text:
GSCC strikes off social worker over sex abuse claims
By Gordon Carson on September 21, 2009 in Fitness to practise, Inspection and regulation, Looked after children, Residential care, Sexual exploitation
A social worker from Kent has been struck off the General Social Care Council's register over allegations of sexual abuse dating back more than 20 years.
Douglas Makey, aged 49 and from Tonbridge, denied the allegations but was not present at the hearing of the GSCC's independent committee, and chose not to be represented.
Makey worked as a residential social worker in a children's home in Gravesend during the 1980s, when the abuse is alleged to have occurred. The committee found he had abused Ms A when she was nine to 10 years old, and Ms B when she was aged around 10 to 12. They lived in the home during the 1980s but not at the same time.
The committee said Ms A's evidence left it "in little doubt that what she was saying was true".
No action after police enquiry
The allegations against Makey were investigated by the police in 2006 but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said there was insufficient evidence to take the case to court.
The CPS works to the criminal standard of having to prove allegations beyond reasonable doubt, while the GSCC committee operates to the civil standard of proving a case on the balance of probabilities.
The committee said Makey had groomed one of the women with treats and affection and had taken advantage of the other's "obvious affection" for him.
When a relationship goes beyond professional boundaries
GSCC criticised for 'lamentable' delay in bringing conduct case
CQC: Care homes and NHS fail to communicate on infection
GSCC seeks more stringent PRTL requirements


text:
Home Countries England Finn: I would have been fit for World T20
Finn: I would have been fit for World T20
England fast bowler Steve Finn has spoken about his frustration at being left out of the squad for the World T20 and now just wants to perform in county cricket to win his national spot back.
The lanky seamer injured his calf while training with Middlesex and was quickly replaced by Liam Plunkett for the global event in India, even though Finn assured the selectors he would recover in time.
Finn told ESPNcricinfo: "It's frustrating. I would have been fit. I told them I would be fit.
"There wasn't actually much wrong with me. I was back up and running within a week of the calf injury but the decision was made quite quickly to pull me out of the squad.
"There were still 10 days before the squad left to go for India and I was pretty much bowling 100% by the time the guys started the World Cup.
"They played fantastically and got better as the tournament went on. I was frustrated not to be out there with them, but you get over that and accept the decision is made."
The right-arm bowler will play domestic cricket for his county and takes positives from the fact that he has bounced back successfully from injuries before.
Finn continued: "Injuries at this stage of my career, when it looked like I could have had a big winter, are frustrating.
"But I've taken solace in the fact that when I've come back I've bowled well straight away. In the past it has taken a while."
England latest-news
Angelo Mathews half-century holds up England's bid for first Test victory
Sri Lanka were 302 for seven at tea for a lead of 16 runs.
Sri Lanka close in on England's lead behind century from Lahiru Thirimanne
Sri Lanka trail by 44 at lunch on day three of the first Test.
Sri Lanka v England Day Three: Joe Root at the double but Sri Lanka show grit
Captain Root had ended day one on 66, day two on 168 and marched onwards to 228 on the third morning.
Jack Leach admits there is room for improvement as Sri Lanka frustrate England
Leach and Sam Curran struck for the tourists in the hosts' second innings.
Joe Root's double century keeps England in command despite rally from Sri Lanka
England captain Joe Root reaches fine double century before Sri Lanka fight back
Root was the last man out for England after scoring 228 to record a fourth double ton for his country.
Captain Joe Root completes fine double century as England build formidable lead
Root became only the fifth England player to score a Test double hundred in Asia.
Sri Lanka v England Day 2: Joe Root excels alongside Dan Lawrence
The England captain and his new team-mate added 173 to build England's advantage.
Nine rookies in Pakistan squad for South Africa series
Pakistan have included nine uncapped players in their 20-man squad for the two-Tests against South Africa, starting on January 26.
Labuschagne upset after not scoring 'big' hundred
Australia's Marnus Labuschagne might have been the star of the show on the first day of the fourth Test against India.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
#pragma once

#include <mrpt/core/Clock.h>
#include <mrpt/system/CTicTac.h>
#include <mrpt/system/os.h>	 // for console color constants
#include <mrpt/typemeta/TEnumType.h>

