Noise-reducing Makeover for Homes near Boca Airport

Residents living in and near the Boca Airport have been calling a noise hotline for years now about the sound of jet engines revving and planes roaring into the sky. Using a $3-MM grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, each year 10 homes, which will qualify if they do not have code violations, will be earmarked for soundproofing work. Homeowners will receive certified letters asking if they want to participate. This could include special sound-deadening doors, windows and insulation. Makeovers would cost homeowners between $35,000 and $55,000, if they had to pay for it out of pocket. Impact glass would be included with doors rated to withstand high winds.

The first homes targeted will be at the north end of the runway in the Boca Teeca area and some for the developments around it that are on the high-decibel (65 or more) contours of the noise map for their interiors, created by a recent study called Part 150 Study. The federal government will pay for 95% of the soundproofing and the airport will pay the other 5%. Those receiving the federally funded upgrade must sign a so-called “aviation easement,” meaning they voluntarily give up their legal right to sue the airport over noise issues.

BONUSES TO “A” SCHOOLS OR GRADE INCREASES

Bonus checks in various amounts, at $100 per student, were handed out recently to 1800 Florida schools by Governor Jeb Bush and other top government officials. Rewards totaled more than $157-MM. Bush says the best use for the extra money is to provide bonuses to teachers and staffers… but he says there are all sorts of creative ways that schools celebrate their success.

Among Boca Raton schools receiving these bonuses were:

Boca Raton Community Middle School: $109,264
Boca Raton Elementary School: $36,450
Boca Raton High School: $194,224
Calusa Elementary School: $74,304
Eagles Landing Middle School: $126,497
Omni Middle School: $123,500
Spanish River Community High School: $212,816
West Boca Raton High School: $213,703

To see a list of schools receiving recognition funding and amounts visit www.firn.edu/doe/evaluation/schrmain.htm

County Authorizes Limited Debris Clean-up in Gated Communities

“To create safe passage” of vehicles on roadways upon declaration of a disaster, within a gated community, a new ordinance has been adopted to collect and remove debris from private gated communities and/or private roads, with FEMA “more likely” providing reimbursement for the debris removal. Up to now, FEMA has denied any application for debris removal reimbursement involving private communities.

FEMA’s early targeting of debris removal is to make highways and roads safe for travel and to remove debris if it constitutes a health or safety hazard. Hurricane debris removal costs are shared 75/25 between FEMA and the state with removal, storage and disposal performed by local governments or by contractors selected by those governmental entities. Pheasant Walk on the east side of Military Trail above Clint Moore had incurred more than $20,000 in removal costs using their landscape contractor, but the County was only offering $15,000 in repayment “because that’s what it would have cost the county to do the job,” but Commissioner Burt Aronson said that if Pheasant Walk was reimbursed, “then I want other communities included.”
Last week’s action to permit country debris removal in general from gated community roads at least now gives the county a statutory basis to argue that health and safety were at issue and therefore the county should be reimbursed, and permits residents in gated communities to receive the same road clearing treatment as those along public roadways.

Have You Read About CarePages?

CarePages.com is a free secure private internet space for families and invited friends to form an online support community around a patient. This space can be used to post get-well wishes, upload photos and share info about the loved one’s illness, recovery and/or rehab. Patients can respond online, and family members can communicate with staff.

One family member is designated to be in charge of the space. CarePages currently manages over 50,000 individual CarePages communities with over 5-MM members in 190 countries around the world. Over 500 hospital and health care facilities across the US and Canada are offering their own customized versions of CarePages.

Go to www.carepages.com for a visit.

AREA SCHOOLS BENEFITTING FROM $3.7MM MICROSOFT SETTLEMENT

About 99 Palm Beach County schools, including Boca Raton Elementary, Carver Middle, Delray Boynton Academy and Delray Full Service Center will reap benefits from the Microsoft settlement, resulting in enhancement of technology e.g., sound field enhancement, document cameras, servers, computers and software. The settlement resolved class action lawsuits alleging that Microsoft violated Florida’s antitrust laws and now provides benefits to consumers and businesses that purchased licenses for Microsoft operating system, productivity suite, spreadsheet or word processing software between 11-16-1995 and 12-31-2002 for use in the sate of Florida, up to a maximum amount of $202-MM.

