Changes are coming to South Dixie Highway. Find out what’s happening TONIGHT.
Dear Neighbors,
West Palm Beach Downtown and El Cid Historic Neighborhood Associations invite you to attend a presentation of design concepts for South Dixie Highway (from Okeechobee to Albemarle).
Event will be at Palm Beach Dramaworks from 6 to 8 pm with desserts provided by Ganache Bakery Cafe.
Best regards,
Your South End Neighbors (SENA)
Tomorrow morning, there will be an important Palm Beach Board of County Commissioners meeting at 9:30 a.m which will impact private driver service Uber’s operations in Palm Beach County.
For the past 5 months, there has been a Temporary Operating Agreement (TOA) in place to regulate Uber in Palm Beach County. Under this TOA, public safety is a priority and local drivers are able to seamlessly make a living and provide users with safe, reliable and affordable rides.
Tomorrow, the Palm Beach County Commission is taking a final vote on a set of new and more burdensome rules that – if passed – would force Uber out of Palm Beach County.
So what’s the scoop?
The claim is that this is a matter of public safety. The truth, however, seems more likely that this is a push by the taxi industry who has done nothing to improve its efficiency, ease of use or customer service in decades simply because it has never had competition.
Uber’s reliability, accountability, ease of use and cost make it a superior product. Does it have lower standard of background screening than taxis? Yes, and not disclosing that would be wrong. However, if the community is made aware of that fact and still opts to utilize Uber, then that should be our right to do so. Additionally, the TOA passed by Palm Beach County is actually in line with the more than 20 states and dozens of other U.S. jurisdictions.
On a separate note- by delivering a superior, more cost efficient product, the number of individuals who utilize a driving service when they have consumed alcohol increases significantly. That means less intoxicated and dangerous drivers on the roadway. Some may believe that if Uber were not available, these individuals would just opt for a taxi, but unfortunately that’s not accurate. These same impaired drivers, left without an easy way to order, access and pay for a ride, will climb back in their car and get behind the wheel on our roads.
Don’t let that happen…attend the meeting and speak up….
Time: 9:30 a.m.*
Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Location:
County Commission Chambers
301 N. Olive Avenue, 6th Floor
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
*To speak, complete a “Comments by the Public” card and give it to the Public Affairs representative seated near the speaker’s podium.
The City of West Palm Beach is launching its annual budget city budget road show. This is your chance to find out how they are currently spending your tax dollars and give them your thoughts as to how to spend them in next year’s budget.
Three community workshops will be held this week:
Monday, July 27th
South Olive Community Center
345 Summa Street
6:00pm
Wednesday, July 29th
Gaines Park Community Center
1505 N. Australian Avenue
6:00pm
Thursday, July 30th
Fire Station # 7
8011 Okeechobee Boulevard
6:00pm
Make a point to attend one of these three meetings and let your opinion be heard.
From the Southend Neighborhood Association:
Thursday July 9th at 6:30 pm., please join SENA and the City of West Palm Beach Public Works Department to discuss an important project set on Gregory Road. The City and FPL will be making a powerpoint presentation with an open discussion to address FPL’s current project. FPL is set to replace all the old wood poles with concrete poles.
The City has asked SENA to facilitate communication between our members, FPL and the City. The specific area that is affected is Gregory Road between Olive Ave. and Dixie Highway. The discussion will focus on placement options, back of sidewalk or within the swale area.
Even if you do not live on Gregory, we are all neighbors and share in what happens in our community. We would like to make sure we have a large turnout. City is providing refreshments.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
Best regards,
Your South End Neighbors
In 2012, after rumors began circulating that Wal-Mart had eyes on developing 8111 South Dixie Highway (the site of the old IHOP), the City purchased the 7-acre piece of property for $2.9 million. City leaders wanted to focus on a more innovative project that would help continue revitalizing the Southend. And, as the Southern most piece of property in West Palm Beach, leaders view it as as the gateway to the City for those coming from the South.
The site was cleared in October of last year and now the City of West Palm Beach is looking for help with the redevelopment of 8111. From the 18th till the 21st of May, the City will be hosting Design Charrettes.
The Design Charrette Kickoff meeting is tonight, May 18th at the South Olive Community Center, 345 Summa St, @ 6:30PM.
Come visit the Design Charrette Sessions, which will be held in the Hibiscus Room at Mandel Public Library
Tuesday, May 19 – Open to Public 6PM to 8PM
Wednesday, May 20 – Open to Public 6PM to 8PM
Thursday, May 21– Open to Public 10AM to 12PM
The designers will be working each of the 3 days from 9:30AM to 8:00PM.
The public session will be available for the public to come view what the designers are working on and give their feedback and ideas as the designs are developed.
Want to view the final plans and see what’s next for the Southend?
On May 20 at 6PM, you’re invited to sit in on a special session where the Parks Master plan draft will be unveiled.
This is your chance to help create the kind of neighborhood you want to live in. Don’t let the opportunity to get involved pass you by.
The South End Neighborhood Association (SENA) is seeking reinforcements in its fight against the proposal to shrink the West Palm Beach Golf Course to a Par-3 or 9-Hole course. Read the below letter from Robert Norvel, the SENA Board President and get involved this Thursday, April 23rd from 6:00-8:00 at the South Olive Community Center (345 Summa Street).
Dear Neighbors,
The city of West Palm Beach has hired RMA to begin a visioning process for the South End of West Palm Beach. This is a long-awaited move which gives us the opportunity to become part of the decision making process which will determine the future of 8111 S. Dixie HWY (site of IHOP), Palm Coast Plaza, & the West Palm Beach Municipal Golf Course.
We are excited about the possibility of partnerships with the the City, local agencies, and private partners to create a spectacular Southern entrance to West Palm Beach.
There are many ideas which will be distilled during this process. Some possibilities include creating a waterfront shopping, restaurants, boating, destination along the C51 canal. Tying our Municipal Golf Course in as well as the South Olive Recreational Complex which is part of what makes our neighborhood unique.
Unfortunately, the idea of shrinking the Municipal Golf Course to a Par-3 course or a 9-hole course & developing the land as residential has been put on the table. The SENA board has voted to reject any idea of shrinking the Municipal Golf Course to a Par-3 course or a 9-hole course to developing the land as residential. Instead, we seek to re-establish our golf course as the best MUNICIPAL Golf Course in the County and believe it is worth fighting to keep the integrity of the Golf Course against any development.
We also feel strongly that the work that has been done by Commissioner Materio in conjunction with the cities of Lake Clarke Shores and Lake Worth, the MPO, the South Florida Water Management District, and others, to create a boat-lift on the C51 canal should be completed to become an anchor feature of this development.
We, the South End residents, need to drive the vision. Come and be the essential part of the process.
(WHO) The Redevelopment Management Associates, marketing, real estate strategic planning agency employed by the City of West Palm Beach;
Thursday April 23: 6:00pm till 8:00pm at
South Olive Community Center at 345 Summa St.
MARK YOU CALENDAR AND PLEASE ATTEND. Together we have this once in a life time opportunity to offer our vision and to be part of the process that drives this redevelopment. We do not want to leave this redevelopment to public agencies and developers.
SEE you at the meeting.
The SENA Board, President,
Robert Norvell (561-296-0759)
SoSo News 