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September 16th, 2016

9/16/2016

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Join Boca Raton City Councilman Scott Singer in a "neighborhood" discussion regarding the Silver Palm Park and the Wildflower Properties... 

For those you that may not be familiar with these properties...
They are located adjacent to each other - divided by Palmetto Park Road and the Bridge over the intracoastal...  

Silver Palm Park is known for its boat ramp and is ideal for boaters looking for a quick path to Lake Boca or a 10 minute ride to the Ocean....

Wildflower, as it is referenced - is the former home of the "Wildflower" Nightclub that was torn down several years ago...   For those of you that have been around Boca Raton may also be familiar with the Steak house that resided on the corner - at the entrance to the wildflower...  This was one of ,my personal favorites - as steak houses go this was excellent!
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For La Fontana Boca Raton Residents -
Lake Wyman is a hot topic in the city these days -
Make your opinion count - this is our backyard! 

​Author
Concerned about our community!

Gary Youngman, PA
20+ Year "full time" resident of Boca Raton - 
Realtor / Broker Associate @ Balistreri Real Estate - 
Understanding value, creating opportunity and empowering people -
Dedicated to preserving the "Boca Raton" Community and lifestyle -
Contact Gary Youngman  561.306.7653

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Sunsets @ La Fontana - Exceptional!

9/6/2016

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A special show from the balcony!
An amenity often not priced in!
Q - What is this show worth?  
A - An awful lot!!


*L
ooking for a Realtor that knows Boca Raton, understands value and how to represent it?
​Contact the Author

SUNSET FACTS -    

#1 - No two Sunsets are alike
#2 - Every Sunset is a "one of a kind" Masterpiece!
#3 - When they are taken from your camera - they can never be "unseen"
#4 - Once captured...  they are frozen in time...
#5 - The creator is a Master!    The Photographer is only the messenger
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*All Photo's included in this blog are property of the Poster -
Written permission required to print / reprint / publish or utilize in any way. 

Author

Gary Youngman, PA
20+ Year "full time" resident of Boca Raton -
Realtor / Broker Associate @ Balistreri Real Estate -
Understanding value, creating opportunity and empowering people -
Dedicated to preserving the "Boca Raton" Community and lifestyle -
Contact Gary Youngman  561.306.7653

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Ominous Storm Clouds Over "La Fontana"

9/3/2016

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And life as we know it!  Sunshine and Saltwater!

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Author

Gary Youngman 8/28/2016
Realtor - Beach Area Specialist
Broker Associate @ Balistreri Realty Boca Raton
25+ Year Boca Raton Resident
561.306.7653

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Hermine misses South Florida - Our Labor Day is Saved!

9/3/2016

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​Forecasters predict Hermine will regain hurricane strength once it hits East Coast

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DEKLE BEACH, Fla. –  
The first hurricane to hit Florida in more than a decade wiped away beachside buildings and toppled trees onto homes Friday before plowing inland on a path that could send it rolling up the densely populated East Coast with heavy rain, high winds and flooding.

Hermine quickly weakened to a tropical storm and was spinning inland along the North Carolina coast late Friday. But the National Hurricane Center predicted it would regain hurricane strength late in the weekend after emerging over the Atlantic Ocean. The system could then lash coastal areas as far north as Connecticut and Rhode Island through Labor Day.

"Anyone along the U.S. East Coast needs to be paying close attention this weekend," said Dennis Feltgen, a spokesman for the National Hurricane Center.

In Florida, Hermine's main impact came in the form of power outages and damage from storm surges. A homeless man south of Gainesville died when a tree fell on him, Gov. Rick Scott said.
He later took to a Blackhawk helicopter to visit the coastal communities of Cedar Key and Steinhatchee hit hard by the damage from flooding and storm surge that crumpled docks and washed out homes and businesses.

Scott pledged that businesses would be eligible for help from the state. But it's unclear whether Florida will get any federal disaster assistance as the state begins to clean up from the storm.
An estimated 325,000 people were without power statewide and more than 107,000 in neighboring Georgia, officials said.

