​The County Commission recently took action on the following projects in the North County area:

Derelict Vessel Removal Project:  Palm Beach County receives grant funding from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) as well as the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) to help cover costs of removing derelict or sunken vessels from waterways within the county, including along the Intracoastal Waterway.  These abandoned boats can create environmental and navigational hazards.  The removal is performed by LagoonKeepers.org, a Florida non-profit corporation.  The Commission authorized a streamlined process so that the grants can be accessed quickly and the removal can be expedited.  Procedures for tagging and removal are governed by State Statutes and carried out by county or municipal law enforcement, depending on the location of the vessel.  

Additionally, I am working with Palm Beach County Environment Resources and Parks & Recreation staff, elected officials from Riviera Beach and Palm Beach Shores, law enforcement, Marine Industries, and representatives from FWC, FIND, and LagoonKeepers to review our local ordinances concerning regulations for floating structures and live-aboard boats.  When these vessels become loose from their moorings, particularly in a storm event, they can cause considerable property damage, and if not properly maintained or equipped with sanitation devices, can become a hazard.  Recommendations developed will be presented to the League of Cities for their consideration.

This year in the Florida Legislature, House Bill 133 was passed which provides a framework for collecting fees for towing and storage of immobile vehicles and vessels, and we hope that will enhance our efforts to recover costs for vessel removal.

Riverbend/Loxahatchee River Battlefield Park Interpretive Center:
The Commission amended the Infrastructure Surtax (IST) Project Plan, shifting $5 million that was projected to become available in 2027 and had been allocated to the North County District Park, to the Interpretive Center.  The City of Palm Beach Gardens, our partner in the development of the district park, assumed all construction costs under their long-term lease of the county property within their city.  This freed up the $5M for reallocation to the Interpretive Center, also a District 1 priority.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Public Shooting Park:
When Palm Beach County sold the Mecca Property to the South Florida Water Management District, the District agreed to set aside 150 acres to FWC for the development and operation of a public shooting park.  The BCC has approved an amended interlocal agreement with FWC which includes the county’s contribution of $1 million toward the construction, funding and maintenance of a paved road to improve access to the Park, made available through the FY 2020 Capital Improvement Program.

The public shooting park is partially open and when complete, will feature rifle and handgun ranges, sporting clays, 5-stand, skeet, and American and Olympic trap.  The center will offer target shooting enthusiasts a place to gain skills and knowledge for safe, responsible firearms handling and target shooting.  It is accessible from Seminole Pratt Whitney Road towards the main entrance to the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area and Everglades Youth Conservation Center Camp.

If there any way that I or my staff can assist you, please contact me at (561) 355-2201 or by email at hvaleche@pbcgov.org.