#include <array>
#include <deque>
#include <functional>
#include <iosfwd>
#include <memory>
#include <mutex>
#include <optional>
#include <sstream>
#include <string>
#include <string_view>

/** System helpers and utilities \ingroup mrpt_system_grp */
namespace mrpt::system
{
/** \brief Enumeration of available verbosity levels. \sa COutputLogger */
enum VerbosityLevel
{
	LVL_DEBUG = 0,
	LVL_INFO,
	LVL_WARN,
	LVL_ERROR,
	// ------------
	NUMBER_OF_VERBOSITY_LEVELS
};

/** Callback types for use with mrpt::system::COuputLogger */
using output_logger_callback_t = std::function<void(
	std::string_view msg, const mrpt::system::VerbosityLevel level,
	std::string_view loggerName, const mrpt::Clock::time_point timestamp)>;

/** \brief Versatile class for consistent logging and
 *        management of output messages
 *
 * COutputLogger is a versatile class for logging messages either to the
 * terminal window or to an external file. Class instances can take messages in
 * std::string using the logStr class methods. The following macros are also
 * provided
 * for usage within a class that inherits from COutputLogger:
 *
 * \code
 * // Plain strings:
 * MRPT_LOG_DEBUG("This will be shown only if verbosity level is LVL_DEBUG.");
 * MRPT_LOG_ERROR("This message will be always shown.");
 * // printf-like versions:
 * MRPT_LOG_ERROR_FMT("Out of range value: %i.", int_param);
 * // stream-like versions:
 * MRPT_LOG_ERROR_STREAM("Out of range value: " << int_param << " more vars: "
 * << other_var);
 * // Minimum period (in seconds) between messages:
 * MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_DEBUG_STREAM(5.0, "Var=" << value << " foo=" << foo_var);
 * // Only once:
 * MRPT_LOG_ONCE_WARN("Notice: blah blah");
 * \endcode
 *
 * From outside of a class inheriting from COutputLogger the following
 * `MRPT_UNSCOPED_{START|END}` macros are provided:
 *
 *  \code
 *  MRPT_UNSCOPED_LOGGER_START;
 *  MRPT_LOG_WARN("blah");
 *  MRPT_LOG_ERROR_STREAM("error: " << strval);
 *  MRPT_UNSCOPED_LOGGER_END;
 *  \endcode
 *
 * - Logger instance keeps the messages in an internal container so that upon
 *   request it can dump them either to the console or to an external file
 *   altogether.
 * - The message, when printed in the terminal window, is **colored** according
 * to
 *   the logger's current verbosity/logging level (Logging level with which
 *   the underlying TMsg instance was instantiatedd).  The available verbosity
 *   levels as well as their corresponding colors are listed below:
 *
 *   + LVL_DEBUG => CONCOL_BLUE
 *   + LVL_INFO  => CONCOL_NORMAL
 *   + LVL_WARN  => CONCOL_GREEN
 *   + LVL_ERROR => CONCOL_RED
 *
 * - Logged messages are displayed in the screen if the current logger level is
 *   higher than m_min_verbosity_level (logger ignores those messages
 *   altogether). This can be used for filtering the output messages according
 *   to their importance (e.g. show only error messages by issuing
 *   setMinLoggingLevel(LVL_ERROR)).
 *   \sa setLoggingLevel, setMinLoggingLevel
 *
 *   Default logging level is LVL_INFO.
 *
 * User may receive callbacks whenever a message is *displayed to console* by
 * using logRegisterCallback(). If for some reason the callbacks are not needed
 * any more, use logDeregisterCallback() to stop receiving calls. This mechanism
 * is useful in case of showing the messages to a GUI, transmiting them to a
 * remote machine, etc.
 *
 * Note that only those messages whose "importance level" will be printed and
 * sent to user callbacks. However, *all* messages will be stored and saved to a
 * file with writeLogToFile() despite the current filter, if
 * `logging_enable_keep_record` is set to `true` (Default=`false`).
 *
 * \note By default every logged message is going to be dumped to the standard
 * output as well (if VerbosityLevel > m_min_verbosity_level). Unset \b
 * logging_enable_console_output class variable if that's not the desired
 * behavior
 *
 * \note [New in MRPT 1.5.0]
 * \sa TMsg
 * \ingroup mrpt_system_grp
 */
class COutputLogger
{
   public:
	/** Map from VerbosityLevels to their corresponding
	 * mrpt::system::TConsoleColor. Handy for coloring the input based on the
	 * verbosity of the message */
	static std::array<
		mrpt::system::ConsoleForegroundColor, NUMBER_OF_VERBOSITY_LEVELS>&
		logging_levels_to_colors();

