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We’re fighting quiet rezoning & exploitative overdevelopment

Fund the Fight Against the AXIS Project

Why is Over-Development a Problem in Deerfield Beach?

The empty lot on the right would hold 237 gated entry apartments, and then at the end of that two block strip is a Chick-fil-A that will be opening any day now..  we don’t have enough gridlock already.

    How Quiet Rezoning allows Exploitative Over-Development

    The City of Deerfield Beach has encouraged Exploitative over-development with The AXIS Project east of Dixie Highway, and Vista Clara west of Dixie, in two adjacent neighborhoods that are separated by train tracks and connected by NE 2nd St. (Eller St).


    These two proposed complexes total 563 units. At less than two cars per family, we’re easily looking at ADDING 1000 rush-hour cars daily minimum between the two of them, just a couple blocks apart, on NE 2nd St. According to the New Pelican, Vista Clara alone will generate 1,775 trips a day! 

     

    Traffic cannot flow through or around either of these complexes. Flow into the complex is stopped completely EVERY TIME the access gate arm is lowered, behind each car that badges in. Do you know what this is going to be like with almost 1000 extra cars from 563 families during AM rush-hour, AM school drop off, PM school pick up, and PM rush-hour. 


    And Chick-fil-A! Chick-fil-A will be adding their notorious traffic to those 1000+ cars on NE 2nd St., in March.

    Exploitative overdevelopment happens on the backs of and at the expense of the community who lives there already, for the profit of robber baron developers. It cheapens our property, it cheapens our neighborhoods, and it cheapens the City of Deerfield Beach.


    What in the world has made this foolishness possible!? Quiet ReZoning. 


    The developers’ ultimate success depends on the neighborhood not knowing what the city is doing with the request to rezone.


    City officials encouraging over-development inside neighborhoods: 

    This could have never happened if a majority of the folks on the Dias didn’t approve quietly rezoning in the first place; its extremely disingenuous to for city officials to claim that they saved us from ourselves by approving a huge, unwanted, unsafe, monstrosity of an apartment building. 


    I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Mayor Ganz and District Two Commissioner Ben Preston for your votes against the exploitative development in District One, when it came to the final vote on the AXIS Project. It’s too bad that Vice Mayor Drosky and the two other commissioners didn’t feel the need to stand by the people.


    I would ask if you, vice mayor Drosky, if you think the neighborhood surrounding Vista Clara is proud of you for your vote FOR the rezoning the would allow Vista Clara. 

    I’ve also heard city officials argue that “ A developer can build what they want, it’s their land.” Thats also a bit disingenuous: I can’t mow down my house and build a 7-11 without rezoning first.

    That would be preposterous- for the same reason the AXIS Project and Vista Clara is preposterous. Those two neighborhoods cannot safely handle that type of traffic. 

    The Whole Town Showed up to Fight this Decision

    Deerfield Beach residents show up to REJECT exploitative over-development

    We are the unified residents in District One and District Two in Deerfield Beach, Florida, fighting Chicago Developer "Centrum Realty and Development" (aka CRD Federal, http://centrumrd.com/about, owned by the Slavin Family, http://centrumrd.com/contact).


    Both close-knit communities are suffering from Centrum’s attempts to destroy our historic, 100-year-old neighborhoods with their Vista Clara and Axis Project apartment housing tracts. Our fine city officials voted in their favor, and rejected the residents' pleas. The residents are now collectively suing the City of Deerfield Beach for that decision.
    [Donate Here: https://gofund.me/acf251e7].


    We're represented by the legendary attorney Robert Sweetapple: https://www.sweetapplebroeker.com

    The developers are represented by Dennis Mele of Greenspoon Marder: https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/dennis-mele-a-one-man-environmental-scourge-6465004


    You don’t find South Florida communities like ours often. Our ancestors grew up together as neighbors, and they're still neighbors in the cemetery here. Deerfield Beach is unique that way and when you get pissed off at these decisions and move away, you can’t ever be part of that type of multi-generational community again. When you get to be part of it, it’s very special. We care and we’re not going anywhere, and we are definitely not done here.


