Judge Blocks Boca Raton Public Land Referendum

The redevelopment of Boca Raton’s government campus through a public-private partnership between the city, David Martin’s Terra, and the Frisbie family’s Frisbie Group has sparked a heated debate over the use, sale, and lease of public land.

However, a recent judicial decision has complicated local efforts to significantly revise how these processes are handled.

Following the selection of Terra and Frisbie’s “One Boca” proposal in February, a group of concerned residents—organizing under the name Save Boca and led by Jonathan Pearlman—rallied in opposition to the project.

Save Boca gathered over 7,000 signatures to oppose the redevelopment and initiated a referendum to amend Boca Raton’s city charter and municipal code. The proposed amendments would require voters to approve any lease or sale of public land larger than 0.5 acres. Supporters argue these changes would safeguard public spaces, while critics claim they would hinder essential city management.

On Monday, Palm Beach County Judge Joseph Curley ruled that the proposed referendums were unconstitutional, referencing legal precedent that prohibits electorates from subjecting city council actions to a referendum.

In early October, local attorney Ned Kimmelman filed a lawsuit against Save Boca and Pearlman, seeking an emergency injunction to stop the referendums.

The lawsuit stated, “Save Boca and Pearlman are conducting an audacious scheme to evade Florida law and abuse our electoral process in Palm Beach County and the City.”

In a notable turn, Kimmelman quickly withdrew the lawsuit but refiled it on October 31. At that point, a newly formed group, Rescue Boca Community Initiative, submitted an amicus brief supporting Kimmelman. In the brief, Rescue Boca alleged that Save Boca accepted over $40,000 in donations before registering as a political committee.

All parties involved have accused their opponents of spreading misinformation, a theme that continued at Tuesday’s city council meeting. At the meeting, the council approved the ballot language for a March referendum that will focus solely on whether to approve the One Boca project.

Pearlman emphasized that although Judge Curley granted the injunction, the lawsuit is ongoing, and Save Boca continues to pursue changes to the city charter and municipal code.

Meanwhile, Terra and Frisbie have significantly scaled back the One Boca project in recent months. The redevelopment plan now covers just 7.6 acres, reduced from the original 15.4 acres.