	/** Map from VerbosityLevels to their corresponding names. Handy for
	 * printing the current message VerbosityLevel along with the actual content
	 */
	static std::array<std::string, NUMBER_OF_VERBOSITY_LEVELS>&
		logging_levels_to_names();

	/** @name Logging methods
	 * @{ */

	/**
	 * \brief Construct a COutputLogger instance with the given name as the
	 * instance name.
	 *
	 * Call to this constructor can be used instead of first initializing the
	 * object and then explicitly setting the name like in the following case:
	 * \code
	 * COutputLogger a_logger;
	 * a_logger.setLoggerName("logger_name");
	 * \endcode
	 */
	COutputLogger(std::string_view name) : m_logger_name(name) {}

	/** Default constructor	*/
	COutputLogger() = default;

	/** virtual dtor (so we can derive classes from this one) */
	virtual ~COutputLogger();

	/** \brief Main method to add the specified message string to the logger.
	 * \sa logCond, logFmt */
	void logStr(const VerbosityLevel level, std::string_view msg_str)
		const;	// renamed from log() to avoid conflict with math ::log()

	/** \brief Alternative logging method, which mimics the printf behavior.
	 *
	 * Handy for not having to first use mrpt::format to pass a std::string
	 * message to logStr
	 *
	 * \code
	 * // instead of:
	 * logStr(mrpt::format("Today is the %d of %s, %d", 15, "July", 2016));
	 *
	 * // one can use:
	 * logFmt("Today is the %d of %s, %d", 15, "July", 2016);
	 * \endcode
	 *
	 * \sa logStr, logCond
	 */
	void logFmt(const VerbosityLevel level, const char* fmt, ...) const
		MRPT_printf_format_check(3, 4);	 // arg 1=this

	/** \brief Log the given message only if the condition is satisfied.
	 *
	 * \sa log, logFmt
	 */
	void logCond(
		const VerbosityLevel level, bool cond,
		const std::string& msg_str) const;

	/** Set the name of the COutputLogger instance.  \sa getLoggerName */
	void setLoggerName(const std::string& name);
	/** Return the name of the COutputLogger instance.  \sa setLoggerName */
	std::string getLoggerName() const;

	/** \brief Set the *minimum* logging level for which the incoming logs are
	 * going to be taken into account.
	 *
	 * String messages with specified VerbosityLevel smaller than the min, will
	 * not be:
	 *  - printed out to the terminal,
	 *  - stored in the internal record,
	 *  - sent out to user-provided callbacks.
	 *
	 * Since MRPT 2.5.7, the minimum verbosity level for user callbacks can be
	 * independently changed afterwards via setVerbosityLevelForCallbacks()
	 * \sa setVerbosityLevelForCallbacks(), setVerbosityLevel()
	 */
	void setVerbosityLevel(const VerbosityLevel level)
	{
		setMinLoggingLevel(level);
	}

	/** Overrides the minimum verbosity level for user callbacks.
	 * \sa logRegisterCallback()
	 * \note (New in MRPT 2.5.7)
	 */
	void setVerbosityLevelForCallbacks(const VerbosityLevel level);

	/** alias of setVerbosityLevel() */
	void setMinLoggingLevel(const VerbosityLevel level);

	/** \sa setMinLoggingLevel */
	VerbosityLevel getMinLoggingLevel() const { return m_min_verbosity_level; }

	/** \sa setVerbosityLevelForCallbacks */
	VerbosityLevel getMinLoggingLevelForCallbacks() const
	{
		return m_min_verbosity_level_callbacks;
	}

	bool isLoggingLevelVisible(VerbosityLevel level) const
	{
		return (m_min_verbosity_level <= level) ||
			(m_min_verbosity_level_callbacks <= level);
	}

