What if you could take a single action to help preserve the rural character of The Acreage/Loxahatchee for generations to come, and it only took 30 seconds of your time? Would you do it?

If the answer is “yes,” the Acreage Landowners Association (ALA) is urging you to sign its petition against West End Crossing, (CLICK HERE) a development project that threatens to unleash urbanization and commercialization on our entire neighborhood.

All you have to do is add your name, email and address HERE and hit the orange “SIGN PETITION NOW” button. So take 30 seconds to sign it right now — before it’s too late.

West End Crossing

West End Crossing is a commercial center slated to be built on 5.93 acres at the southeast corner of Northlake Boulevard and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road in Loxahatchee.

The developer behind the project is Brock Development Corp. Its nearby past projects include Alton Town Center, a sprawling commercial complex that Brock’s website describes as a “24/7 shopping destination,” and Gardens Towne Center, described as a “high traffic” shopping center.

The architecture and planning firm hired for the West End Crossing project is Cotleur & Hearing. Its nearby past projects include the 60-plus-acre Downtown at the Gardens center and the 47-acre Midtown center.

Cotleur & Hearing shared updated plans for West End Crossing with the Acreage Landowners Association on June 11. They indicate that the project will include a:

• Gas station with 12 fueling stations
• Walk-in convenience store (4,853 square feet)
• Separate building with room for “retail” (5,221 square feet) and a “medical office” (an additional 5,221 square feet)

While some Acreage/Loxahatchee residents wouldn’t mind more space for locally owned businesses, other aspects of the West End Crossing project pose a grave threat to our community in more ways than one.

An affront to the Acreage Neighborhood Plan

The Acreage Landowners Association’s mission includes preserving our community’s rural character and lifestyle. To that end, the ALA made a written agreement with the Palm Beach County government, known as the Acreage Neighborhood Plan. It was established via formal resolution in 1996 and amended via formal resolution in 2008.

Other independent communities in Palm Beach County, such as Jupiter Farms and Pioneer Road, also have neighborhood plans.

The Acreage Neighborhood Plan details the ALA’s guidelines for preserving our rural character and lifestyle — and the West End Crossing project breaks from several of them.

For example, the Acreage Neighborhood Plan calls for commercial property to “have a minimum of ten (10) acres.”

The amended version of the plan also calls for the county to “protect the aquifer and residents by prohibiting the permitting of petroleum facilities.”

It does allow for “a limited number of fuel stations” on “existing commercial sites,” but even then, such gas stations must have “no walk-in retail capacity” and “a maximum of four pump[s] with one fuel dispenser per side for a maximum of eight dispensing nozzles.”

Other immediate threats to the community

West End Crossing isn’t just a concern because it laughs in the face of the Acreage Neighborhood Plan.

Crime tends to be more common in and around commercial areas, so the project stands to increase the local crime rate.

Traffic will also increase in the immediate vicinity, which means accidents stand to increase.

What’s more, an increase in crime and accidents stands to hurt property values for homeowners in the area.

The biggest threat of all

If the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners allow West End Crossing to proceed, they will be approving a project that is contrary to the Acreage Neighborhood Plan, thereby establishing a habit of violating this agreement.

If the commissioners make a habit of violating the Acreage Neighborhood Plan, they will effectively render it meaningless. At that point, residents can kiss goodbye the relative peace and quiet and rural look and feel of this community. The Acreage/Loxahatchee as we know it will be history, a victim of broken promises by the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners.

What’s more, if the commissioners make a habit of ignoring our neighborhood plan, other neighborhood plans could be next. In that regard, the West End Crossing project poses a threat not just to our community but to every independent community in Palm Beach County with a neighborhood plan.

How you can help fight back

If you haven’t already, take 30 seconds to sign the Acreage Landowners Association’s West End Crossing petition right now by clicking HERE.

Then, tell your neighbors and local friends and family about the petition. Just text or email them a link to this article, or share the link on social media — or better yet, do both.

Other steps you can take to help fight development that disrespects the Acreage Neighborhood Plan include the following:

• Tell ALL the Palm Beach County commissioners that you expect them to honor the Acreage Neighborhood Plan to which their predecessors agreed. All seven commissioners vote on projects like West End Crossing, so it’s important to tell them ALL how you feel. You can find their email addresses, phone numbers and more at https://discover.pbc.gov/countycommissioners/Pages/default.aspx.
• Tell the commissioners that Sara Baxter, the current commissioner for our district (District 6), does NOT speak for you. She has a history of supporting projects that break from the Acreage Neighborhood Plan — including West End Crossing. But the other commissioners will assume that she speaks for her district unless you let them all know that you do NOT agree with her disrespecting the Acreage Neighborhood Plan.
• Vote in county elections. County commissioners are elected officials. So when the District 6 seat is on the ballot, be sure to research the candidates’ track records and then vote for the candidate who you believe has done the best job of proving that they will honor the Acreage Neighborhood Plan.
• Help us help you. The Acreage Landowners Association’s mission includes preserving and protecting The Acreage/Loxahatchee lifestyle, which includes countering development that is not in line with the Acreage Neighborhood Plan. But the ALA is a nonprofit organization that can’t achieve its goals alone. We need your support. If you have the time, come to ALA meetings or contact us about getting involved. If you have the funds, join the ALA as a full member ($20/year) or donate to or sponsor us. At the least, become a free member and follow us on Facebook — neither costs a dime!