At 2 a.m., the hurricane center said the tropical storm's center was about 60 miles west-northwest of Cape Lookout, North Carolina. Forecasters said the storm threatens a dangerous storm surge into Hampton Roads in southeast Virginia. Hermine had top sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving northeast at 22 mph.

Forecasters said the system could strengthen back into a hurricane by Monday morning off the Maryland-Delaware coast before weakening again as it moves north. Tropical storm watches and warnings were posted up and down the coastline.

Amtrak says it has cancelled or altered some service on the East Coast as the storm approaches.
Back in Florida, a storm surge at Dekle Beach damaged numerous homes and destroyed storage buildings and a 100-yard fishing pier. The area is about 60 miles southeast of St. Marks, where Hermine made landfall at 1:30 a.m. in the Big Bend area, where Florida's peninsula and panhandle meet.

Nancy Geohagen walked around collecting photos and other items for her neighbors after the storm scattered them.

"I know who this baseball bat belongs to," she said plucking it from a pile of debris.
An unnamed spring storm that hit the beach in 1993 killed 10 people who refused to evacuate. This time, only three residents stayed behind. All escaped injury.
In nearby Steinhatchee, a storm surge crashed into Bobbi Pattison's home. She wore galoshes and was covered in black muck as she stood in her living room amid overturned furniture and an acrid smell. Tiny crabs darted around her floor.

"I had a hurricane cocktail party last night and God got even with me," she said with a chuckle. Where her bar once stood was now only wet sand and rubble. Pattison and two neighbors managed to set upright a large wooden statue of a sea captain she had carved from wood that washed ashore in the 1993 storm.

In Keaton Beach, about two dozen people waited on a road just after sunrise Friday, trying to get to their homes. Police blocked the road because of flooding.

Dustin Beach, 31, rushed there from a hospital in Tallahassee where his wife gave birth to a girl Thursday night to see if his home still stood.
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A hand painted sign on a boarded up bar is seen as Hurricane Hermine nears the Florida coast, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Cedar Key, Fla. (AP)

"When my wife got up this morning, she said, 'Go home and check on the house. I need to know where we're going after we leave the hospital,'" Beach said.

Cindy Simpson was waiting near her car, hoping her beach home and boats survived. "It's a home on stilts so I put everything upstairs. We have two boats in the boat house, and I hope they're still there," she said.

High winds knocked trees onto several houses in Tallahassee, injuring people inside.

It was sometime after midnight when Alan Autry, 48, started hearing the large pines in his Tallahassee neighborhood start to crack and fall to the ground.

Then he heard one come down on the top floor of his house. The tree didn't initially crash through the roof, and Autry and his wife went to a neighbor's house. Sometime before dawn, the corner of his house collapsed from the weight of the tree.

"We've been married 13 years and this is our fifth hurricane," said Autry who moved from central Florida six years ago. "By far, this is the worst damage we've ever had."

Tampa and St. Petersburg escaped major damage. Up to 17 inches of rain fell in the area over the last two days.

The last hurricane to strike Florida was Wilma, a powerful Category 3 storm that arrived on Oct. 24, 2005. It swept across the Everglades and struck heavily populated south Florida, causing five deaths in the state and an estimated $23 billion in damage.

The Florida governor declared an emergency in 51 counties and said about 6,000 National Guardsmen stood ready to mobilize for the storm's aftermath. The governors of Georgia and North Carolina also declared emergencies.