	/** Fill the provided string with the contents of the logger's history in
	 * std::string representation */
	void getLogAsString(std::string& log_contents) const;
	/** Get the history of COutputLogger instance in a string representation. */
	std::string getLogAsString() const;

	/** \brief Write the contents of the COutputLogger instance to an external
	 * file.
	 *
	 * Upon call to this method, COutputLogger dumps the contents of all the
	 * logged commands so far to the specified external file.  By default the
	 * filename is set to ${LOGGERNAME}.log except if the fname parameter is
	 * provided
	 *
	 * \sa dumpToConsole, getAsString
	 */
	void writeLogToFile(
		const std::optional<std::string> fname_in = std::nullopt) const;
	/** \brief Dump the current contents of the COutputLogger instance in the
	 * terminal window.
	 *
	 * \sa writeToFile
	 */
	void dumpLogToConsole() const;
	/** Return the last Tmsg instance registered in the logger history */
	std::string getLoggerLastMsg() const;
	/** Fill inputtted string with the contents of the last message in history
	 */
	void getLoggerLastMsg(std::string& msg_str) const;
	/** Reset the contents of the logger instance. Called upon construction. */
	void loggerReset();

	/** [Default=true] Set it to false in case you don't want the logged
	 * messages to be dumped to the output automatically. */
	bool logging_enable_console_output{true};
	/** [Default=false] Enables storing all messages into an internal list. \sa
	 * writeLogToFile, getLogAsString */
	bool logging_enable_keep_record{false};

	void logRegisterCallback(output_logger_callback_t userFunc);
	/** \return true if an entry was found and deleted. */
	bool logDeregisterCallback(output_logger_callback_t userFunc);
	/** @} */

   protected:
	/** \brief Provided messages with VerbosityLevel smaller than this value
	 * shall be ignored */
	VerbosityLevel m_min_verbosity_level = LVL_INFO;

	/** The verbosity level that applies to callback calls */
	VerbosityLevel m_min_verbosity_level_callbacks = LVL_INFO;

   private:
	/**
	 * \brief Struct responsible of holding information relevant to the message
	 *        (in std::string form) issued by the user.
	 *
	 * Upon TMsg initialization, instance fetches the name of the caller
	 * COutputLogger, as well as the VerbosityLevel and the
	 * mrpt::Clock::time_point of the message provided.
	 * The format of the message when this is printed / or written to an
	 * external file complies is given below:
	 *
	 *  [name | level | timestamp:] body
	 */
	struct TMsg
	{
		/** \brief Class constructor that passes a message in std::string
		 * form as well as a reference to the COutputLogger that provided the
		 * current message
		 */
		TMsg(
			const mrpt::system::VerbosityLevel level, std::string_view msg,
			const COutputLogger& logger);
		/** \brief  Default Destructor */
		~TMsg();

		/** \brief Return a string representation of the underlying message */
		std::string getAsString() const;
		/** \brief Fill the string with the contents of the underlying message
		 * in
		 * string representation */
		void getAsString(std::string* contents) const;
		/** \brief Write the message contents to the specified stream
		 *
		 * \sa getAsString
		 */
		void writeToStream(std::ostream& out) const;
		/** \brief Dump the message contents to the standard output
		 *
		 * \sa writeToStream
		 */
		void dumpToConsole() const;

		// parameters of the message under construction
		mrpt::Clock::time_point timestamp; /**< Timestamp of the message. */
		VerbosityLevel level; /**< Verbosity level of the message. */
		std::string name; /**< Name of the COutputLogger instance that called
							 registered the message. */
		std::string body; /**< Actual content of the message. */
	};

	/** Helper method for generating a std::string instance from printf-like
	 * arguments */
	std::string generateStringFromFormat(
		std::string_view fmt, va_list argp) const;

	std::string m_logger_name = "COutputLogger";
	// deque is better than vector to avoid memory reallocs
	mutable std::deque<TMsg> m_history;
	std::shared_ptr<std::mutex> m_historyMtx = std::make_shared<std::mutex>();

	std::deque<output_logger_callback_t> m_listCallbacks;
};

