End High Density Development

Western Northlake Communities Coalition (EndHighDensity.com) is a grassroots project launched by concerned residents living in communities along the Western Northlake Boulevard corridor who oppose unnecessary zoning changes. BayHill Estates, Osprey Isles, Carlton Oaks, The Preserve at BayHill, Rustic Lakes, and other community groups oppose two specific projects - Vintage Oaks and Vintage Crossing - as we see no justification for rezoning to allow overly dense real estate projects adjacent to rural residential communities. We ask our City of Palm Beach Gardens planners and officials to consider the needs and demands of the communities at large and not approve projects merely for the benefit of commercial developers and increased tax dollars. We would like to be heard.
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We are particularly concerned about the impact of high or medium-density development projects on traffic safety when traffic accumulation and congestion along Western Northlake Boulevard present a tremendous daily risk to residents. We feel strongly that communities like ours are not built, but they can be broken when we fail to consider each community individually and cumulatively. Only through transparent and open dialogue with consideration of actual and planned projects generating impact on communities, the environment, school capacity, and our roads can we prepare for our future.
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Right now, we seek your support to fund our legal and lobbying efforts to have our voices heard with respect to these two particular projects proposed by the same developer.
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D.R. Horton has submitted applications to the City of Palm Beach Gardens for the development of the parcels on both the east and west sides of 112th Terrace North on Northlake Boulevard. The parcel to the east, known as Vintage Crossing, proposes 65 townhomes with a requested Residential Medium (“RM”) rezoning. The parcel to the west of 112th Terrace North, known as Vintage Oaks, proposes to develop 111 townhomes. The density is just under 7 homes per acre.

Each Project:

1. IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ADJACENT COMMUNITY. The Project is NOT serving as a transition from residential low to more intense land uses. It is surrounded by Rural Residential, Residential Very Low, Residential Low, and Residential Medium. The Project is NOT located in an area with convenient access to shopping and employment opportunities.
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2. CONSTITUTES URBAN SPRAWL. Residential medium is not a compatible land use for Rural Residential that these projects abut. The Project contradicts the purpose and objective of the Corridor Study to preserve, protect, and enhance the rural character of the area, protect the rural nature of the site from discouraging Urban Sprawl, and prevent premature conversation of rural land to urban uses. The conclusions in the Rural Residential portion of the Corridor Study indicate that rural land should continue to develop consistent with the comprehensive plan.
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3. REQUIRES 10 VARIANCES TO COMPLY WITH PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS. To enable the developer to cram all these units onto the property, they seek ten (10) waivers from the property development regulations. The waiver requests require city council approval based on 11 criteria these projects do not meet. Moreover, there is no viable second public entrance without encumbering the private roads of BayHill Estates and Rustic Lakes. In essence, D.R. Horton is trying to fit square pegs into round holes that result in incompatibility with surrounding areas, are too large for the level of traffic, and remove employment opportunities with existing medical office zoning solely for the economic benefit of D.R. Horton.

Here’s How

Every communication matters! Our goal is to have the rezoning opposed by City Planning and Zoning Staff before it ever gets scheduled for public hearing. This means, we need you to communicate to all of the reviewers and decision makers the reasons why. All you have to do is send the emails to the people on the City of Palm Beach Gardens Planning and Zoning Department list (hyperlink to the planning and zoning list) with the most important points listed below. There is a templated email to use for City officials. Click here to access the template. Feel free to put your own spin on it. But remember, please be respectful and to the point!

• High- or mid-density residential is incompatible and inconsistent to the adjacent low to very low density communities.
• The rezoning and extension of the Urban Growth Boundary will be equivalent to ‘spot zoning’.
• D.R. Horton and the current property owners have failed to communicate with the impacted communities.
  
• There is no viable second entrance without encumbering the private roads of BayHill Estates or Rustic Lakes.
  
• This project will without any debate “threaten existing neighborhood integrity” and violate a multitude of policy objectives referenced in the City of Palm Beach Garden’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (“CLUP).
  

List of Key Influencers, Decision Makers, and City Planning and Zoning Department

Palm Beach Gardens Planning and Zoning | 10500 N Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 | Tel 561-799-4243 | Fax 561-799-4281