Page 1 - The Shores of Jupiter - February '23

Our Village Voice

VOL. 34 NO. 2 www.seabreezepublications.com FEBRUARY 2023

Commissioner’s Update Bill’s Box

Peanut Island – A Tropical
Paradise With Historic By Bill Thompson
Shore s Ve hi c ul ar
Significance Traffic
Yes, that again …
By Commissioner some of our residents
Maria Marino cannot read or willfully
Palm Beach County’s disobey speed limit
Parks and Recreation signs. The speed limit
Department has received on Longshore Drive is
national awards and 30 mph! Whether we
recognition for a reason: we like it or not, that is the law. It is easy to see cars are
provide diverse, safe and going faster. Some are preparing for takeoff. That
affordable recreation service, can contribute to a particular hazardous intersection
welcoming parks, and at Longshore and Lake Bend Drive. Lake Bend is the
enriching social and cultural The Florida Inland Navigational District owns a large first intersection when entering The Shores. The right
experiences. Our sights are portion of the northern half of the island that has continued turn is onto the northern section of Lake Bend. Vehicles
set on promoting wellness, practicing environmental to serve as a spoil site. leaving Lake Bend trying to turn left leaving The
stewardship, contributing economic value, and improving When you visit the island, which you can reach by Shores onto Central Boulevard from that intersection
this community into the future. private boat, water taxi from Riviera Beach Marina or are in danger. When the developers laid out the
This also includes a commitment to preserving historical perhaps by kayak from nearby Phil Foster Park on Blue roadways, they created a curved contour into The
sites, like those found on Peanut Island. Excavation Heron Boulevard, you will be awestruck by the crystal-clear Shores that created a blind spot for drivers attempting
performed in 1918 to create the Lake Worth Inlet resulted in waters that surround the island. Numerous varieties of fish a left turn from Lake Bend onto Longshore. One must
the formation of the island, which grew over time as a spoil are plentiful, which makes the island a popular destination drive forward to see traffic from Central. Then when
site. The dredging, which was vital to plans to support the for fishing and snorkeling. You can also walk along winding it “seems” safe, the driver must get to the middle of
trade of peanut oil out of the port, led to its name. Now an paver pathways, enjoy its beaches, or get together at one of the intersection and often wait for Longshore traffic
80-acre tropical park, Peanut Island is home to a former U.S. several picnic areas or pavilions. A 17-site campground is to slow or pass, sometimes at excessive speeds out to
Coast Guard Station and boathouse, and the John F. Kennedy available for overnight campers that you can reserve online Central Boulevard. Those drivers could slow enough
Bunker, a Cold-War era nuclear bomb shelter built in 1961. at www.bookyoursite.com/campgrounds/peanutislandfl, or to allow Lake Bend drivers a chance to get into a safer
Situated on land owned by the Port of Palm Beach, the by calling (561) 845-4445 or toll-free at (866) 383-5730. lane out. On the contrary, some seem to speed up!
facilities have suffered from decay and neglect. In January Views from Peanut Island give you magnificent vistas of So, we have two problems: dangerous intersection
2022, the County Commission entered a 30-year lease the inlet, up and down the Intracoastal Waterway, and quiet and Longshore speeders. The HOA Board is in touch
with the port to take over, restore, manage and maintain marina views to the west. It is truly a wonderful means to with our Jupiter Police Department to seek solutions.
the historical properties for educational tours. The county “get away from it all” for a day, not far from our bustling One might be to install blinking cautionary lights.
anticipates that grant funding, impact fees and legislative metropolis. Another could be better enforcement of speeders on the
appropriations will cover the costs of the extensive work For more information, or if there is any way I can assist full length of Longshore, reminder caution and warning
required, and it has been an honor for me to participate in you, please contact me at (561) 355-2201 or by email at lights at intervals along the way. Both enforcement and
securing and preserving this site for future generations. mmarino@pbcgov.org. traffic engineering would have to work together. I have
confidence in Jupiter’s finest (JPD) to address these
Solid Waste Authority problems and produce improvements.
One other thing … most of us are aware that we
Recycling Right Means $500,000 was shared with municipalities from Tequesta to now have had two tragic accidents at the intersection
Revenue For Palm Beach Boca Raton. Since the SWA started the Municipal Revenue Bill’s Box on page 3
Share Program in 2010, partner municipalities have shared
County Municipalities more than $10.2 million.
The Municipal Revenue Share Program rewards the
When Palm Beach County SWA’s municipal partners for the role they play in making
residents recycle right, their Palm Beach County’s dual stream recycling program
municipality celebrates all year successful. Each city’s recyclables are transported to the
long in the form of recycling SWA, and once the SWA has sorted, baled and sold those
revenue share. commodities, the revenue is shared back with the cities, after
The recycling market was still processing costs.
hot coming into Fiscal Year 22 In the last fiscal year, county residents placed more than
but started to cool by the end. 95,000 tons of recyclables in their blue and yellow recycle
Good news is that the Solid Waste bins. That’s more than 1.9 million pounds of recyclable waste
Authority of Palm Beach County that would have otherwise been trashed.
(SWA) was able to share recycling revenues with the cities it
serves. In FY 2022 (Oct. 1, 2021 to Sept. 30, 2022), almost Solid Waste Authority on page 2

REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY IMMEDIATELY

TO THE JUPITER POLICE DEPARTMENT
(561) 799-4445

Use 911 for emergencies only. Lock car doors.
Do not leave valuables in the car.