/** For use in MRPT_LOG_DEBUG_STREAM(), etc. */
struct COutputLoggerStreamWrapper
{
	COutputLoggerStreamWrapper(
		VerbosityLevel level, const COutputLogger& logger)
		: m_level(level), m_logger(logger)
	{
	}
	~COutputLoggerStreamWrapper()
	{
		if (m_logger.isLoggingLevelVisible(m_level))
			m_logger.logStr(m_level, m_str.str());
	}

	template <typename T>
	std::stringstream& operator<<(const T& val)
	{
		m_str << val;
		return m_str;
	}
	// Overload for std::stringstream objects
	std::stringstream& operator<<(const std::stringstream& val)
	{
		m_str << val.str();
		return m_str;
	}

   private:
	std::stringstream m_str;
	VerbosityLevel m_level;
	const COutputLogger& m_logger;
};

#define INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG(_LVL, _STRING) this->logStr(_LVL, _STRING)

#define INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_ONCE(_LVL, _STRING)                                  \
	do                                                                         \
	{                                                                          \
		static bool once_flag = false;                                         \
		if (!once_flag)                                                        \
		{                                                                      \
			once_flag = true;                                                  \
			this->logStr(_LVL, _STRING);                                       \
		}                                                                      \
	} while (0)

#define INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_FMT(_LVL, _FMT_STRING, ...)                          \
	do                                                                         \
	{                                                                          \
		if (this->isLoggingLevelVisible(_LVL))                                 \
		{                                                                      \
			this->logFmt(_LVL, _FMT_STRING, __VA_ARGS__);                      \
		}                                                                      \
	} while (0)

#define INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_STREAM(_LVL, __CONTENTS)                             \
	do                                                                         \
	{                                                                          \
		if (this->isLoggingLevelVisible(_LVL))                                 \
		{                                                                      \
			::mrpt::system::COutputLoggerStreamWrapper(_LVL, *this)            \
				<< __CONTENTS;                                                 \
		}                                                                      \
	} while (0)

#define INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE(_LVL, _PERIOD_SECONDS, _STRING)             \
	do                                                                         \
	{                                                                          \
		if (this->isLoggingLevelVisible(_LVL))                                 \
		{                                                                      \
			static mrpt::system::CTicTac tim;                                  \
			static bool first = true;                                          \
			if (first || tim.Tac() > _PERIOD_SECONDS)                          \
			{                                                                  \
				first = false;                                                 \
				tim.Tic();                                                     \
				this->logStr(_LVL, _STRING);                                   \
			}                                                                  \
		}                                                                      \
	} while (0)

#define INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_STREAM(_LVL, _PERIOD_SECONDS, __CONTENTS)   \
	do                                                                         \
	{                                                                          \
		if (this->isLoggingLevelVisible(_LVL))                                 \
		{                                                                      \
			static mrpt::system::CTicTac tim;                                  \
			static bool first = true;                                          \
			if (first || tim.Tac() > _PERIOD_SECONDS)                          \
			{                                                                  \
				first = false;                                                 \
				tim.Tic();                                                     \
				::mrpt::system::COutputLoggerStreamWrapper(_LVL, *this)        \
					<< __CONTENTS;                                             \
			}                                                                  \
		}                                                                      \
	} while (0)

#define INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_FMT(                                        \
	_LVL, _PERIOD_SECONDS, _FMT_STRING, ...)                                   \
	do                                                                         \
	{                                                                          \
		if (this->isLoggingLevelVisible(_LVL))                                 \
		{                                                                      \
			static mrpt::system::CTicTac tim;                                  \
			static bool first = true;                                          \
			if (first || tim.Tac() > _PERIOD_SECONDS)                          \
			{                                                                  \
				first = false;                                                 \
				tim.Tic();                                                     \
				this->logFmt(_LVL, _FMT_STRING, __VA_ARGS__);                  \
			}                                                                  \
		}                                                                      \
	} while (0)

