HomeMy WebLinkAbout1960s-1970s clippings miscIYITAtAr HE-RALD
7-11-4(
By RAY LINDERS
est Paim Beach Bureau Chief
NORTH PALM BEACH —
oters will go to the polls here
Tuesday to set the stage for
the purchase of a 1.5 million
dollar recreation center — or
make a July 25 "ballot to buy"
pointless.
Tuesday's decision, open to
1,000 voters in the village, will
not accept or reject the pro-
posal to purchase the private.
ly-owned North Palm Beach
Country Club for $1,015,000
and develop it to the tune of
an additional $415,000.
It will simply approve or
disapprove a charter amend-
ment that will permit village
fathers to levy taxes above
the present 10-mill maximum
If or the express purpose of
paying principal and interest
on general obligation bonds.
If the vote is favorable —and
F. simple majority of those ac-
tually voting is required —the
village's freeholders will have
0 to return to the polls July 25,
week later, to make the ac-
tual decision on whether to
purchase the recreational facil-
ity,
Focal Point of Voting This Country Club
favorable vote would set stage for its possible purchase
In that referendum, it should
be noted, 50 per cent of the
freeholders, who must inciden-
tally be registered voters in
North Palm Beach, must cast
their ballots to make the elec-
tion valid, with a simple ma-
jority of those voting neces-
sary for passage.
A heavy turnout is predict-
ed in this first -round expres-
sion by North Palm Beach
residents.
Interest in the ambitious
project, which would give the
village title to the present
149.19 acre country club, is
high.
Plans call for immediate de-
velopment of the property to
include construction of a swim-
ming pool, desk area, golf shop
and locker rooms, dining ter-
race and dining room, expand-
ed parking area and golf course
improvements.
Future plans, not included.
in the proposed 1.5 million dol-
lar program, call for purchase
in 1964 of an additional 18.9
acres adjoining the country
club for athletic fields, tennis
courts, lawn bowling, picnic
and senior citizen areas.
While the vote Tuesday would
permit levy of millage to pay
off the bonds, a feasibility re-
port by the Charles M. Graves
Organization of Atlanta, Ga.,
has predicted the operation
once complete would easily be-
come , self-supporting without
the need of the additional levy.
Children !' lan
Seaquariurn Trip
Beginning Tuesday, Miami &ea-
quarium will be invaded daily for
almost a week by groups of chil-
dren from North Palm Beach, Vil-
lage according to Manager Albin
R. OIson.
Olson said arrangements had
been made to take groups of chil-
dren between seven and 15 years
of age to view the display of trop-
ical marine life via school -bus at
a minimum charge of 75-cents,
which includes costof the guided
tour.
He said children would Ieave at
8:45 a.m. and return at 5:30
and would be expected to bring
their own picnic lunch.
Trained supervisors will be in
charge of the outing.
Capacity of the bus will limit
lithe group to 50 children daily, Ol-
son explained, pointing out that
trips also were scheduled Wednes-
day through : J'riday and again
Monday, August 29,. to handle the
large number of registrations.
lot
Building doubles
at North Palm
over last year
August was a spectacular
month for building in the Vill-
age of North Palm Beach, re-
ports Village Manager Albin R.
Olson. New construction start-
ed during the month totalled
$751,713, as compared with
$430,074 for the same month
a year ago.
Eighty-six building permits
were issued and included 36
single - family dwellings, one
duplex residence, one commer-
cial store and four swimming
pools, with the balance for the
permits for additions an al-
terations.
Total building valuation for
the first eight months of 1961
stands at $5,029,880.
There are currently 75
homes under construction in the
Village of North Palm Beach,
according to W. G. Carver, Bu-
ilding Official. Present popula-
tion of the municipality is
4,520, representing 1,161 fami-
lies.
Nort Palm Beach Passes
New Budget Of $283,000
NORTH PALM BEACH — .A; from the club; 1:i55,925 from an- for the Junior Museum of Palm
S2.'Ki F,OErJ budget, ri8,020 over tbel nun] memberships, 5.90,500 • tram Beach Conn ,
current one. wpm adopted at a' daily netnbcrsltips, S25.209 from Olson predicted the village would
=-Pedal meeting of the Village golf cart rentals, $18,f10O from the receive 31i-5T in ad vat rcm
Council Monday night. The noun- driving tarIge, 12,000 from G ck- tax revenues during. the next fis-
ell aisa ac=c ptcd a S'S'T.9 bud- ere and dining room and 55,54llica1 yFsar from a net taX roll
_ct for the new country club's'from insiniction and specially r,tek,000,
}per.atiofL dents- The manager made it evi
The increase in the village bud-! Crab expenditure —a, Olson said„ the also would court on 8.45
et is e_xpectcd in he absorhedImight include the following: ii°6,-;from license and permit feu_,,
the larger anticipated revenue.l'4D for salaries, S7.,350 for k,tilities.lfrans tines and forfeitures,
ze Lax rate will remain al scv 14. fi0 for fertilizers and seed, I frotu txanehise revenues and r
mills, village ofiiciel5 sa'd- S8-309 for fungicides and chen11-!01f! from the cigaret tax. •
.