    Allowing rezoning here for the AXIS Project would cause a pivotal change, setting a precedent and forever changing the face of Deerfield Beach along Federal Highway. Now is our only opportunity; if we give up, the AXIS Project would be the first of many apartment rows that completely cut out local business and realtors- they do their own in-office ads and renting, like at a dorm, all up and down Federal Highway.


    This legal battle to reverse that by having certain commissioners' votes disqualified is our only chance to stop it.


    The rezoning is intended by the City to accommodate to the AXIS Project, a massive development that threatens our neighborhood’s safety and well-being. It introduces significant risks, including dangerous traffic on a 45mph road with a single gated entry, and delivery access directly across from a new Chick-fil-A entrance. 


    The project also increases density and building size five-fold, which benefits the Chicago Slavin Family's business, Centrum Realty and Development, but harms our community. We need your support to reverse this decision and protect Deerfield Beach.


    Contributing to our GoFundMe helps pay for our legal fight and shows the judges that the community stands united against this over-development. Every donation counts, even a dollar. Please spread the word on social media and via email.


    Help save Deerfield Beach from becoming another overdeveloped area like New Boca and New Pompano!

    [Donate Here: https://gofund.me/acf251e7]


    The deerfield Beach residents at the 12/3/24 meeting who did not want the zoning changed.

    12/3/24 Final Vote Video Clips

    Nearly the whole audience stood up to be sworn in.BP mistruthed & said he never received a single email. Bob’s sworn statement says he did. We all have the email history.Hudak’s prepared responseFYI- Parness ex parte disclosureFYI- Hudak’s ex parte disclosure

    Help the Win!!

    Contact the Attorney General and the Broward OIG
    Attorney General: Ashley MoodyBroward County OIG (email Office of Inspector General)Broward County OIG (call Office of Inspector General)

    Send tips to us: TIP LINE Observations now live!

    TIP LINE for Observations. Click to send a note.

    So many people saw so many different things wrong with Tuesday’s hearing (12/3/2024). See video link above. If you have information or observed something notable, send us a note here (if possible, include the start time on the video). traffic pedestrian safety risk reduction danger deerfield beach overdevelopment and rezoning

    Send a comment about your observations here

    New Chick-fil-A, not even considered a factor

    CFA traffic will exponentially add to the existing gridlock. A 237 unit apartment complex right here on the right, with a single file, gated entry, will cause a complete standstill.

    New Chick-fil-A NOT even considered a traffic factor!

    AXIS Project would go on the right, adding400 rush hour cars

    SB US1 at NE 2nd and NE4th St.a ChickFilA will soon open at the green light where nobody is moving.

    As the locals know, we have daily gridlock at this intersection. The re-zoning issue is about safety, not about an ugly vacant lot. The most recent neighborhood traffic fatality was earlier this year when our neighbor Dana was crossing US1 by NE 2nd St. Dana Blanton was killed on Federal Highway when he went through the windshield of a Cadillac walking home. May he rest in peace. 


    We don’t need re-zoning that would allow 300 rush-hour cars added to this mix. 


    See that green light up there at the top right where nobody’s moving?  That’s where the new Chick-fil-A is being built. That’s where people will be making U-turn to get to Chick-fil-A.


     This is clearly not the spot to re-zone for a 237 unit apartment house.

    Apartment house would be on the right. Single file, gated entry. Adds 200 cars to these 45 pictured

    Additionally, NB drivers will U-turn at the 2nd St green light for ChickFilA. We can’t add 200 more

    Blocking NE 4th St: Same area, farther north.

    Traffic is backed up on SB Federal Highway past NE 4th St. on a normal, non-holiday Wednesday evening.

    See that green light at NE 2nd St? That’s where Chick-fil-A diners will be making their U-turn. 