/** Use: `MRPT_LOG_DEBUG("message");`  */
#define MRPT_LOG_DEBUG(_STRING)                                                \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG(::mrpt::system::LVL_DEBUG, _STRING)
#define MRPT_LOG_INFO(_STRING)                                                 \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG(::mrpt::system::LVL_INFO, _STRING)
#define MRPT_LOG_WARN(_STRING)                                                 \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG(::mrpt::system::LVL_WARN, _STRING)
#define MRPT_LOG_ERROR(_STRING)                                                \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG(::mrpt::system::LVL_ERROR, _STRING)

/** Use: `MRPT_LOG_ONCE_DEBUG("once-only message");`  */
#define MRPT_LOG_ONCE_DEBUG(_STRING)                                           \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_ONCE(::mrpt::system::LVL_DEBUG, _STRING)
#define MRPT_LOG_ONCE_INFO(_STRING)                                            \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_ONCE(::mrpt::system::LVL_INFO, _STRING)
#define MRPT_LOG_ONCE_WARN(_STRING)                                            \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_ONCE(::mrpt::system::LVL_WARN, _STRING)
#define MRPT_LOG_ONCE_ERROR(_STRING)                                           \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_ONCE(::mrpt::system::LVL_ERROR, _STRING)

/** Use: `MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_DEBUG(5.0, "message");`  */
#define MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_DEBUG(_PERIOD_SECONDS, _STRING)                      \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE(                                                \
		::mrpt::system::LVL_DEBUG, _PERIOD_SECONDS, _STRING)
#define MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_INFO(_PERIOD_SECONDS, _STRING)                       \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE(                                                \
		::mrpt::system::LVL_INFO, _PERIOD_SECONDS, _STRING)
#define MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_WARN(_PERIOD_SECONDS, _STRING)                       \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE(                                                \
		::mrpt::system::LVL_WARN, _PERIOD_SECONDS, _STRING)
#define MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_ERROR(_PERIOD_SECONDS, _STRING)                      \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE(                                                \
		::mrpt::system::LVL_ERROR, _PERIOD_SECONDS, _STRING)

/** Use: `MRPT_LOG_DEBUG_FMT("i=%u", i);`  */
#define MRPT_LOG_DEBUG_FMT(_FMT_STRING, ...)                                   \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_FMT(::mrpt::system::LVL_DEBUG, _FMT_STRING, __VA_ARGS__)
#define MRPT_LOG_INFO_FMT(_FMT_STRING, ...)                                    \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_FMT(::mrpt::system::LVL_INFO, _FMT_STRING, __VA_ARGS__)
#define MRPT_LOG_WARN_FMT(_FMT_STRING, ...)                                    \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_FMT(::mrpt::system::LVL_WARN, _FMT_STRING, __VA_ARGS__)
#define MRPT_LOG_ERROR_FMT(_FMT_STRING, ...)                                   \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_FMT(::mrpt::system::LVL_ERROR, _FMT_STRING, __VA_ARGS__)

/** Use: `MRPT_LOG_DEBUG_STREAM("Var=" << value << " foo=" << foo_var);` */
#define MRPT_LOG_DEBUG_STREAM(__CONTENTS)                                      \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_STREAM(::mrpt::system::LVL_DEBUG, __CONTENTS)
#define MRPT_LOG_INFO_STREAM(__CONTENTS)                                       \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_STREAM(::mrpt::system::LVL_INFO, __CONTENTS)
#define MRPT_LOG_WARN_STREAM(__CONTENTS)                                       \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_STREAM(::mrpt::system::LVL_WARN, __CONTENTS)
#define MRPT_LOG_ERROR_STREAM(__CONTENTS)                                      \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_STREAM(::mrpt::system::LVL_ERROR, __CONTENTS)

/** Usage: `MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_DEBUG_STREAM(5.0, "Var=" << value << " foo=" <<
 * foo_var);` */
#define MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_DEBUG_STREAM(_PERIOD_SECONDS, __CONTENTS)            \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_STREAM(                                         \
		::mrpt::system::LVL_DEBUG, _PERIOD_SECONDS, __CONTENTS)
#define MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_INFO_STREAM(_PERIOD_SECONDS, __CONTENTS)             \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_STREAM(                                         \
		::mrpt::system::LVL_INFO, _PERIOD_SECONDS, __CONTENTS)
#define MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_WARN_STREAM(_PERIOD_SECONDS, __CONTENTS)             \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_STREAM(                                         \
		::mrpt::system::LVL_WARN, _PERIOD_SECONDS, __CONTENTS)
#define MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_ERROR_STREAM(_PERIOD_SECONDS, __CONTENTS)            \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_STREAM(                                         \
		::mrpt::system::LVL_ERROR, _PERIOD_SECONDS, __CONTENTS)