Village Manager Albin R on'cols, $6,560 fur maintomanue of, 'tile council approved or the mi.-ir
tiripated the .followin.g. t venues lequ pmEst, L,'Tf]fi for building lowing expenditures; S47,032 for)
— maintenance, 52,500 for soil cond.i-;general government, 517,246 for;.
timers., 1.4,ai39 for new equipment.ithe village manager's office, 1w'.4.- .
S1.50O for insurance, ,500 f o r!5.� for the police department, $&r''
riikting and advertising, S,6S-000 for 17i1 for the firs department, 523,-
bond interest and $S3,41O for Ihe'0011 for recreation, $6.9,543 for
.contingency rf crve. ;eratioir]s, 540Jm0 for costing
Village of5ciale pointed out that $15,3fi0 for the building oEfi
the new budget. which berx]mes office, 5.13,150 fat the Einar .
effective Nuv- .1. Cool win¢ $A,OfIO` partmeat, $5,S I for pm.
for emstruction of a new bail beautification, $1,S50 for
field with bleachers. $3,I01 for a big. riTSi for the attorney and
group activities bttilrlin2 for sets- judge and 51,.,50 for the CI
ior citizens. $2,500 for development Village of .6-kle. aLso took
of a boat area. 1350 for the study bids recc ed for landr.ea
3s[inter-city ..li-st sid squad and 1100:irig of the rountrY
I.
Ili. )LO.:
e or ' e ;dent
To Get Honorary
egree At Hobart!
'Dr. Joseph Leffan ; forsc of 740
- 14Sou M Road, Palm Beach,
aaui 50 Pond Flood, Kings Point,
+1.Y-, widely- known editor an d
k publisher, wilt receive an
bdmorary degree at Hobart and
William S nitts Colleges ' com-
mencement at Geneva, !•f " tieN.
Sunday.
?A native of New York City, Dr
Morse look a bachelor of scienc*
I degree at New - . York feel )
iverAi
in 19where be gra
Beta Kappa, rid a bachelor o
Laws degree in 1925. Prsxidene
.1 College .:Inferred on him th.
`ci th. degree crf doctor s in 1955.
I
Dr- Morfie, wirnitted to the Nc;
_'I York bar in •1026, engaged in lax.
1. practic'e for 11 years, until 11.
,t; entered the book puhlisbir1g t l
with Mar. G the a6 a partner it
t I. tiro Unlearn PreaS-
I
Preaide t of TJniLvul Qrool;:
_ Inc.. he is also chairman
of Yc�.
bcnrd or She Standard
1Works PublishingCorp. and a
1 dirertor of the Malor i:.eal l '
' Q]tp- the Uni
In addition to editing
corn Book of tlye —ear since 155,
he has been edltor-in-chin'.f of the
' Nev.. null{ 1C wagoall ErsCy'c'lapc-
diik of :';CI volumes and the fr,ok
I artd W gnai1s Sl,aT aT1l Ref er•.Ce
I'}'L�^4 [30{aedl�i'OF i}�] valumEs-
Iobart, oldest copes;° in Jeri
affiliated i the CgisC4 1
' Charrh, will graduate 3TMn nen at
I its ugh Commeneerreent. i °link re
1Smitss, the. c44rdiFate school iia
1a-othFa. non -denominational, wil
1 gaduate ' 5 at its 52nd gradoa
Wednesday, Oct. 20, 1965 The Palm Beach Post
eke,t,
Mears Complaints
By BILL TERRY
Bureau Chief
NORTH PALM BEACH — Op-
position is forming to a proposal
to permit construction of a
section of waterfront luxury
homes without sidewalks.
This came out at Tuesday
night's village council workshop
session which was devoted to
hearing complaints from three
groups.
Royal American Realty, a
John D. MacArthur subsidiary,
wants permission to omit side.
walks in a proposed $6 million
development along Lake Worth
across from the village hall.