    SW Corner of Eller (NE 2ND ST) and Federal Highway

      1/5

      The County Land Use Change

      Commissioner Parness had a legitimate question when he asked the people in attendance at the 11/6/24  commission meeting, “Who bothered to even attend the Broward County Land Use Amendment meetings?” It’s a very fair question. There are two reasons nobody in the audience raised a hand.


      Broward County COVID-19 lockdowns began March 19, 2020 when the county issued a stay-at-home order shortly after Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in Florida on March 13, 2020. Travel outside the home was prohibited.


      1. Nobody attended because nobody knew about it. We weren't notified, and no one saw a single sign. 
      2. Even if people had known about it, attendance by the public was prohibited, not just by the state, but also by the county.

      At some point in mid 2021, a developer stapled this paper to an invitation to help plan their new apartment building and mailed it to residents. 


      That is how everyone learned about the zoning change.


      FDOT traffic studies occurred during Covid lockdown too.


      Let’s not forget that there is video of the developers’ attorney confirming the fact that this Broward County Land Use Change did not consider Chick-fil-A when determining approval. Deerfield Beach deerfield beach overdevelopment and rezoning traffic pedestrian safety risk reduction danger

      Broward County Land Use changed during Covid lockdowns when travel was prohibited.

      A dead stop or hard swerve in a 45 mph highway will cause accidents.

      Boca Bayou exit closed in the 90s

      It wasn’t safe in the 90’s, and it wouldn’t be safe now.

      Death Trap?

      • Look at that tiny, single file gated entrance.
        NE 4th St width is wildly inaccurate.
      • Back in the 90's, Boca Bayou had to close their SB US1 access point bc of all the accidents. How is a smaller, gated, single-file entrance, with *much* more traffic than in the 90s, going to be safer? This is a 45 mph highway. 
      • That proposed building, on the downhill, less visible side of the southbound Federal Highway bridge over Hillsboro River, has a gated entry in an active lane of 45 mph highway traffic, a block before a Chick-fil-A driveway that doesn’t appear to have been considered by the Broward County planning council.
      • UPDATE! A neighbor reached out to Boca Bayou and learned that their Dixie Highway exit is now also permanently closed because of accidents. It also was at the foot of a downhill slope.  

      Yes. Its a death trap.

      Boca Bayou had two alternative exits available to use, and one of them was also a failure. Now they have one exit on Royal Palm. 


      This compound doesn’t have those alternatives.

      This exit has been closed since the 90s.


        Responsible development. Not over-development.

        WHY we're fighting this spot zoning change

        1. Tell the mayor and city commissioners that you're against rezoning, gentrification, and exploitative overdevelopment. 
        2. Express your safety concerns
        3. Tell DFB City Commission that you want to maintain current zoning
        4. Print and share flyers.  
        5. Click Get Involved in the menu here for ways to spread the word.



        Print & Share No-Rezoning Flyers

        The list of known, existing hazards is lengthy.

        • By the end of all this, these hazards will also be known to the City and the general public. As a (retired) Safety Risk Management facilitator, instructor, and practitioner for Broward College, USDOT/FAA, FDOT (my LinkedIn references are public) it’s my personal opinion that this change would add to existing hazards, create new hazards, and create an extremely high likelihood of serious vehicular and pedestrian accidents.
        • Chick-fil-A traffic will be a major contributing factor in all hazards listed.
        • The mitigation for these types of hazards is the City’s current zoning, which was created by city planners in for the benefit and protection of the people. 
        • Nobody other than the developer wants the zoning changed.

        Our power is our voice. Our strength is our numbers.

        Please add your email, send a message, or attach and send a document here. Send email to receive brief updates on City Hall movements for this project.

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        231 North Federal Highway, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441, United States

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        • Hello!
        • SB1118
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        • Exploitative Development
        • Writ
        • Home becomes a dogwalk!
        • Chick-fil-A
        • StoryLine
        • Local Students early 70s
        • Comissioners' Contact
        • Come Stay at Mermaid Bay!

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