/** Usage: `MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_DEBUG_FMT(5.0, "i=%u", i);` */
#define MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_DEBUG_FMT(_PERIOD_SECONDS, _FMT_STRING, ...)         \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_FMT(                                            \
		::mrpt::system::LVL_DEBUG, _PERIOD_SECONDS, _FMT_STRING, __VA_ARGS__)
#define MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_INFO_FMT(_PERIOD_SECONDS, _FMT_STRING, ...)          \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_FMT(                                            \
		::mrpt::system::LVL_INFO, _PERIOD_SECONDS, _FMT_STRING, __VA_ARGS__)
#define MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_WARN_FMT(_PERIOD_SECONDS, _FMT_STRING, ...)          \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_FMT(                                            \
		::mrpt::system::LVL_WARN, _PERIOD_SECONDS, _FMT_STRING, __VA_ARGS__)
#define MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_ERROR_FMT(_PERIOD_SECONDS, _FMT_STRING, ...)         \
	INTERNAL_MRPT_LOG_THROTTLE_FMT(                                            \
		::mrpt::system::LVL_ERROR, _PERIOD_SECONDS, _FMT_STRING, __VA_ARGS__)

#ifdef _DEBUG
#define DEFAULT_LOGLVL_MRPT_UNSCOPED ::mrpt::system::LVL_DEBUG
#else
#define DEFAULT_LOGLVL_MRPT_UNSCOPED ::mrpt::system::LVL_DEBUG
#endif

/** For calling any `MRPT_LOG_*()` macro from outside of an object inherited
 * from COutputLogger.
 * Debug level is `DEBUG` if build with `_DEBUG` preprocessor flag, `INFO`
 * otherwise.
 * Use:
 * \code
 *  MRPT_UNSCOPED_LOGGER_START;
 *  MRPT_LOG_WARN("blah");
 *  MRPT_LOG_ERROR_STREAM("error: " << strval);
 *  MRPT_UNSCOPED_LOGGER_END;
 * \endcode
 */
#define MRPT_UNSCOPED_LOGGER_START                                             \
	do                                                                         \
	{                                                                          \
		struct dummy_logger_ : public mrpt::system::COutputLogger              \
		{                                                                      \
			dummy_logger_() : mrpt::system::COutputLogger("MRPT_log")          \
			{                                                                  \
				this->setMinLoggingLevel(DEFAULT_LOGLVL_MRPT_UNSCOPED);        \
			}                                                                  \
			void usercode()                                                    \
			{                                                                  \
				do                                                             \
				{                                                              \
				} while (0)
// Here comes the user code, which is run in the ctor, and will call the object
// log methods.

