Boca Raton City Council Regular Meeting - November 4, 2025

The Boca Raton City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, beginning at approximately 10:54 AM. Council Member Drucker was absent. The central discussion revolved around the Government Campus Redevelopment Partnership Opportunity (Item 10A), including an appraisal scope debate, a new land trust preservation proposal by Council Member Wigder, and extensive public comment. The Consent Agenda was approved 4-0, an ordinance was introduced, and flooding concerns were addressed during council member reports.

Consent Calendar

• Item 9A (Intergovernmental): Approved contracts for mulch supply and delivery ($338,600), a beach tractor replacement ($207,534), and two wheel loader replacements ($531,697) for Public Works.
• Item 9B (Resolution No. 165-2025): Authorized an agreement with Walters Zackria Associates for architectural services on the Public Works Complex Expansion Design.
• Item 9C (Resolution No. 166-2025): Authorized an annual traffic signal maintenance contract with Gerelco Traffic Controls, Inc.
• Item 9D (Resolution No. 167-2025): Granted a non-exclusive easement to Florida Power & Light at 3001 W Yamato Road.
• The Consent Agenda was moved, seconded, and passed unanimously (4-0).

Government Campus Redevelopment Partnership Opportunity

Council heard a presentation from Rob Frisbee (Terra Frisbee) and a staff update from Deputy City Manager Andy Lucasik on the proposed public-private partnership.

Presentation of Revised Plan: Mr. Frisbee stated the project was "fundamentally redesigned" based on community feedback. The new plan shifts all private development to surface lots and vacant buildings east of 2nd Avenue, reducing the leased area from 31 acres to "just under eight acres." He emphasized that Memorial Park will remain entirely publicly owned and can be improved using project revenue. The goal is to place the final agreement on the ballot for a public vote.

Land Trust Proposal (Council Member Wigder): Council Member Wigder proposed creating a "Boca Raton Memorial Park Land Trust," a 501(c)(3) nonprofit modeled on the Winter Park Land Trust. The trust would own and preserve Memorial Park in perpetuity. A portion of ground lease revenue from the proposed development would endow the trust, creating a dedicated, protected funding stream for park maintenance and improvements, independent of city general fund pressures or potential state preemptions on property taxes.

Council Deliberation on Appraisal Scope: Appraisals are being conducted to evaluate the property value. Council Member Thomson argued strongly that the appraisal should focus exclusively on the 7-8 acres subject to the ground lease to avoid public confusion and maintain focus on the current deal. Deputy Mayor Nachlas and Council Member Wigder advocated for completing the full 31-acre appraisal as initially requested, noting the value of understanding the entire campus's worth. Director Lucasik confirmed staff can proceed in either direction but had already started the broader assessment. The council did not take a formal vote to halt the broader appraisal, allowing it to continue alongside the specific parcel analysis.

Key Upcoming Meeting: Staff and Terra Frisbee will return on November 18, 2025, with finalized financial data, ground lease terms, and the completed appraisals.

Public Comments & Testimony

On the Government Campus Redevelopment:

• John Perlman (498 NE A St): Condemned the project and accused the council of trying to "bulldoze Memorial Park." He argued the Charter Amendment is the only way to protect parks.
• Mike Liebelson (398 NE 3rd Ct): Expressed cautious interest in the land trust concept but stated the developer's revenue projections ("billions of dollars") are "totally false." He emphasized the importance of accurate appraisals.
• Martha Parker (64 NW 7th St): Called for transparency, specifically questioning undisclosed relationships between council members and the developer's campaign consultants, stating "trust has been broken."
• Rich Grubell (738 NW 6th St): Asked where the public can access detailed financial analysis, feasibility studies, and the full proposal outline, requesting direction to the relevant documents.
• Steve Zumtobel (840 Oleander St): Claimed as a CPA that P3 projects "overstate revenues, underestimate costs." He argued the city has ample tax revenue from recent development to revitalize Memorial Park on its own without leasing public land.
• Joe Majus (254 NE 5th St): Supported responsible development but stated "Save Boca is not about anti-development. We are anti-corruption and collusion." He criticized council for not putting the P3 project to a bond vote like the police station.
• Ellie Gascoyne (641 NW 15th Ct): Strongly opposed the plan, stating "green buildings are not open, accessible or usable green space." She praised Save Boca's petition efforts.
• Jonathan Unjin (6501 Congress Ave): Advocated for genuine community engagement through workshop-style meetings where the public can interact with plans A, B, and C.
• Eileen Nicole Taylor (non-resident, notary for Save Boca): Opposed the density and traffic impacts, supporting the charter amendment to protect all city parks.
• Richard Warner (1322 SW 9th Terr): Called the land trust proposal a "Hail Mary smokescreen" and urged the council to stop the project, stating the battle is "literally for the heart and soul of Boca."

During Public Requests:

• John Perlman: Issued a formal public records request for the appraisal company engagement letter, scope of work, and all documents related to the "City Center TOC" regulations that might supersede existing zoning. He noted Terra Frisbee has possessed an appraisal for months while the city does not.
• Judy Morrow (1305 NE 5th Ave): Stated the city should design and fund park improvements itself, arguing developer designs for the park are not needed. She also highlighted unmet maintenance needs at the Boca Raton Tennis Center.
• Martha Parker: Raised urgent concerns about severe flooding in the Spanish Village area, stating water reached three feet deep, and urged the city to include the neighborhood in drainage improvement plans.
• Richard Warner: Questioned the return on investment of city marketing efforts and challenged the project's traffic and infrastructure assumptions, urging the council to halt the project.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Adopted unanimously (4-0).
• Ordinance No. 5758: Introduced (Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Fourth Budget Amendment). No vote was taken.
• Appraisal Direction: Staff was directed to continue appraisal work on the government campus. While a disagreement existed on whether to appraise the full 31 acres versus just the ground lease parcels, the previously authorized broader appraisal remains in progress alongside the specific analysis.
• Land Trust Concept: Council Member Wigder's Memorial Park Land Trust proposal was formally introduced for consideration as a potential framework to protect parkland and fund improvements through a dedicated revenue stream.
• Next Steps: The council is scheduled to receive detailed financial data, appraisal results, and a refined ground lease proposal at the November 18, 2025 meeting.
• Flooding Concerns: Council Member Wigder displayed photographs of severe flooding in the Old Floresta neighborhood following a storm that dropped "six-plus inches in about two hours." Staff was asked to investigate drainage improvements in impacted areas, including Spanish Village and Old Floresta.
• Community Events: Mayor Singer announced the city's Veterans Day tribute ("Red, White & Boca") on November 11 at Meisner Park Amphitheater and directed residents to report flooding concerns via the MyBoca app.