Page 10 - Boca Club News - January '20

Page 10, Boca Club News
Mayor’s Update: Bringing Brightline to Boca

Scott Singer is the 35th Mayor begin in early 2020 and be completed by early 2021. The City vital transportation upgrades will provide benefits to Boca’s
of Boca Raton. A South Florida will fund most of the of the design and construction of a 455- residents and businesses and will advance the long-term future
native, attorney, mediator, and small car parking garage that is open to the public and can be used of our thriving, progressive city.
business owner, Scott and his wife, by train passengers. Brightline will be responsible for all the In March, I approached Brightline CEOs to pitch them
Bella, live in Broken Sound with operating, maintenance, and related expenses of the garage, on a station in Boca. For many months, city staff worked
their two young children. and the parties will split the profits. The City has limited hard, and my colleagues and I pushed to make the deal better
Boca Raton residents had a its risks by maintaining ownership of the land and assets for residents and to address neighborhood concerns. Thanks
great win with the City Council‘s and having Brightline assume all of the significant ongoing to all of the residents who weighed in, city staff’s great
recent approval of a long-term expenses. Library visitors will have dedicated, covered efforts, and all of my colleagues for sharing a vision about
lease with Brightline, soon to be Virgin Trains (VTUSA), parking on the first floor, which will be complimentary. improving transportation and mobility and bringing all of the
with a unanimous 5-0 vote at the December 10th City We pursued an opportunity to be included in this major many benefits of this major opportunity to Boca Raton. The
Council Meeting. Boca Raton will gain a station on this transportation network and have seized the moment. Phrases excitement is palpable and this opportunity will bring benefits
high-speed, intercity rail system, and now have a vital like “game changer,” “transformative,” and “winning the for decades to Boca Raton.
connection to West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and, lottery” were all used by the largest group of speakers in This marks the second December in a row when I’ve been
soon, Orlando. The response from residents, employers, favor of an issue to come before the City Council in many able to see an idea I proposed come to fruition for the benefit
our largest institutions, and community partners has been years. We wanted to make sure Boca is not left out of this for the city. In December 2018, it was the state approval of a
overwhelmingly positive. high-speed rail network that has provided benefits to the cities new public school for Boca Raton. This year, we have a major
After months of negotiations, the deal that was approved that have it. A stop in Boca adds connectivity for our residents transportation, business, and quality-of-life upgrade. With your
got sweeter and sweeter for residents. Brightline will fully for trains that are already running throughout our city and help in the coming March 17th, 2020 election, I hope to earn
fund and operate, as a rail-ready connection to the $5 billion, brings benefits for our residents, commuting professionals, your support to keep serving as Boca Raton’s Mayor to bring
170-mile intercity train system. Construction is hoped to tourism, our economy, and our presence. Once open, these the ideas, initiative, and follow-through for our residents.
Council Corner: Boca’s Bright Brightline Future

Andy Thomson was elected during the are located too far away to make it a viable transportation When Brightline first approached Boca about a potential
special City Council election in 2018. option; it doesn’t make sense, after all, to drive from Boca station, they demanded major concessions. They wanted the
In 2019, Boca Raton was presented to West Palm Beach to take a train to Fort Lauderdale, City to donate public land next to the Downtown Library
with an incredible opportunity: and if you’re going to get in your car and drive to Fort and grant them development rights to build residential or
improved mobility, fewer cars on Lauderdale, it’s easy to stay in your car and keep driving commercial buildings. But the City Council pushed back and
the road, reduced carbon emissions, down to Miami. All that would change, however, with a negotiated a much better deal for taxpayers: the City would
significant economic impact, station in Boca Raton. With additional stations planned for lease (not donate) public land near the Library to Brightline,
and a boost to our tourism and Aventura and Orlando, Boca had a chance to be part of a and on that land Brightline would pay to build the train station
hospitality industries. In assessing billion-dollar transportation network that, with its high-end and a portion of a public parking garage.
this opportunity, your City Council worked diligently, trains and luxurious stations, is far from a typical commuter When the neighbors next to the proposed parking garage
transparently, and quickly to make sure that Boca Raton rail service. And, following its partnership with Richard raised concerns about the garage’s proximity to their homes,
didn’t miss the train--the Brightline train! Branson and Virgin, this system will be rebranded Virgin the City Council asked that the garage be moved further south
Brightline, the high-speed train system with existing Trains USA. to create a larger buffer that was nearly double the one in the
stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, With the enormous upside of having a Brightline station original design. At the City’s request, Brightline agreed.
presented a plan to the City of Boca Raton several months in Boca, it might have been tempting to charge ahead to When the neighbors sought additional landscaping in that
ago about adding a station in our downtown. Right now, make it happen. But the City Council worked to make sure larger space to create an even greater buffer, the City Council
Boca Raton is in “no man’s land” when it comes to that the process was transparent and thoughtful, and to
Brightline. The trains pass through our City but the stations minimize any negative impacts. Council Corner on page 11

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