Under local law, all homes
must have sidewalks unless the
council says otherwise.
George Geyer, representing
Yacht Club Point residents, said
they oppose the area without
sidewalks. Village Manager
Frank R. Spence added a pet-
ition expressing the same view
has been received from another
part of the village.
The council has yet to act on
the sidewalk issue. An informal
poll one week ago, with one
councilman absent, revealed a
2-2 split.
Mayor Thomas Lewis and
Vice -Mayor Thomas Bell were
absent last night and Council-
man Herbert Watt conducted
the session with Councilmen Al-
lan Eberard and Gordon Dun-
can.
Geyer presented a number of
complaints and Spence said
most would be corrected soon.
Geyer said most of the lights at
the entrance to Lighthouse
Drive aren't working, trash is
being dumped on empty lots and
high weeds are creating a rat
problem.
He also said Lakeside Drive
has become a speedway and
stop signs are needed, and that
street lights there are too bright
and erosion of empty lots along
the seawall is creating a safety
hazard for children.
When Geyer said a traffic
light was needed at U. S. 1 and
Lighthouse Drive, Watt said one
has been approved by the State
Road Department and will be
installed.
The council also heard com-
plaints from the village's recrea-
tion and beautification commit-
tees and decided to work more
closely with those groups. Watt
will attend the next recreation
committee meeting and Spence
will sit in on the next beautifica-
tion session.
Roger Boyer, recreation com-
mittee chairman, said a shelter
is badly needed at Prosperity
Park and his committee is will-
ing to help raise funds for one,
The group is unhappy because
the recreation budget was cut to
$13,000, he said as he listed
improvements he thinks should
be made.
Watt said all village depart-
ments are operating under tight
budgets, but that part of the
$20,000 contingency fund proba-
bly will be used for recrea-''
tion.
Paul Emond of the recreation
committee called Prosperity
Park an eyesore and asked for
closer cooperation between the
concil and the committee.
games Blakely, chairman of
the beautification committee,
said the village has neglected
maintenance of landscaping in
parkways and elsewhere. He
added, "It doesn't look like a
very prosperous village when
you see the Lighthouse Drive
entrance on the east side of U.
S. 1."
Spence agreed with Blakely
on lack of maintenance, but said
he can't hire more public works
employes to speed up mainte.
nance because of a tight bud-
get.
The council decided to station
police cars at the school cross-
ing on U. S. 1 at Lighthouse
Drive. Right before the intersec-
tion, a speed of 55 miles an hour
is permitted and motorists can-
not see the school zone signs in
time to slow down, it was
brought out. The police cars
should be a deterrent, Watt
said.
Wednesday, Dct, IS, I965 The Palm Beach Post
Torth PiriiiiSplits
On Sidewaik I
NORTH PALM BEACH —With
one member absent, the village
council Tuesday night split 2-2
on whether to permit a $6 mil-
lion section of luxury waterfront
homes to be built without side-
walks.
Royal American Realty, a
John D. MacArthur company,
wants permission to omit side-
walks as is permitted In similar
exclusive housing areas in Mia-
mi and Fort Lauderdale.
The village has an ordinance
that says all homes must have
sidewalks.
Two MacArthur men, Horace
Miller and Michael Brennan,
appeared before council and
spoke in favor of building wi-
thout sidewalks.
Councilmen Herbert Watt and
Allan Everard, during an infor-
mal poll, said they favored
going along with the developer.
Mayor Thomas Lewis and Coun-
cilman Gordon Duncan opposed
granting a variance. Vice
Mayor Thomas Bell was ab.
sent.
The village Planning and Zo-
ning Advisory Board, less than
a week ago, explored the ques-
tion and said it felt there should
be sidewalks. It said they would
be in keeping with the rest of
the village, that children would
need them for play areas, and
they would increase traffic gaie-
ty.
The development is planned
across from the Village Hall
between U.S. 1 and Lake Worth,
and would consist of 123 homes
on large lots.
The average home price, in-
cluding land, would be $50,000,
and Brennan said after the sec-
tion is completed in two or three
years it would produce from
$50,000 to $60,000 in new real
estate taxes. Last year the land
produced $7,520 in taxes.
A six-foot wall would separate
the development from U.S. 1,
there would be but one en-
trance, and there would be no
through streets, he added.
As a safety measure, Brennan
said, the developer would be
willing to put in a wider street.
He said the population density
would be low.
Miller said construction of the
luxury homes would increase
the tax valuation of the area
from $750,000 to $6,150,000.