More than $80-MM in vouchers will be distributed to receive reimbursement for purchases of any manufacturer’s desktp, laptop or table computers running any operating system, training, or software used with those computer products. To qualify, a school must have at least half of its students eligible for free and reduced price lunch. A website will be established for school districts to determine leigibility and identify items appropriate for voucher use. Vouchers may also be used for services including curriculum development for school administrators. Half the funds can be used for software and half for hardware and other services.

CONDO INSURANCE RATES MAY FALL

There has been a change in how association’s policies are handled by Citizens Property Insurance Company. Previously one policy would group condo buildings together, and now Citizen’s board decided they will treat the buildings separately. A stricter criteria will still apply to individual condo buildings that cost $10-MM or more to replace. This change could save associations thousands of dollars on their insurance premiums. Depending on how the associations decide to use the refunds, either homeowners could receive refunds or the funds could be held in reserve by the association. Rate reductions could be 20% to 30%, but that will still be more than associations paid to Poe Financial Group previously. Change will apply retroactively to any policies issued on or after May 15, which is when Citizens first issued condo association policies using the stricter standards. About 2000 associations are affected. It will take 60-90 days for Citizens to process the refunds.

SINGLE WOMEN HOME BUYERS: A Market Segment to Consider

The Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies’ report states that unmarried women (2/3 were previously married) have become a large segment of the home buying population, with 63% of buyers being married couples, 17% being unmarried men, and 20% being single women. Many of the women have children.

While single women average 11% less median income than single men, at $37,000, and while at first the single women do not purchase single family homes, they tend to move up by building their net worth by buying low, selling when the market grows and moving into a larger, more expensive dwelling. The Women’s Mortgage Industry Network was launched four years ago to help women in their quest for home ownership, and is sponsored by Freddie Mac.

Agreement Reached on Site for Botanical Garden in Boca Raton

The de Hoernle Park may be using 48 acres of property on the south side of Blue Lake for development of the botanical garden, although 24 acres just north of the property is also being considered.

Ann F. Wood, President of the Boca Raton Botanical Gardens Association said that the 48-acre site would allow the association to increase the number of amenities, and put in Japanese and Chinese Gardens as well as enhance to Children’s Garden. A Learning Play Area is also envisioned, which will include a cave with stalagmites and stalactites, vine-covered tunnels, shooting water and topiaries as well as unusual plants. The Flowering Tree Society and Orchid Society are both expected to be involved.

A conservatory is proposed with a 210’ diameter geodesic dome structure. It will house classrooms, laboratories, research facilities, offices and rest rooms, and the dome interior will be a tropical garden with one of the world’s largest aviaries.

FAU Purchases Super High-performance computers for their Boca Raton Campus

With the concentration of high tech companies here and moving into the region, including Motorola, IBM and Scripps as well as medium-sized and small technology companies, these computers, purchased from SGI in Mountain View, CA, may be serving the needs of these technology companies. Initially there will be six projects:

… creation and analysis of advanced tools for parallel program development
… biometrics
… experimental mathematics
… solid state physics
… biomedical sciences
… media systems development.

University research and possible future collaboration with Scripps Florida are in the plans.

RESIDENTS STILL WRANGLING WITH BOCA HOSPITAL OVER CANCER CENTER

Boca Raton Community Hospital wants to build a 98,000 sq ft 3-story high-tech cancer treatment center on the 4-acre site of the vacant Town Center Patio apartments at the corner of 13th Street and 7th Avenue which will be called the Lynn Comprehensive Cancer Center. The hospital paid $13-MM for the Town Center Patio apartment building earlier this year and plans to demolish it.

