The undersigned opposes the LGA 2022-020 Future Land Use Amendment due to the massively increased housing density, serious traffic concerns attached to the proposal, and extreme incompatibility with Palm Beach County's Comprehensive Plan due to its location between Thoroughbred Lake Estates and Fieldstone on 441/SR7. 

This petition is to STOP the LAND USE CHANGE proposed by Charles Scardina and AHC of Lake Worth, LLC.

This amendment would change HR-8, CL/8, and CL/2 to HR-8 and delete conditions in Ordinance 2009-005 that would limit the land use to LR-2.

A developer, Ansca, has submitted plans to build a 194-unit, four-story apartment complex on the small piece of land between Thoroughbred Lake Estates and Fieldstone. To do this, they’re asking the county to combine and rezone properties, taking an area that's currently zoned for 25 to 76 dwellings to 194 dwellings. Ansca's team is capitalizing on two county programs to do this: the Workforce Housing Program (WHP) and the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Program.

Specifically, the undersigned oppose this amendment for the following reasons:
Density: Our residents researched local zoning and planning before purchasing—and investing—in our communities. Per Ordinance 2009-005, this land should revert to LR-2 if not used for a Congregate Living Facility: “If developed residentially, other than as a CLF, the density shall be limited to Low Residential, two units per acre (LR-2).”  The 25 to 76 dwellings the property is currently zoned for is a far cry from the proposed 194 units (19 units per acre) or the staff’s recommendation of 178 dwellings (17 units per acre). This density is just too much.  Just one year ago, Palm Beach County’s commissioners recognized that there are limits to how far developers can go when using workforce housing bonuses to increase the density of their projects. On May 5, 2021, commissioners voted against an 80% increase in density—the same density PBC staff is recommending for this project. 

 
Lifestyle choices: The proposed land-use change doesn't respect our residents' lifestyle choices. We have chosen to live in a Low Residential / Agricultural-Residential area. As the county’s own comprehensive plan states: "It is the GOAL of Palm Beach County to recognize the diverse communities within the County [and] implement strategies to create and protect quality livable communities respecting the lifestyle choices for current residents […]" 

Incompatibility: Thoroughbred Lake Estates and Fieldstone are two established, low-residential single-family communities surrounded by acreage homes (AR) and other single-family communities. Adding a high-density apartment complex in the middle of two established SFH communities is incompatible and will harm our communities, which is not what the Workforce Housing Program was intended for.

Community character: The proposed apartment complex is four stories high, which doesn't reflect or preserve the quality and character of our local community. The nearest four-story apartments are within The Mall at Wellington Green's perimeter and abutting the turnpike. Nearby apartments are set far back from the street on 37 acres—a site that's nearly four times larger than Ansca’s 10.22-acre site. 

Existing WHP housing: The developer claims that the Congregate Living Facility (CLF) the property is currently zoned for isn’t needed because a CLF is across the street. The same can be said for the proposed apartment complex: Wellington Club Apartments, with 154 workforce housing units, is directly across the street. 

Traffic: The traffic in front of Thoroughbred Lake Estates and Fieldstone is already impossible to navigate—and these issues will only get worse when Windsong Estates opens across the street. 

Brentwood of Wellington apartment residents will need to U-turn directly in front of Fieldstone to enter the apartment complex. Drivers at this intersection have had countless near-misses as cars crowd the center lane and jockey for position to make U-turns or turns into Fieldstone, The Landing of Lake Worth Senior Living, and Wellington Club Apartments.  

Once it's completed, the apartment complex will add 1,055 peak-hour trips that will directly impact our residents.

Property values: The addition of a highly visible apartment complex will hurt home values. 

Real estate AVM models reveal that private backyard views add up to 10% to a home's value while private lake views add 30% to 50%. Many residents will be losing these private views and will have a more difficult time selling their homes and/or maintaining their home's value.

Additionally, this 2019 South Florida study by Florida State University's Department of Economics clearly states that “regardless of the type of rental, adding an additional rental unit to the neighborhood or increasing its neighborhood share at the expense of single-family owner-occupied homes lowers home values.” This is likely due to changing neighborhood character, maintenance and appearance (which our residents have no control over), and crime.

Safety: Our communities’ security and entry gates aren’t sufficient for a high-density, 194-unit rental complex next door. 
Privacy: Our residents will lose their privacy and views. At night, they'll see a lit parking lot and apartment lights instead of the private views they enjoy now. The sound transfer from the apartment complex and balconies will be amplified by our canals and lakes, which isn't something homeowners will be able to mitigate.
Contradictory staff recommendations: Palm Beach County’s staff states that the developer’s requested density of 19 units per acre “is significantly higher than the surrounding [land] uses.” Yet they justify that 200 feet of separation and cutting the density by 16 apartments solves this problem.

Developer pushback: The developer has not been transparent in its plans and, to date, has not offered reasonable concessions. The plans do not address our community's concerns and are motivated by profit. 

The proposed development does not align with the county's goals:

"...lifestyle choices for current residents, future generations, and visitors, and to promote the enhancement of areas in need of assistance."

"It is the GOAL of Palm Beach County to recognize the diverse communities within the County, to implement strategies to create and protect quality livable communities respecting the lifestyle choices for current residents, future generations, and visitors, and to promote the enhancement of areas in need of assistance."

"The [Workforce Housing Program Density Bonus] enhanced review is intended to balance the county's objectives of promoting the production of workforce housing while preserving the quality and character of existing communities."