Credits - http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/09/03/forecasters-predict-hermine-will-regain-hurricane-strength-once-it-hits-east-coast.html

Author

Boca Raton 20+ Year resident - Realtor - Dedicated to preserving the "Boca Raton" Community and lifestyle.  Gary Youngman - 561.306.7653

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VOTE... VOTE... VOTE

8/28/2016

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​Boca Raton Elections – March 2017 – A ‘Shell Game’ Maybe…

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It may seem early to begin considering the municipal elections of Boca Raton in March 2017 but I assure you it is not….
Please indulge me with pondering the possibilities raised within this article below.
A bit of history…
In the 2014 City Council elections, residents had the opportunity to replace four seats on the Council. Mayor Whelchel was termed out and Deputy Mayor Haynie elected to run for the Mayor’s spot; Councilman Majhess vacated his council seat to run against Deputy Mayor Haynie; Robert Weinroth ran for and was elected to the remainder of the Majhess term; Scott Singer ran for the seat Haynie vacated and was elected unopposed; Councilman Mullaugh ran and was elected for his second and final term.
The outcome actually resulted in two new faces on the Council, Councilmen Singer and Weinroth.
In 2015, two additional opportunities presented themselves. Councilwoman Constance Scott was termed limited out and replaced by Councilman Jeremy Rodgers in a three way contested election.
Councilman Weinroth ran and was elected unopposed to a new full term in the previously held Majhess seat.
At first, these changes seemed refreshing, yes… but not nearly enough to have changed the inbred anti-resident attitude which still, to this day, remains…
With no elections in March 2016, attitudes of contempt and disdain for an involved electorate still carry the day. Citizens can present sentiment by the volume and, even when coupled with facts, still receive the proverbial ‘back hand’ from City Staff as well as a collective nonresponsive Council…
So what to do….
March, 2017 is but a mere 17 months away and cannot come soon enough. That election cycle presents an even greater moment than 2014 to change the status quo.
Three seats will be in play….
Mayor Haynie is expected to run for a second and final term; Councilman Singer is also expected to run for his second and final term; and the vacant seat of Councilman Mullaugh becomes an open seat as Mullaugh is termed out, and, by City Charter, cannot run for a third term.
Qualifying for these three seats will open in December 2016, a mere 14 months from now. To date, one candidate has announced for the open seat; Joe Panella, a longtime resident of Boca Raton. Others are currently considering entering the race but are not ready to announce as of this time.
So why a “Shell Game”….
Outlined below is a summary of Boca Raton’s Municipal Election events and a 5 year timeline chart from March 2015 to March 2020. The outline provides great cause for concern if changing the insidious behavior towards residents from past and current Councils is to happen.
Summery of Municipal Events

Presented here is a flow chart that outlines the course of events in Boca Raton over the next five years based on the following assumptions:
  1. Mayor Susan Haynie is reelected in March 2017 and chooses to run for other office in November 2018.
  2. Councilman Scott Singer is reelected in March 2017 and chooses to run for other office in November 2018.
In Boca Raton, in the event of a vacancy in the of office Mayor, the Deputy Mayor succeeds to the office of Mayor until the last day of March following the next regular City election.
In Boca Raton, in the event of a vacancy in the office of City Council, the remaining Council members, including the Mayor, will fill the vacancy by appointment by a majority vote. The person appointed will hold office until the last day of March following the next regular City election.
There is no provision in the City Charter to fill a vacancy by special election.
Since there will be no City election in Boca Raton in 2019, any vacancy created by the resignation of the Mayor in November 2018, regardless of what office she runs for, would result in the Deputy Mayor completing the remainder of her term.
Since there will be no City election in Boca Raton in 2019, any vacancy created by the resignation of Scott Singer in November 2018, regardless of what office he runs for, would result in an appointment by the remaining Council members, including the Mayor, for the remainder of his term.
Considering the above, let’s explore the possibilities that exist. County Commissioner Steve Abrams is term limited in November 2018. State Representative Bill Hager is also termed out in November 2018.  Both these seats are natural political progressions for Boca Raton City Council members. Residents have seen this progression in the past with former Mayor Abrams now serving as County Commissioner; and, former City Councilmember Hager serving as State Representative
So if the Mayor and/or either of the two Councilmembers elected in March 2017 were to ‘resign to run’ for these available seats, the rules outlined above would prevail.  The unfilled Mayor’s term would be filled by the Deputy Mayor and the unfilled Councilmember’s term would be filled by appointment of the remaining four Councilmembers. This is truly worrisome to those residents looking to change overdevelopment as a continuing pattern.
The ‘resign to run’ law requires a sitting elected official to irrevocably resign his/her elected position effective the first day that elected official would take the oath of office for the seat sought, win or lose.
As you can see, the stakes are even higher now than in the March 2014 election cycle. Not only is the 2017 Mayor’s election result important for all the obvious reasons but another item of import exists. The Council’s appointment to the Deputy Mayor slot is a significant item given the method in which that seat is filled until the March 2020 election cycle ….
And since any vacancy to a City Council position is also filled until March 2020 by appointment of the remaining Council members, residents need to be extremely vigilant in this election cycle or forfeit any ability to change the course of events for years to come….
Perhaps ‘Shell Game” is a bit harsh but the political players are sure to be dancing to the music….and as for the future of this city, the residents’ vision of what Boca Raton is and will evolve to be is definitely at stake….
By Alfred Zucaro| October 19th, 2015|3 Comments

