"WHEN WE SEE LAND AS A COMMUNITY TO WHICH WE BELONG, WE MAY BEGIN TO USE IT WITH LOVE AND RESPECT."    -Aldo Leopold

Stand Up for Our Farms: Save Delray Beach’s Ag Reserve ITS FREE TO SIGN! When a list of donation options appear, click "NO, I WILL SHARE INSTEAD". 

Our beloved Delray Beach Agricultural Reserve - spanning from Boca Raton to Boynton Beach - is under potential threat from a proposed 50-acre, large-scale warehouse/distribution development that poses serious risks to local farms and horse facilities. Our understanding is that this proposal is not just a threat to our agricultural community. It endangers a way of life cherished by many residents who enjoy the open spaces, as well as farmers who have owned agriculture businesses for generations.

If approved, this project could erase one of Palm Beach County’s last remaining agricultural areas. Located on Starkey Road at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and the Florida Turnpike, the project site is zoned to permit development that supports and benefits the Agricultural Reserve. However, project documents have raised concerns about the actual scale and intended purpose of the proposed development, including references to plans for approximately 65 truck loading docks. 

An independent logistics expert concluded that 300,000 square feet of the project is structured to operate as a high-traffic distribution center, not a warehouse. A separate traffic study reveals that the project is expected to create up to 5,000 traffic trips a day, with semitrailers representing a large portion. This will cause significant traffic issues throughout the Ag Reserve, interfering with ongoing farming operations. The project is a pressing concern for farmers who rely on timely transportation to move their goods and effectively manage their land. Increased traffic and infrastructure changes pose a direct threat to the functionality and productivity of these agricultural lands and can lead to a decline in production.

Semitrailers and Farm Equipment:

Beyond the agricultural impact, there are grave safety concerns for the horse farms within the reserve, particularly Irish Acres, a boarding and post-surgery, specialized equine care facility.  The introduction of constant traffic presents inherent risks to the well-being of horses and the effectiveness of rehabilitation processes, which require a quiet and stable environment. Noise and pollution from the traffic will specifically affect the health and well-being of horses and other animals kept at these facilities. The peace and tranquility that are pivotal to their care and recovery will be shattered, causing stress and potential physical harm.

Traffic will also block the reserve's vital horse trail system that connects to neighboring horse farms and open spaces. Agricultural owners in the reserve are deeply worried that this proposal could put their farms and businesses at risk. Many of these operations have thrived for generations, contributing to the local economy and providing fresh, local produce and foliage to Delray Beach and its surrounding communities. 

Farm equipment and semitrailers do not mix. We must stand together to protect the Delray Beach Agricultural Reserve from irreversible, industrial-scale development. Palm Beach County Commissioners need to be reminded of the adverse effects it could have on our community’s health, safety, and way of life. Our reserve's beautiful open spaces are at risk of being replaced with semitrailers and unneeded storage and distribution space.

 Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the project at a hearing on Thursday, September 24, at 301 N. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach, FL 33401. The hearing starts at 9:30 a.m. Please join us at the hearing to urge commissioners to vote NO on this development project to save open space, our local farms, and the equestrian facilities we cherish. Sign the petition to ensure our community’s voice is heard, and to protect the Agricultural Reserve for future generations.

Save the Agriculture Reserve for Agriculture (SARA)