Cabana Colony Archives

Gardens annexation faces court challenge

Hidden Key residents file suit to block annexation, claiming Palm Beach Gardens City Council didn’t follow the law in putting proposal on ballot.

A 70-home gated community at the eastern edge of Palm Beach Gardens’ massive proposed annexation area sued Friday to block the March 19 vote that seeks to add thousands of residents to the city.

The city’s failures at public hearings in November and December are so great as to make a mockery of state laws designed to limit annexations to compact and contiguous areas, four homeowners from Hidden Key say in the suit that aims to block the annexation of Zone 1, the largest of five areas sought by the city.

“This annexation is unwelcome and unwarranted,” Hidden Key resident and petitioner Kenneth Glueck said in a statement. “Hidden Key is no more a fit for Palm Beach Gardens than it is for Miami.”

‘This isn’t us against you’ — Gardens puts annexation on ballot

‘You didn’t tell us you were coming. You didn’t ask if we wanted you to come and now that we’ve told you ‘no,’ you’ve refused to leave.’

Dozens of Palm Beach Gardens neighbors picketed Wednesday outside City Hall and lined up to tell the City Council they do not want their homes to be part of the city.

They object to being part of an annexation of 1,300 acres east of Interstate 95 containing an estimated 8,300 residents.

The City Council told the opponents their messages were heard before voting against them, taking the final steps to place annexation on the March 19 ballot.

“I respect your passion, and I appreciate every one of you and what you had to say and delivered to us,” Council Member Carl Woods said. “You guys are my neighbors. This isn’t us against you, by no means. If you don’t want it, don’t vote for it.”

Despite opposition, annexation passes first test toward March referendum

One neighborhood vows to sue as Palm Beach Gardens pursues annexation of 8,300 residents on 1,300 acres east of Interstate 95.

They came to Palm Beach Gardens City Hall roughly 200 strong Thursday to speak against annexation.

Most left without hearing the City Council’s response.

They would have been disappointed.

The council countered neighbors’ statements, saying there was no reason for hostility or panic and the city had no hidden agenda.

Also, the annexation proposal shouldn’t come as a surprise, council members asserted, as there have been talks about annexation for decades.

Palm Beach Gardens pitches massive annexation

City could grow by more than 10 percent if neighboring residents agree in March referendum.

Palm Beach Gardens rolled out a massive and ambitious effort Tuesday to annex more than 1,350 acres containing more than 8,300 residents, a move that ultimately would be decided by voters after a potentially divisive campaign.

The city has sliced the properties, all east of Interstate 95, into five zones. A majority of residents in each zone would have to vote yes on the March 19 ballot for their respective zone to enter the city.

Census 2020: Watch the Gardens grow

Led by Palm Beach Gardens, north county cities grew 15% over 10 years; Hispanic population rises throughout Palm Beach County.

Palm Beach Gardens grew at a 22 percent clip over the past 10 years, the second-fastest rate of any city in Palm Beach County, census 2020 figures show.

Jupiter remains the most populous city in north county, at 61,047, but Palm Beach Gardens gained on it, drawing to within 2,000 at 59,182.

Over the past 20 years, the Gardens’ growth rate of 68.8 percent is third in the county trailing just Palm Springs and Royal Palm Beach, census records show. Jupiter grew seventh-fastest over that period at 55 percent.