Singer Island Area News of The Week: 

After Supreme Court win over Riviera, man envisions floating homes - Palm Beach Post- Fane Lozman tours his property on the western shore of Singer Island in Riviera Beach, Fla. on Wednesday, August 13....
 

[ Editor's note:  Below is an image from the property appraisers office showing property lines on the 29 parcels in this area of Singer Island (for context and perspective). The area in red is the main property mentioned in this article.  Click here for video/audio  (at 20 seconds into this video) for this weeks' public comments on the owner's plans for developing a "$150 million dollar community of 40 floating homes on this 29 acre parcel" (again highlighted below in red below. Note: there are 28 other parcels in green) and please click to view: SICA's Point of View on Lagoon Development ] 
 

Day to define vision and future in Palm Beach County - Sun Sentinel- Pollution from suburban-type runoff would drain into the C-51 Basin, and from there into Lake Worth Lagoon. Planting seagrass and oyster ... 

Happy Skyscraper Day! The 5 tallest buildings in Palm Beach - Palm Beach Post (blog)- The 42 story Tiara and The Ritz-Carlton Residences at 2700 North Ocean, Singer Island, 27 stories. The Ritz-Carlton Residences at 2700 North Ocean Blvd. Photo: ...

[ Editor's note: sorry folks it was a slow week in the news!  Sometimes less is more. ]  
 

CommUNITY Voice: 

Neighbors, we got a bunch of input in this week on Ocean Mall and other issues.  PLEASE keep sending in your comments, ideas and input ...to be shared here next week! 

From: Lyn H
Subject: Blue Heron Bridge

My husband and I feel so blessed to live in PBS/Singer Island.  For exercise, I walk the Blue Heron Bridge everyday, enjoying the beautiful scenery, boats and the amazing reformation of the bridge during the past three years.  However, I am disgusted by the filth fishermen leave behind: dead fish, bait, seaweed, and personal trash that they cannot travel two feet to dispose of in the available trash cans.  This results in a horde of flies throughout this unkempt area.

Riviera Beach Public Works Dept. is very diligent about cleaning up after these unsavory characters, even resorting to using bleach to cleanse the contaminated area.

Another issue....there are signs posted on the small bridge stating "do not block walkway."  Yet, tackle boxes and fishing poles continually hamper pedestrians' ease of walking.

My question...why can't fishing from the bridge be banned since there is a "fishing" bridge in Phil Foster park?

From: Roe K.
Subject: Ocean Mall business input
I would love to see Yoga and/or Pilates or any kind of health food/book store. Thank you for all your help!

From: Pauline C.
Subject: Possible Tenants for Ocean Mall
Starbucks, ice cream, casual but good food, restaurant. Wawa is coming into FL but think they prefer freestanding bldgs ( we are from Philly where Wawa started and they are iconic and amazing stores- much better than Seven Eleven)

From: Diane@Tiara
Subject: Possible Tenants for Ocean Mall
We bought on Singer Island one year ago this month.  By now I would have thought the Ocean Mall would have been complete with stores and overflowing with people traffic.  To say that I'm disappointed is an understatement - until now.  I have faith that there will be movement - and am thrilled to have found the SICA newsletter this past month.  Plus while still part timers on SI, I tune in and watch Dawn every opportunity I get while in town.  Thank you for representing us.  I know its no easy task!
My family of four (husband and 2 teenagers) would love to see:  A dunkin donuts (or similar donut/bagel shop); a Rita's (or similar ice cream/yogurt shop) and a pizzeria (we have yet to find good pizza in the Singer Island/PBG area!).  Personally I would also love a jewelry store, a upscale clothing shop (for casual wear a few steps above Wings please) and an art gallery full of local artists work!  I would frequent all - we promise!

From: Robert S.
Subject: Site plan for lot just south of the Marriott Resort
Hi,  Thank you for your informative letter. Do you know if a site plan has been filed yet for the lot just south of the Marriott Resort?  I heard it recently sold and that the new owner wanted to modify the previous site plan for more density for a high rise condo project . . . I do not know if this is true.
 

As for the Amrit site plan, all I can say is thank you for sending it out!  Another hotel on Singer Island will have it's positives and negatives.  It may be good for bringing visitors to our Island, and hence increase real estate demand and values.  It will definitely help out the Ocean Mall tenants with more customers and that would be good for all of us!  Obviously Riviera Beach will benefit with more property tax $. 

On the negative it will be a drag on infrastructure, etc, and may bring more completion and perhaps lower rates on hotel room and short term condo rentals . .  . which some view as good, some as not so good.
 

From; David C.
Subject: Riviera Beach proposed budget for LEGISLATIVE GROUP,  2014-15 (sent to city council and cc'd The SIVoice)
                        Average cost to taxpayer per person
                                          2012-13        2013-14        2014-15
Council member
District 1 thru 5.. each     $75,000        $79,000        $93,000
Ceremonial Mayor           $80,000        $81,000        $94,000 

Total increase for group  2014-15 vs 2013-14......$83,000       
Total cost to taxpayers for legislative group 2014-15..$560,000 

How can this increase be? One of the contributing factors is the cost of your part time (30hrs/week) legislative aides which will rise to about $40,000 per aide per year. The increase in cost is because the city has to offer them health insurance.....approximately $8,000/year each ...under the Affordable Care Act.

As I have said many times before, it never ceases to amaze me that, over the years, Council and the Mayor have managed to increase a $19,000 stipend to this year's record of $93,000 EACH. Our mayor and council are the gold standard, nay, the platinum standard when it comes to overall compensation compared with surrounding townships.

I think the LEAST you could do for the next fiscal year is to trim your budgets so that there is no increase to the taxpayer's burden over 2013-14. GIVE US A BREAK!! 

[ Editor's note: Thank you to everyone for all of this great feedback! ...please keep sending in your input!

• The Ocean Mall and Bridge information will be shared -  
• On the property next to the resort, to our knowledge, no site plan has been submitted yet.
• On Rivera Beach budget issues -Do we have any folks out there who are interested in serving on a new SICA committee to keep an eye on city spending and budgets and develop long term fiscal strategies to help our entire community? Commitments are very flexible--it's your analysis and insight that we need.  Please contact us here if you can help. ]

 Please keep sending in your input to be shared here next week with over 1979 of your neighbors, and your Singer Island Civic Association WILL stay on these issues.

Clean & Green in September!  Check out the fun and educational events at our John D MacArthur park this month!