While the matter seemed to have been settled a year ago, according to an attorney for the hospital, Wendy Larsen, objectors have thrown new demands on the table – including moving the entire building further down 13th Street so there will be no access from 7th Avenue. Some area homeowners who want to keep NW 7th Avenue a residential street, particularly those on the board of the adjacent Lands End townhouse community, say a multi-story cancer treatment building would create traffic, noise and privacy problems.

The hospital agreed to move the new building further away from the Lands End property line and scrap a proposed covered overpass leading to the parking garage across the street. Hospital officials said that design changes have already been made, along with signs pointing drivers away from the residential area, and landscaping also has been enhanced, with these modifications done to please residents costing $400,000. It is hoped that the proposal for the cancer center will go before the planning & Zoning Board in September and to City Council in October.

BOCA WEST COUNTRY CLUB RANKED #1 IN THE NATION

Club Leaders Forum, a national publication that ranks leading private clubs in different categories every three years, has picked Boca West as 2006’s number one residential country club in the United States. Over 6,000 club managers and residents are surveyd about what makes each facility special, covering tradition and heritage, quality of membership, amenities, governance, professional management and staff.

According to the CLF publisher, “Boca West is also at the apex of all clubs in size, revenues and complexity.”

Developed in 1971 by Arvida Corporation, the 1400-acre club features four championship courses, over 30 tennis courts, a sport pavilion and fitness center as well as other amenities. President and General Manager Jay DiPietro said, “I believe we have the finest staff of any club in the country,” with approximately 900 people employed.
In 1997 the club had a $40-million expansion and renovation program with more than 210,000 sq ft of additions and improvements and is currently embarking on another $36-million expansion that will cover reconstruction of two golf courses, updating the sports pavilion and fitness center, and building a new 62,000 sq ft spa.

Retirement-Haven names Boca among top 15% of cities for retirees

While only 20% of Boca Raton’s residents are ge 65 and older, according to the article, the climate and wealth of outdoor and cultural activites put Boca in the top 15% of all desireable cities. For more statistics, go to the website.

WAREHOUSE CONDOS COMING TO BOCA

A 46-unit warehouse condominium will feature spaces averaging 1500 sq ft with impact glass hurricane protection, tilt wall construction and 12’ x 14’ overhead doors. Units can be used for warehouse, light manufacturing, assembly, industrial and showroom purposes.

Also featured will be a mezzanine above the office, an air-conditioned office area and restroom, 20-ft clear ceiling height, covered entries, abundant parking, fire sprinkler system and 24-hour access. There will be 24-hour monitoring, climate and humidity controls, smoke sensors and fire detectors.

Developer is Marvin Chaney, who is also developer for RoboValut, a planned hurricane-resistant robotic storage facility in Ft. Lauderdale with computerized access and secured biometric technology. It will be located in the Boca Raton Commerce Center on Boca Rio Road, just south of Glades Road on the west side of the Florida Turnpike. Occupancy is planned for 2007.

City Council Aiming for 500 Affordable Housing Units By 2025 or Sooner

Creating “workforce homes” that are within the means of middle-income families, e.g. teachers, police, firefighters, other city workers, has been discussed over for the last 2 years by the Council.

The number, 500, was recommended in the Palm Beach County Workforce Needs Assessment Package.

Discussions began in 2004 when the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce presented a “white paper” on affordable housing.

Proposals for developers are being discussed.

WORK SOON BEGINS ON BLAZING STAR NATURE PRESERVE

Boca’s newest nature preserve has opened for bidding for its creation, running from the rear of Sugar Sand Park nearly to the CSX railroad tracks.
The company that wins the contract will be responsible for grading, paving, landscaping and irrigation. A kiosk is also planned. School groups can visit here and it will eventually be tied in with Sugar Sand Park. There will be a small parking lot and a pathway to connect the area. Once the contract is awarded, perhaps at the August 22nd City Countil meeting, it will take about 9-10 months to complete, and work might begin this October.