About the Author: Alfred Zucaro
Alfred Zucaro has resided in Palm Beach County since 1982 and has been a resident of Boca Raton since 2008. A graduate of Fordham University, he holds a Magna Cum Laude degree in Economics. Mr. Zucaro attended Nova University receiving a Juris Doctorate Law Degree in 1986. He is a member in good standing with the Florida Bar, practicing in the area of Immigration Law for the majority of his career. Currently he is manager/member of Palm Beach Investment and Finance LLC, a USCIS approved regional center identifying foreign investment leading to permanent resident status. Mr. Zucaro served as a City Commissioner in West Palm Beach from 1995 to 2002 and as the President of the City Commission in 2000/2001. He has also been a member of and/or served on the Economic Council, the Business Development Board, the Film and Television Commission, the Tourist Development Council, the Workforce Alliance and the Palm Beach International Film Festival. Of particular interest is his founding of the World Trade Center Palm Beach, an organization that focuses on international economic development. Married to Yvonne Boice, they are avid world travelers having visited 6 continents and dozens of countries since their 2008 nuptials.

http://bocawatch.org/boca-raton-elections-march-2017-a-shell-game-maybe/

Posted here courtesy of:
Gary Youngman 8/28/2016
Realtor - Beach Area Specialist
Broker Associate @ Balistreri Realty Boca Raton
25+ Year Boca Raton Resident
561.306.7653
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La Fontana Boca Raton - Okay a lil fun stuff... 

7/3/2016

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This will get you in the heart...   I am pretty sure, but you must watch it all!
A must see performance...
https://www.facebook.com/nbc/videos/10153979150879760/

Posted by:
Gary Youngman 5/12/2016
25+ Year Boca Raton Resident
Realtor - Beach Area Specialist
561.306.7653
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The Turtles are laying their eggs!  See "Leatherback video" -

6/29/2016

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Just one hundred yards north of La Fontana - a rare sight - a huge "Leatherback" Turtle digging a place for her eggs...  
Taken by Gary Youngman - Realtor in Boca Raton, 25 years in Boca Raton, a Beach Resident for over 15 years...  561.306.7653
Questions about La Fontana in Boca Raton?  Or any other Beach / Intracoastal / Country Club property feel free to call...  I have first hand info on Boca Raton and the surrounding areas...
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La Fontana Boca Raton - PARK OFFICIALS  TO CITY OFFICIALS - "CITY IS MONEY AND POWER GRABBING" - "A THREAT TO OUR EXISTENCE" - 

6/1/2016

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Boca Raton: Beach and Park District chafes at contract suggestions
  • Posted by The Coastal Star on June 1, 2016 at 10:17am
  • Send Message   View Blog
By Steve Plunkett