The development has been in
the planning stage for 18
months, and Lewis called for an
up-to-date plat. Miller said one
would be submitted.
The council delayed action on
a proposed ordinance which
would permit higher business
signs. The limit now is 20 feet,
and the Standard Oil Co. wants
to erect one higher than that at
its station at Northlake Boule-
vard, and Prosperity Road.
The oil company wants a sign
whose supports would rise 35
feet. The sign on top of the
supports would be five feet, five
inches high. The propos'ed ordi-
nance was written for a total
height of 35 +.eet. The request
was referred back to Wallace
Carver, the building official, for
a recommendation.
Council also:
.. Instructed Village Atty.
Herbert Gildan to draft an ordi-
nance which would establish a
new commercial zoning classifi-
cation to encourage business
development.
.. Heard that the Planning
and Zoning Advisory Board is
against a special zoning classifi.
cation which would permit effi-
ciency apartments smaller than
660 square feet.
• . Learned that several
members of the Recreation Ad-
visory Board are discouraged
with a cut in the recreation
budget, and invited them to at-
tend next Tuesday's meeting to
go over the recreation pro-
gr
▪ . Decided to meet at the
same time with the Beautifica-
tion Committee which feels
council has taken 1ittl action on
its' recommendations.]
... Learned the aunty engi-
neer has requested a study on
the types of traffic lights that
will be needed at two intersec-
tions with improved Northlake
Boulevard.
Policy, Fire
Departments
Have One Boss
Chief A. G. Dudden
Has Well -Equipped
Dept. Of Safety
North Palm Beach took advan-
tage of the favorable public safety
experience of such communities as
Oak Park, Illinois, and Sunnyvale,
'California, and began with a joint
police and fire department.
To gain increased efficiency and
economy, a Department of Public
Safety headed by Chief Albert G.
Dudden, was created. The village
police and firemen wear the same
[hats.
The public safety patrol car does
double duty as it patrols the yih
lage streets on a 24 hour basis.
In addition to standard police
,equipment, the radio equipped pa-
trol car carries two types of port-
t' it is hose
�ni��r,rgga�e crowoarp
rope. a life ring, stretcher, in
'halator - resuscitator, ana a csai
plete first -aid kit. Duty personnel
have been trained and certified in
first aid treatment by the Ameri-
can Red Cross.
A volunteer fire department
equipped with a modern 500-gallon
pumper augment standsatus
enthepublic safety patrol
car in case of an outbreak of fire
too large for the patrol car to
ihandle.
Village Zoning
Plan A,danted
possihilit. - -4. "hit anti miss,•
growth exists in the planned com-
munity of North Palm Beach,
thanks to a Zoning Plan adop`er
and mades part of village ordinance
Number 20 on August 14, 1957.
As shown on a printed zoning
map, the village plan is uncompli.
cated, easy to understand and pre-
sents a realistic approach to regu-
lating the type of construction to
be permitted within the village.
A limited commercial district
(C-1A), varying in width from 300
Ito 500 feet extends along both sides
of US-1 from the Intracoastal Wa-
terway to the Earman River. A
larger C-1A tract lies east of
US-1 immediately south of the Ear-
man River, and a neighborhood,
commerical district (C-1) west of
US-1 and south of the Earman
River to take care of a shopping
center soon to be built
Multiple family dwelling dis-
tricts (R-2) are placed along the,
east side of the entire length of;
Prosperity Farms Rd., the west-
ern village boundary, and in six
other locations best suited for such
construction.
A Neighborhood commercial dis-
trict also surrounds the Marina
area north of the Intracoastal Wa-
terway and east of US-1, with a
limited commercial area along the.
north back on the Intracoastal and -
west of US-1. One general com-
mercial district (C-2) in the north-
west corner of the village provides
for boat repair works.
The rest of the land in the vil-
lage, exclusive of municipal, school
and church areas, are single fain -
lily dwelling districts (R-1).
Home Building
'Permits Soar
To New Record
A new building permit record for Many Waterway
the "infant" Village of North Palm
Beach was set in August when �7
permits for 30 new homes totalling Homesites In
$502,930 were issued by L. E. Dick-
�7' nn LvviLlage ik, , i, a 4F, ini. ,A1 it _ 7 7_ _
Wlle'il rnese homes are OW and
�
;occupied there will be an approxi-
mate 50 per cent increase in the
village population.
As of Sept. 1, Dickerson reveaI-
ed that 55 families had moved into
the village, representing a total
population of 169 persons. This is
an average of 3.07 persons per
dwelling.
