Subject: Bring Back 3 Story Buildings
Alan Moore
No doubt developers will turn Boca into Miami by building 8 story apartment buildings and condos causing more and more congestion unless city council members are replaced with responsible people interested in maintaining the quality of life. Developers/syndicators build their mega projects and make their money and then leave. It is a political problem that can only be solved by electing better governance. For example, there used to be a building code limiting apartments and buildings to 3 stories, what happened to that restriction? So bring it back?
Letters From BocaFirst Readers
Sept 14 2023 – Joe Graubart
Subject: Boca Needs to be “The Safe City”
Joe Graubart
The more I get to know the city, the more disgusted I become w/ it! There is such an incredible disconnect between city management / Gov’t. and residents. I sincerely believe that the city manager has trained the council, so they do not understand their role in giving direction to the manager
Basically, the manager sets the agenda and the council appears to be going along for the ride.
What an excellent September newsletter!!
Sept 14 2023 – Andy V
Subject: Boca Needs to be “The Safe City”
Andy V
Boca government should take a time out and focus on the safety of its taxpayers. Speeding and running red lights needs immediate attention. It’s very serious and has been serious for some time!! Growth and planning are fine, but I don’t want to be a sacrificial lamb!!Ignoring this VERY serious problem
does not make me feel like my elected government cares about this serious issue!
Instead of being “The Tree City” lets become “The Safe City” ? I think it’s AT LEAST just as important to save lives as it is to save trees!
August 10 2023 – Michael French
Subject: The Zero Plan
Michael French
Hello, as a 40 year resident of Boca, observing the tolerated carnage and anarchy on our roads, the best place to start is LAW ENFORCEMENT! The blatant disrespect of the law and other motorists by drivers, cyclists, and motorcyclists ( yes you guys too!) is simply outrageous! We need people who drive/ cycle in Boca to KNOW they will be prosecuted for the illegal choices they make. Enough of the excuses of “ lack of resources , law is hard to enforce, we can’t stop all of “them”. It’s disgraceful for a town the size of Boca to have such a huge issue with this. The buck stops with those who have the authority to reduce the behaviors that cause these horrible events! If the powers that be would just start zeroing in on the incredible speeding , on Dixie we’d all hear & see the difference !
No more excuses!
July 16 2023 – Jack McWalter
Subject: Special interests control of Boca city council.
Jack McWalter
I was stunned when I presented to the city council on why the alley for Aletto Sq was 4 to 6 ft short. There was no dsicussion on my issue or any issues brought up other presenters. It was “a slam dunk ” as Alan pointed out. For 40 years I have been involved and this was the first time I saw a total lack of respect for any of us. It was like we are the enemy. Even Fran stuffed us with “Developers have rights”. Build Aletto Sq not the end of Boca but getting close but showing total lack of respect is not right. Elections have consequences lets organize and take back OUR city. Get MAD.
July 12 2023 – Antonia Gore
Subject: Just wringing one’s hands will not, can not, preserve Boca Raton.
Antonia Gore
BocaFirst is doing the necessary job of keeping citizens advised of the proposed and approved construction projects in downtown Boca Raton. It is good to know about these things. But it is necessary to DO something about them. An active effort against these projects at every stage should be designed and adopted. Candidates must be identified for the City Council who will defend the downtown area from these massive constructions. Citizens must get involved personally to appear before the City Council, lobby politicians and other citizens, and form alliances with businesses and other neighborhoods of Boca Raton that are facing similar problems. Something must be done. Just wringing one’s hands will not, can not, preserve Boca Raton.
June 6 2023 – Richard K
Subject: Boca Biking
RICHARD K.
While I agree that there are infrastructure concerns, it seems that no one is willing to address the responsibility of the actual cyclists to drive safely on the roadways that we have. The article gives many examples of poor lanes for the bikers, yet fails to address the abuse by this group (for example) on A1A. Groups of cyclists ride 4-5 abreast, into the entire vehicle lanes and obstruct traffic. These groups of riders weave in and out of their positions as if they are riding in a competition, with no attention to traffic. Many choose to ride during ‘rush hour’ on the busiest roadways we have (Glades Rd), and then complain that it’s unsafe. Rarely do they stay in the ‘bike lane’ or observe traffic light signals, instead going through red lights as if their right of way supersedes everything else (including pedestrians). As a grandparent of a world-class competitive cyclist (who does not live in South Florida), it’s time to call out these bikers and have them take some responsibility.
Subject: Better ways to waste $250K
Andy V
We can keep bike deaths down and crazy people from running lights, if we had a rotating traffic squad, of non-police officers to enforce traffic laws! Crazy to have expensive police officers doing this work when a special task force of traffic enforcers could make the City safer, at a much lower cost ( mobile Meter Maids). In three months the word would be out that Boca is serious about traffic law enforcement. Maybe cross-train Accident Investigation Officers ( already on the payroll) to expand their scope of service to include traffic enforcement….. between accident calls.The issue deserves study and low cost action.
If we’re going to “grow the City” additional building application fees should go to a traffic enforcement fund to “help” ensure good traffic law enforcement. Growth and proper law enforcement are not mutually exclusively concepts!
March 21 2023 – Kristina Moser
March 15 2023 – Larry Snowden
Subject: March 2023 Election Result is Fantastic
Larry Snowden
Our city just voted overwhelmingly to stop an effort to significantly weaken our term limits law! This election result is fantastic! Thank you Brian Stenberg, Jack Furnari, Tracy Caruso, Deputy Mayor O’Rourke, Council Member Fran Nachlas, Les Wilson and many, many others that worked hard to defeat the measure! It’s most unfortunate that taxpayers had to spend $.25M on this single issue election, one that was a self serving measure that would only benefit three politicians had it passed.