RE: “Jolivet letter wrong”
Dear Editor:
The fact that although the 55ft. height limitation was already in The Deerfield Beach Development Code is not an excuse for The Original Save Our Beach organization to stifle development. Mr. Larry Deetjen (the former City manager) had seen an opportunity to increase the City revenue at a time that the real estate market was booming to push for development on the Beach. He worked in the best interest of the City by enabling the developers to creatively make a profit by increasing the density, while allowing the City more taxable income which, in turn, became a “win, win” for all involved.
Although this infuriated the Save Our Beach group, the fact is that these buildings are no more than 40 percent occupied most of the year and the financial needs of the City far exceeded the few irate residents who want ”a lovely gem of a beach” as long as others pay for it! When you look on the tax rolls, these Save Our Beach founders contribute practically nothing to our overall tax base! It is appalling how those who pay the least amount of taxes have no regard for the taxpayers whose back they are riding on!
The ridiculous limitations of this law enable the Save Our Beach group to prevent any type of constructive revenue generating development.
For example, this referendum requires that in order for a city owned property worth over $750,000 to be sold, we need to put together a referendum which costs the taxpayers approx. $50,000 and put it to a vote! No developer is going to wait on what could take close to a year for a group of residents to vote on something that most of [them] do not understand. This is exactly how the Save Our Beach group got 75 percent of the vote.
The people who voted for this referendum were told that if we do not act, Deerfield Beach will become over developed and look like Ft. Lauderdale, which cannot be farther from the truth! As a consequence of this brainwashing by the Save Our Beach group, today Deerfield Beach has one of the highest millage rates in Broward County and the lowest property values. Our reserve has been replenished with “blood money” derived by increased taxes on the working families of Deerfield Beach who are already overtaxed and a utility tax that had to be implemented — all because we have no revenue derived from development!
The existing projects that [the former District 1 Commissioner] makes reference to as responsible development are not even built yet and each building has only a few projected units. Neither development will make an impact on the City’s revenue!
As far as 460 S. Ocean becoming a rehab because of the Save Our Beach group’s restrictions, I have asked the former owner of the property to write to the Observer to allow the people to hear “the true story!”
Patrick Jolivet
Deerfield Beach
