Reflecting on my first year as your District 1 Commissioner, the time has passed at a dizzying speed. Through each issue we have considered together, I feel a great sense of gratitude for having the honor to serve you. Your input, participation and ideas continuously influence the policies the commission approves and the projects undertaken to maintain a high quality of life in Palm Beach County.

Our unwelcome visitor – COVID – has created health and economic hardships for many individuals, families and businesses. Despite staff shortages related to the virus, your county government has kept working to provide the services you need, and beyond.

We addressed the call for greater access to vaccines in the North County area by forging a partnership with the City of Palm Beach Gardens, the Health Care District and the Department of Health to open a vaccination site at the Burns Road Community Center.

Community Services disbursed $32M in rental and utility assistance from the Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program to more than 5,200 households who experienced financial hardship due to COVID. The Department of Housing and Economic Development assisted 5,182 businesses affected by COVID through $78.5M in grants to help them survive.

Additionally, the County allocated $19.5M for mortgage assistance and emergency home repairs, helping approximately 2,230 households.

The County’s Building Division processed over 82,000 permits by September 30, 2021, calculated at almost $2.5B in permitted value, while conducting 1,000 inspections per day. Current trends will put total permits issued easily over 90,000 in fiscal year 2022.

In conjunction with the League of Cities, the Building Division has initiated development and implementation of a program to evaluate the safety of certain building types in the wake of the collapse of Champlain Towers in Miami-Dade County.

We developed a balanced budget for FY 2022, setting the millage rate at 4.7815 mils for the eleventh straight year.

Construction on Segment III of the North County Comprehensive Shore Protection Project is now complete, addressing critical beach erosion along Juno Beach and the south end of Jupiter. Construction on Segment I, which extends from just south of the Jupiter Inlet to the southern boundary of Carlin Park, is underway. This project will fully restore the dune and beach, provide storm protection, recreational opportunities, and sea turtle nesting habitat.

Construction commenced on the C-51 reservoir located on Southern Boulevard near 20-mile bend. This stormwater storage facility, which is a phased project, will help with water flows during the dry season, enhance flood protection and water quality, help combat saltwater intrusion, and assist in the restoration of the Loxahatchee River and the Lake Worth Lagoon.

The Commission passed amendments to the Floating Structures Ordinance to prohibit the improper anchoring or mooring of floating structures in waters of the county. When people improperly anchor or abandon floating structures, this can create navigational hazards, result in the discharge of harmful releases into the waterways, and negatively affect nearby residences. Enforcement of the ordinance will apply to cities and unincorporated areas of the county.

Numerous roadway improvements, traffic-control device installations, and sidewalk and bike path projects are in process in District 1, which will enhance driver and pedestrian safety.

Recently, the Commission approved on the first of two public readings, an amendment to the Unified Land Development Code that would allow a hotel or motel as a conditional use within a commercial pod of a planned unit development. Some golf clubs have suffered financial decline, and this use would allow a club owner to maintain the overall golf operations rather than sell off portions of the golf course for redevelopment of housing.

Perhaps most rewarding for me in this role is the opportunity to meet constituents and neighborhood groups to learn about the issues that are important to you. Even if I do not immediately have the answer to your problem, I, and my staff are dedicated to investigating and working with county departments to develop solutions.

Please contact me at (561) 355-2201 or by email at mmarino@pbcgov.org, and let me know how I can assist you.