Boca Raton City Council Regular Meeting – October 13, 2026

The Boca Raton City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The portion of the meeting reflected in the transcript convened at approximately 1:05 PM and adjourned at 2:15 PM. Mayor Andy Thomson presided except during the Park Tower quasi-judicial hearing, when he recused himself because his law firm leases office space in a building proposed for demolition; Deputy Mayor Michelle Grau presided over that item. The Council removed the 1150 Innovation Center items from the agenda, adopted minutes and the consent agenda, acted on a removed consent item, held two regular public hearings, introduced three ordinances, and heard public requests.

Consent Calendar

• The Council approved the consent agenda, minus item B, by a 5–0 vote. Approved items included the Stryker stretcher/power cots purchase ($345,000); furniture supply and installation services ($275,000); office supplies with ODP Business Solutions ($230,000); and Resolutions 124-2026 (March 9, 2027 municipal election), 125-2026 (Black & Veatch raw water wells/transmission main work), 126-2026 and 127-2026 (asphalt paving and sidewalk construction services), 129-2026 (Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #35 one-year collective bargaining agreement), and 130-2026 (Sutphen aerial ladder truck purchase). Councilmember Drucker specifically thanked staff and police for the FOP agreement.
• The minutes of the September 22, 2026 workshop meeting, regular meeting, and final budget hearing were adopted without correction.

Item 8B: Revocable Parking License – Fletchers Restaurant (Resolution 123-2026)

• Staff described a three-year revocable license granting Fletchers Restaurant, LLC four valet parking spaces on First Avenue, from 5:00 PM to midnight, at $7,700 per space per year. Staff said the rate was calculated using the current policy of requested hours times the applicable area rate, essentially assuming continuous occupancy during charged hours.
• Councilmember Drucker objected to treating private use of public meter spaces as routine, cited a comparable arrangement she said generated approximately $1 million per year for 98 spaces, and asked staff to develop a market-value methodology for future arrangements.
• The Council approved Resolution 123-2026 by a 3–2 vote: yes – Drucker, Pearlman, Thomson; no – Grau, Sipple.

Quasi-Judicial Public Hearing: Park Tower at Broken Sound (Resolution 122-2026)

• Staff presented the site plan amendment for 1075 and 1095 NW Broken Sound Parkway, an approximately 5.03-acre property zoned LIRP with a CIMD. The proposal would replace the existing one-story industrial building with an eight-story, 97-unit, approximately 185,219-square-foot multifamily residential building, including 10% affordable housing units (10 units), an integrated two-level approximately 89,976-square-foot parking structure, and a separate 2,100-square-foot retail/restaurant building. The existing three-story office building would remain.
• Staff recommended approval with conditions, including revising parapets from five feet six inches to five feet, enclosing the exterior staircase, replacing the existing FICUS trees if they die, and conducting a post-occupancy study of the new four-leg intersection. Staff said the project was recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Board on October 1, 2026, by a 5–0 vote.
• Applicant Carl Anthony Klepper said the project requests no variances or technical deviations, provides 363 parking spaces versus 354 required, includes 10 affordable units at 120% of Palm Beach County AMI, and would add only one AM peak trip and six PM peak trips compared with the existing use.
• Ex parte communications were disclosed: Councilmember Drucker reported a meeting, property visit, text, and phone call; Deputy Mayor Grau reported a meeting scheduled and then cancelled. The City Clerk administered the oath to potential speakers.
• Mayor Thomson recused himself and did not participate. The Council approved Resolution 122-2026 by a 3–1 vote: yes – Sipple, Grau, Drucker; no – Pearlman; Thomson recused.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Earl Starkov favored the Park Tower project because it is code-compliant, but raised concerns about traffic and parking perceptions in the Park of Commerce and called for an updated citywide strategic plan.
• Richard Warner called the Park Tower project 'harmless' but criticized the lack of workforce housing, arguing the city should not keep developing without housing for people who work in the community.
• Mike Liebelson praised the applicant for presenting directly and for requesting no variances, supported the project, and urged the city to conduct comprehensive traffic planning, hire its own traffic engineers, and fund such work through developer contributions.
• During public requests, Mike Liebelson repeated his call for a citywide traffic study and workshop. Raquel Paul proposed making the city of Boca Raton the obligee on construction bonds to prevent unfinished projects. Fran Knackless asked how many CIMD residential units remain after this approval. Shannon Otto raised safety concerns about fast e-bikes, wheelies, and riders who are not licensed or visible, and asked for licensing and age standards.
• Richard Warner also applauded the repeal of the nuisance-animal feeding ordinance, calling it unenforceable and a misuse of code enforcement resources.

Regular Public Hearings

• Ordinance 5808: The Council adopted the ordinance increasing the City Manager's settlement authority from $50,000 to $100,000, updating a 1998 limit. There was no public comment. The vote was 5–0.
• Ordinance 5809: The Council repealed Ordinance 5792, which prohibited feeding certain nuisance animals, and removed the related direct-citation enforcement provision. Councilmember Sipple and Deputy Mayor Grau said the original ordinance stemmed from an isolated neighborhood dispute, created selective enforcement concerns, and was not good citywide policy. Mayor Thomson proposed an amendment to strike only the pigeon-feeding prohibition while retaining bans on feeding iguanas, rats, and mice, but the amendment died for lack of a second. The Council then adopted the full repeal by a 4–1 vote: yes – Grau, Drucker, Pearlman, Sipple; no – Thomson.

Introduction of Ordinances

• Ordinance 5790, introduced by Councilmember Drucker, would amend the Downtown Plan to add a policy promoting long-term certainty, stability, and continuity in the ownership and stewardship of CRA-owned property, including Mizner Park.
• Ordinance 5810, introduced by Deputy Mayor Grau, would authorize a non-exclusive Construction and Demolition Debris Collection and Disposal Services Franchise Agreement with Denco LLC d/b/a Dr Rubble.
• Ordinance 5811, introduced by the Mayor, would repeal Chapter 18, 'Vehicles for Hire,' in its entirety.

Reports and Announcements

• City Manager George Sohaney reported that staff toured Memorial Park to understand existing conditions, emphasized the importance of community input, and stated renovation work is targeting readiness for Q1 or Q2 2027. He also announced the city's first 'HAL OWEAN' pet-friendly event.
• Deputy Mayor Grau announced a joint meeting with the Beach and Parks District on October 26 at 6:00 PM. Councilmember Drucker noted an upcoming second annual mobility day, with an approximate time of 4:30–6:30 PM.

Key Outcomes

• Removed the 1150 Innovation Center agenda items (Resolutions 77-2026 and 78-2026).
• Approved the consent agenda minus item B by a 5–0 vote.
• Approved Resolution 123-2026 for the Fletchers Restaurant parking license by a 3–2 vote.
• Approved Resolution 122-2026 for Park Tower at Broken Sound by a 3–1 vote, with Mayor Thomson recused.
• Adopted Ordinance 5808 by a 5–0 vote and Ordinance 5809 by a 4–1 vote.
• Introduced Ordinances 5790, 5810, and 5811.
• The proposed amendment to Ordinance 5809 to preserve the iguanas, rats, and mice feeding prohibitions while removing only the pigeon prohibition failed for lack of a second.