for more info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050204213009.htm

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-WEST FEST (a great opportunity to hand out flyers and talk with people about environmental isues): from Chembers West website: ¨The Palms West Chamber is delighted to once again present the largest 2-day family festival out in the Western communities. In celebration of our Chamber's 25th anniversary, we're going 'Green' and bringing in national musical artists, local artists, food, amusements for the children, crafters, and much more! Join the thousands of spectators and be a part of the excitement!! Saturday, March 1st, 2008, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Sunday, March 2nd, 2008, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.¨

Okeeheelee Park 7715 Forest Hill Boulevard West Palm Beach, FL 33413
Admission Price: $10.00 (Children 7 and under free); $15.00 2-day Pass; $30.00 Daily Family 4-Pack; Free Parking!

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PBC Environmental Meet-up group at Boca Raton Whole Foods, 2pm, Saturday March 1st

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Energy Film Festival, March 15, 1:30-4:30pm, West Atlantic Branch PBC Library, 7777 W. Atlantic Ave, Delray. Sponsored by Sierra Club. Free. For more info contact 561-330-2955

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STOP CALLERY JUDGE... AGAIN!

Message from a concerned resident of the Central Western Communities:

¨Residents planning their own communities is GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE in the purest form. Residents of the Central Western Communities set balanced, reasonable and responsible long-term limits on this developer that must be honored by representatives of the people.

Our County Comprehensive Plan won a national award for Smart Growth based on The Governor's Commission for a Sustainable South Florida. Because development of agricultural holdings in the Central Western Communities impacts county taxpayers, fiscal and natural resources and western expansion this Sector was pre-planned consistent with our award-winning Smart Growth comprehensive plan. This 4,000 acre orange grove was pre-planned in one of the five State Sector Plans assigned to the Central Western Communities. The people of Palm Beach County already paid for long-term public policy to restrain this property to Smart Growth.

Transportation Element Public Policies 1.4 r-t and 2004-02 Sector Plan public policy removed E Rd./140th from the Transportation Map. The 5-5-07 Callery hearing shows residents and city leaders asking for the 2004-02 Sector Plan to be reinstated. Leaders of the Central Western Communities sent resolutions to remove E Rd/140th from the Transportation Map. Instead, this Board removed Smart Growth public policy and kept E Rd./140th in play. If the project is 3,000 units total at build-out then prove it by removing E Rd./140th from the Transportation Map right now.

Is the proposal consistent with 9J-5 at build-out? The 2004-02 Sector Plan allowed this property owner to solve the Urban Sprawl deficiencies in the sector by centrally providing most of the non-residential for the entire sector, not adding to the sprawl density/intensity that "surround the parcel" (Agricultural Enclave s. 163.3162-5).

The applicant opposed Sector Plan balanced and profitable public planning on this 4,000 acres in the Rural Tier and tried instead to phase in 4 million sq. ft. of non-residential and 10,000 units under a 5-mile DRI. Failing this he negotiates 3,000 units that makes less money for his shareholders than Sector Plan?

That makes no sense. The developer makes money only if the complete impacts of the land use changes of the proposal at build-out are not factored and presented again. This proposal avoids the DRI process. What long-term limits protect the Central Western Communities from pieces of this orange grove phasing in more density/intensity, roads and traffic in the future?

Seven years of political and legal negotiations at State and County level removed public policy for Smart Growth limits on this property as a Specific Area Plan under Sector Plan and our award-winning Comprehensive Plan. This developer even had the PBC Board of County Commissioners investigated. Please do not be afraid to deny thepretext of a political proposal that is inconsistent with Agricultural Enclave criteria and avoids comprehensive 20-mile DRI protection for the Central Western Communities.

The proposal is contiguous to Florida Crystals. Do not use the precedence of this proposal, the FPL Plant, the new Garbage Dump and extending the USAB and widening arterials westward to override
livable/sustainable Smart Growth and further political plans for Westward Ho! to the Everglades.

How will the needs of current residents be solved by allotting taxes, roads and water to this developer? How do the land use changes impact the Central Western communities at build-out? What specific community wide and environmental benefits (flow way, open space, town center, civic uses, etc.) detailed in the 2004-02 Sector Plan are guaranteed at build-out? How much more of our taxes, roads and water do new residents need at build-out? How does the proposal affect
Gridlock at build-out?

"In good faith" the public was required to pay planners and attend fourteen years of thousands of meetings to satisfy due process to compile public policy for comprehensive sustainable Smart Growth but politicians and developers negotiate and dictate development of our
communities?

If DRI criteria and Smart Growth policy to protect resources, provide central civic uses, prohibit strip commercial and balance roads and traffic and water is gone and E Rd. is still in play in the Sector then comprehensive sustainability and livable/sustainable community form is lost and the purpose of an Overlay is unclear.

In summary, either politics or Smart Growth will decide the future of the Central Western Communities. Other than politics there is no reason to approve this proposal. Since the DCA Sector Plan is still in effect the BCC should honor the plans of residents of District 6 by
DENYING this proposal and restoring Smart Growth to residents and fair return on investment for the developer by a completed Specific Area Plan under Sector Plan 2004-02 public policy consistent with our national award-winning Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan. If the project is only 3,000 units at build-out and the BCC uses 2004-02 Sector Plan Smart Growth public policy, the developer makes more money for investors and the public and environment are better served, protected and empowered long term.

Challenge the BCC to do the right thing for people and environment right now!¨