Boca Raton City Council Workshop on Government Campus Redevelopment – May 27, 2025

The Boca Raton City Council held a workshop on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at 8:04 AM to receive policy direction on the interim master plan for the Government Campus Redevelopment Partnership Opportunity. Council members and staff discussed development intensity, recreation programming, community center design, City Hall options, and the balance of green space versus tennis facilities. No formal votes were taken, but consensus emerged on several key policy points to guide staff and the development team (Terra Frisbee) ahead of a June 10, 2025 meeting for formal action on the interim master plan.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Judy Morrow (1305 NE Boca Raton, resident for 35 years) urged keeping eight tennis courts downtown, stating tennis players would be customers for retail and restaurants. She also requested a recreation task force and noted that the meeting time change (to 8 AM) inconvenienced working parents.
• Dr. Lorraine Blank (545 NW 7th St) alleged legal violations including lack of environmental assessment, failure to protect trees/wetlands, no level-of-service analysis, and displacement of recreational assets without a required referendum per City Charter. She requested the city halt further action until compliance is achieved.
• John Perlman (address not stated) argued that the city's calculation of existing active recreational acreage omitted the large grassy field east of the basketball court (approx. 2 acres) and the children's playground, which would make the new plan equal to or less than existing space. He also requested that the working financial negotiating documents be made public.
• Craig Ernst (1500 Parkside Circle S, Beach and Parks District Commissioner) emphasized the importance of flexibility in the interlocal agreement and noted that covered outdoor spaces are a priority for the district.

Discussion Items

• Government Campus Interim Master Plan Presentation – Rob Frisbee (Terra Frisbee) presented three options for the site: maximum public green space (Option 1), balanced (Option 2), and world-class tennis (Option 3). Key updates included reducing residential units from ~1,100 to 912 (217 fewer units), increasing recreational green space by 20%, improving pedestrian safety with narrower travel lanes and buffered bike lanes, and adding ground-floor retail along Palmetto. The plan now includes a full-size outdoor basketball court, a children's playground, and flexible community center spaces.
• Staff and CBRE Observations – Deputy City Manager Andy Lukasick and Development Services Director Brandon Shad outlined policy decision points: confirming development program densities/intensities, staff recommendation to prioritize public green space over tennis downtown (with a dedicated tennis center at Meadows Park), and a governance City Hall (approx. 30,000 sq ft) focusing on council chambers and front-facing services. Staff also raised concerns about 90-degree parking (now changed to 60-degree angled), need for a multimodal hub near Brightline, and varied architecture to avoid a planned look.
• Council Discussion on Recreation and Community Center – Council members debated the number of tennis courts downtown. Councilwoman Nakless advocated for retaining six clay courts downtown and removing indoor pickleball and locker rooms, emphasizing recreational access. Mayor Singer and others favored Option 1 or 2 with four to six courts downtown (possibly elevated on a parking structure) and a six-court clay facility at Meadows Park, noting that well-oriented courts and greater efficiency at Meadows could serve league play. Councilwoman Drucker and Councilman Wigner stressed the need for cost data before finalizing court numbers. Councilman Thompson reiterated his preference for no displacement of existing recreation. Consensus emerged to exclude locker rooms and indoor pickleball from the community center, keep a flexible indoor gymnasium space, and explore a multi-court field house at North Park in partnership with the Beach and Park District.
• City Hall Options – CBRE presented four scenarios, with the governance City Hall (under 30,000 sq ft) receiving broad support. Council agreed this should include a flexible council chamber suitable for community events, with partial relocation of administrative offices out west for cost efficiency.
• Density and Intensity – Council acknowledged the reduction in residential units from 1,100 to 912. Councilwoman Drucker noted that in a truly walkable, transit-oriented project, higher density could be appropriate with less parking, but accepted the reduction as a step forward. Councilman Thompson maintained that the development remains too dense and intense, and reiterated concerns about the rapid timeline and lack of full financial analysis.

Key Outcomes

• City Hall – Council agreed to pursue the governance City Hall model (approx. 30,000 sq ft downtown) with flexible council chambers, while relocating back-office functions to more cost-effective sites elsewhere. Staff will continue exploring temporary short-term leases.
• Community Center – Council directed staff to forgo locker rooms, showers, and indoor pickleball courts. The center should provide flexible multi-purpose spaces (e.g., meeting rooms, indoor gymnasium for casual recreation) and avoid intensive athletic programming. An outdoor full-size basketball court will remain.
• Tennis and Recreation – No final number set, but council leaned toward a balanced approach: 4 clay courts downtown (possibly elevated to allow flexible covered space underneath) plus 6 clay courts at Meadows Park (for a total of 10 clay courts). Council also supported expanded hours and better programming at existing tennis facilities. Staff will evaluate costs and provide updated options by June 10.
• Green Space – Council supported maximizing public green space between City Hall and the community center (Option 1/2) rather than a tennis-heavy layout (Option 3). The multimodal hub (for buses, bikes, scooters) will be located behind City Hall, slightly reducing green space east of Second Avenue but improving connectivity.
• Density and Intensity – Council accepted the reduced residential density (912 units) and directed staff to proceed with a mix of rental and for-sale units (including affordable housing options). The overall development intensity is lower than what current downtown regulations allow.
• Next Steps – Staff will incorporate council feedback into comments due to Terra Frisbee by May 29. Formal recognition of the interim master plan (direction on uses, density, intensity, and framework) is scheduled for the June 10, 2025 council meeting. Financial analysis, traffic studies, and legal agreements (master partnership agreement) will continue through the summer, with final action planned for October 2025.