Since construction started in the
new village in October, 1956, per-
mits for 136 homes, completed or
under construction, have been
granted for a total value of $2,254,-
749.
The first month of construction,
October of last year, was unusual-
ly high for such an early phase in
the village development because of
the Parade of Homes exposition
staged there that month by the
Palm Beach County Chapter of the
National Assn. of Home Builders.
Following is a list of permit val-
uations by months, commencing
with October, 1956: October, $342,-
473; November, $189,536; Decent
ber, $197,304; January, $127,590;
February, $178,429; March, $105,-
184; April, $180,556; May, $53,682;
June, 147,650; July, $229,415; and
August, 502,930.
More than half of the planned
6,000 homesites in North Palm
Beach Village will be located on
the waterways which interlace the
village.
Mother Nature, with a little help
from man, has provided an ideal
way to eliminate stagnant water
in any of the N. Palm Beach,
waterways.
The intercoastal waterway flows
into Lake Worth north of the vil-
lage and the Earman, river, which)
flows into Lake Worth south of the
village is being widened and deep-
ened. A North Palm Beach Canal,
flowing north to south from the
intercoastal to the Earman in the
western portion of the village will
provide a flowage "syphon" to
eliminate dead-- water space the
waterways along the canal.
Sch�olLaridDQnate(l
In North Palm Beach
Realizing that; good schools are
Ian integral part of a good cum-
_Iiunity, North Palm Beach Prop-
erties, Inc., developers of North
Paliii Beach Village, donated 10
acres of land with an assessed
valuation of $96,000 to the Palm
Beach County Board of Education
for a new 16-room elementary
school.
Bids are soon to be let on the
'$294,000 building, which will be
conveniently located near the vil-
lage hall. Grade school children
from North Palm Beach as well as
the area to be designated by the
School Board will be eligible to
attend this fine new school.
Junior high school students in
the village will attend the Riviera
Beach junior high, only 2-5 miles
from the village by school bus.
When the new Riviera Beach
enior high school is built, North
Palm Beach high school students
will be able to enroll there and be
ransported by school bus if they
so desire.
The new elementary school in
lrth Palm Beach will be one of
He finest of its kind in the state.
Tvo two-story classroom wings,
corrected by a covered walk, will
hose 16 rooms. '
last of the classroom section,
als connected by a covered walk,
wil, be a one-story building housing
adninistrative offices and a com-
bintion cafeteria -auditorium.
Developers of North Palm Beach
havtheen congratulated by county
officals as well as parents in the
entire area for the generosity and
fores);ht which prompted them to
donat 10 acres of very valuable
land iir school purposes.
LIONS CLUB library representative Herb Watt
presents a $100 check to Lake Park head librarian Lorna.
-Adams for the purchase of large print books. The North
Palm Beach club's donation is part of the on -going
Sight Conservation Program of Lions International.
Page 12 WeekDay Jan. 12-18, 1977
LIONS , CLUB library representative Herb Watt
presents a $100 check to Lake Park head librarian Lorna
-Adams for the purchase of large print books. The North
Palm Beach club's donation is part of the on -going
Sight Conservation Program of Lions International.
Decision Due Soon
In MacArthur Suit
By BILL TERRY'
Post Staff Writer
NORTH PALM BEACH — A federal judge will decide this
week whether multimillionaire developer John D. MacArthur
owns submerged land off Singer Island and has the right to fill
it in.
y.. The legal snarl of the case was made le
ss complicated
yesterday by a 4-0 action by the Village Council here.
"The judge asked that MacArthur and the village cut
down some on the charges and countercharges, to abbreviate
the case," Councilman Herbert Watt said. "That's what
•. council voted to do, after MacArthur's lawyers offered tothe
the portion of the suit seeking return of back taxes." drop
Watt said the village in turn agreed to drop its ortion of
the case which seeks to have MacArthurp
put into the lake. remove fill already
Several years ago, MacArthur indicated his intention dredge and fill — with council approval — submerged to
la around Big Munyon Island and the eastern shore of ne
Worth, in North Palm Beach. Lake
Then, in 1969, the council by a 3-2 vote reversed itself.
That resulted in MacArthur suing the village, asking the
to make the village return taxes it had collected to 1969. court
The village countered by asking the courts to make Mac- Arthur remove fill which had been placed in the lake at entrance to Big Munyon Island. the
Watt said federal Judge Emett Choate
a`4 District of Florida has scheduled the case for t the Southern
other non -related cases are ahead of it on the docket.
though
ocket.