    The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District is sending a counterproposal filled with additions and deletions to the City Council, which wants “sole discretion” to make changes at parks.
    The district and the council now must compromise when they don’t see eye to eye. District Chairman Robert Rollins says the city plan would be “an unlawful delegation of our legislative authority.”
    “The only thing left for the district is to tax our constituents and write a check,” Arthur Koski, the district’s interim executive director, said.
    “That’s the way I interpreted it,” Commissioner Susan Vogelgesang said.
    Rollins said he told Mayor Susan Haynie he was unhappy with the city’s proposal and wanted to scrap it and start over. But Haynie urged him to suggest changes instead.
    The city and the district have eight contracts with each other governing the operation and maintenance of one park or another, Koski said. He saw nothing wrong with trying to consolidate the agreements into one provided the new document was “properly worded.” 
    Commissioners compiled a list of changes they want in the contract at their May 24 meeting. Koski said they did not have to accept the document as proposed. 
    “Keep in mind, we are not a board of the city. We do not respond to City Council wishes,” he said.
    Rollins objected to a clause that would let the city bill the district for any work the city decided was not up to its standards and had to be redone. 
    “When I’ve had somebody come to my house, I typically tell them what work I want them to do for me. This is totally opposite of that,” he said.
    The kicker, he said, was a statement that the city could terminate the agreement for any reason, “or no reason,” with six months’ notice. There was not a similar out clause for the district.
    “This contract was in play for five months before we saw it,” Rollins said. “This was a great opportunity for us to have some communication, I thought.”
    Commissioner Earl Starkoff said city officials “sideswiped” the district with the proposal and called it a “threat to our existence” and a “totally one-sided money and power grab.”
    “We never asked them to consolidate the agreements,” Starkoff said.
    Commissioners also decided to seek a 10-year contract with automatic renewals instead of 30 years, and the ability to send the city payments via electronic transfer rather than U.S. mail. They also planned to invite the City Council to a joint meeting on July 25, when council members are scheduled to have a workshop session.
    “I don’t want us to send this and find another five months goes down the line,” said Commissioner Dennis Frisch.
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La Fontana Boca Raton - "Creatures of Lake Wyman"...

5/21/2016

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A "Baby Ray" in the shallows...     (Careful where you walk!)

I have seen so much life here in Lake wyman - many "rays", manatees, crab, conch, snook, needlefish and yes I have seen "Lionfish" -
​Help preserve the Lake Wyman, force city leaders to protect it...  Renew the canoe / kayak access areas... Preserve the habitats that thrive here today...
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Pay attention - there are surprises galore... 

Remember to be conservative "in and around the lake" -
We are fortunate to live here...
Take a walk outside, enjoy the wonder world...
**"In and around the lake"; a great "Yes" song from days gone by... 
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La Fontana Boca Raton - Neighboring "Rutherford Park"

5/15/2016

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Located directly across lake Wyman from La Fontana...   A hidden Jewel, rarely visited, quiet park with picnic and playground areas...
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If you can find the entrance to the park...    Get out of the car...  and take a stroll on Boca Raton's Lake Wyman's preserve trails...  Viewpoints and habitat areas all along the way...
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    ​Blog Author
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    Gary Youngman, CDPE
    Broker

    B Realtors Real Estate
    gary@pblm.com
    www.pblm.com
    ​561.306.7653

    "GET IT SEEN ~ GET IT SOLD"
    A "full time" resident of Boca Raton for over 25 years.  Have questions about the area or any Real Estate Investment?
    ​Call 561.306.7653

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All content © 2016 La Fontana Condominium. Disclaimer: La Fontana Boca Raton website was developed by independent "Licensed Real Estate Agents". This site was developed from the knowledge breadth of our organization. We know La Fontana... We have current and historical sales information at our fingertips... We are specialists in the luxury real estate markets of Boca Raton, Highland Beach and Delray Beach areas. We are NOT affiliated with the developer or management company of this particular building and/or development. All dimensions are approximate - Potential buyers are advised to verify independently, prior to contract execution. Building information; amenities and all other information including photos are not warrantied and are subject to change.
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