Beach Area Issues

NEW CONSTRUCTION: Seagate Hotel is set to open for the season "BEACH WALK" From Left to Right: Susan Hurlburt, Tim Simmons, Peter Anuar (Senior Landscape planner), Linda Karch and Andy Katz The BPOA Board has introduced the concept of establishing the beachfront formally as one of the city's parks and initializing the process to put together a Beach Master Plan as a guide toward future improvements and maintaining the beauty and appearance of the beachfront. Susan Hurlburt and Andy Katz met with newly appointed Parks and Recreation Director, Linda Karch and Parks Maintenance Supervisor Tim Simmons and invited them to do a "beach walk" to observe the key improvements and changes that BPOA suggests would upgrade this key asset of Delray Beach. Pictured during the walk you will see Susan Hurlburt, Tim Simmons, Peter Anuar (Senior Landscape planner), Linda Karch and Andy Katz. The next step for the BPOA Board is to work with the city in establishing a citizen charrette to obtain input for inclusion in the Beach Master Plan. BEACH CONDITIONS AND TURTLE NESTING SEASON Turtle nests on the beach in front of the new Seagate Beach Club Due to the recent weather events the wind and tidal conditions have caused an erosion of the beach in certain areas particularly. This has caused minor sand loss but the City does not have plans on renourishing the beach at this time. It is felt there will be some natural accretion of sand back onto the beach which will replenish some of the sand loss. Representatives of the Parks and Recreation Department will monitor conditions. It appears that the turtle nesting numbers are up this season. From all reports this has been the best season in a long time in terms of turtle lighting compliance. Scott Pape, Senior City Planner, thanked the BPOA and beachfront residents for assisting the City in controlling the lighting. With this compliance and mother nature’s help, hopefully the turtle nesting numbers will continue to rise in the coming years. MARRIOTT HOTEL EXPANSION The Marriott Hotel at Atlantic and A1A has received approval from the city’s Site Plan Review and Appearance Board on 10/14/2008 for a major expansion of the hotel. The most significant features of the expansion are: A 4-story addition with 27 suites on the south side of the hotel along Atlantic Avenue (between the sidewalk and the existing hotel building). Adding retail and commercial space on the first of the four floors. Expansion of the pool deck at the southeast corner. Creating a courtyard entrance along Atlantic Avenue. Constructing 9 cabana suites near the pool. Expanding the existing restaurant and kitchen. In the process, the city is allowing the hotel to take back 20 parking spaces that have been used by the public and local merchants since the early 1980's at the corner of Atlantic and Andrews (the south-west corner of the hotel lot). The Downtown Development Authority had previously approved the plans but with a condition that the 20 spaces be replaced by comparable public parking spaces. The BPOA opposed the complete loss of these spaces. MARRIOTT RESIDENCE INN The city has approved Phase II of the expansion of the Marriott Residence Inn on 1145 East Atlantic Avenue near Seabreeze. The project will add a 4-story structure of 32 rooms facing Atlantic where the Shell Shop used to be located. Parking for the expansion will be temporarily made available on the west side of Seabreeze until Phase III of the hotel project which will expand the capacity of the garage building on the north side of the hotel. DELRAY BEACH YACHT CLUB Delray Beach Yacht Club has been sold... The Delray Beach Yacht Club has applied to the City for the re-establishment of the 8,316 sq. ft yacht club (110 MacFarlane Drive ), and approval to operate the Club as it did previously. The dining, pool, and dockage facilities will be available to membership. The 2007 approved condo development of the property has been delayed due to market conditions.

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