#define MRPT_UNSCOPED_LOGGER_END                                               \
	}                                                                          \
	}                                                                          \
	;                                                                          \
	static dummy_logger_ tmp_obj;                                              \
	tmp_obj.usercode();                                                        \
	}                                                                          \
	while (0)
}  // namespace mrpt::system
// TTypeEnum for verbosity levels:
MRPT_ENUM_TYPE_BEGIN_NAMESPACE(mrpt::system, mrpt::system::VerbosityLevel)
MRPT_FILL_ENUM(LVL_DEBUG);
MRPT_FILL_ENUM(LVL_INFO);
MRPT_FILL_ENUM(LVL_WARN);
MRPT_FILL_ENUM(LVL_ERROR);
MRPT_FILL_ENUM_CUSTOM_NAME(LVL_DEBUG, "DEBUG");
MRPT_FILL_ENUM_CUSTOM_NAME(LVL_INFO, "INFO");
MRPT_FILL_ENUM_CUSTOM_NAME(LVL_WARN, "WARN");
MRPT_FILL_ENUM_CUSTOM_NAME(LVL_ERROR, "ERROR");
MRPT_ENUM_TYPE_END()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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text:
Home Boca Raton Development Communication Breakdown In Midtown
Publisher's Opinion
Communication Breakdown In Midtown
What's happening, where it's broken down & my position on the matter.
Alfred Zucaro
As a mayoral candidate in the upcoming August 28h election I've been walking all over Boca's neighborhoods talking to residents face to face. Midtown keeps coming up. Residents are feeling frustrated with the process. They've been asking me, "what's happening with Midtown" and "what's your position on it?" As a resident I've had my own personal reactions to the facts as they've emerged, but as a publisher and candidate I've had a unique opportunity to hear about Midtown from all the different angles. This is a thorny issue but I'll crystallize the state of Midtown, where the breakdown in communication is occurring, and how my perspective on it has transformed from listening.
What's Happening with Midtown?
During the Small Area Plan meeting at the Spanish River Library, the facilitator announced a six (6) month time line for a draft report to the City Council; around November, 2018. Extrapolating further, the 'plan' would not be ready for City Council action until after the new year; a time delay of at least 9 months or more even in the best of circumstances. In the meantime, the area would remain blighted; the neighborhoods would remain in development limbo; the political and legal acrimony would proceed at fever pitch.
Complicating the matter now is that Crocker Partners, one of the developers has filed two lawsuits, one for damages with exposure to the City in the $135 million dollar range and one for declaratory relief.
Here is where the communication breakdown occurs.
The City Attorney apparently has instructed the council members that because of litigation, there should be no communication with the developer(s) on any matter involving the rezoning efforts and/or any potential negotiated compromise. All communications are shut down except through the mouths of lawyers.
How convenient and at what expense!
In fact, courts encourage communication and negotiation between parties. Have you never heard of 'Court Ordered Mediation'?
Our elected officials again are deferring their responsibilities to protect the residents to the City Attorney; the same City Attorney whose actions or lack thereof are responsible for the city's current ethics challenges. By shutting down communications our elected officials are left with no path to resolve the dispute resulting in the small area plan being further delayed for an indeterminate time.
Jack McWalter and I have spoken to Crocker directly, asking questions about this hypothetical Small Area Plan. For purposes of this discussion Jack and I used the latest iteration of the city staff's draft ordinance and the public record presentations on the Midtown proposal at the P&Z Board and the City Council.
Originally, the Midtown Rezoning Plan proposed 2500 residential units for the entire geographic area; an area of approximately 300 acres. The P&Z Board recommended 600 units. Big difference from 2500….Since then, the Town Center Mall has opted out of the plan and Glades Plaza seems unlikely to move towards residential development; the small area planning process has a much smaller parcel to consider.
With those changes, there is now a new dynamic available for a renewed negotiation. Because the City Attorney's instruction to the council members is to not engage, no communication or negotiation is progressing. Within the last 30 days, I have spoken three times with the developer in discussions to better understand the dynamics. These discussions have resulted in a completely different matrix for resident consideration.
Provided here is a visual for what amounts to a 'small area plan'; a plan addressing elements such as unit count, density and allocations; Military Trail improvements; traffic; Tri-Rail requirements; street infrastructure/Infrastructure funding; building heights; street types; open space requirements; minimum floor area; existing building and structures; enhanced shuttle service; and more. In fact, this visual is exactly what the community has been asking for; a visual depicting what the developer envisions.
The entirety of these elements is far beyond the scope of this essay. Suffice it to say that the developer is open to negotiation on any or all of these. Some comments do however have to be established in the context of openness and transparency.
The visual shows a reduced developer requested unit count to 1500; a number still thought to be too high. Another concern is the southwest corner land parcel, west of Military Trail, currently suggests a 300 residential unit development. This is troubling. Community residents have expressed the desire for that space to remain open; sort of an Urban Green Space. The developer is committed to dedicating some portion of this land parcel for such a green space that residents can enjoy. Assuming such a dedication, the developer's unit count would then reduce to a more manageable number below the 1500 unit mark; some suggestion has emerged that 1000 units would be a comfortable level.
Other considerations are that heights would not exceed 125 feet, a reduction from the 145 feet currently contemplated; street types remain a subject for further discussion; and, developer agrees to staff's open space requirement providing that right of ways and setbacks count toward meeting the requirement. A compromise of 600 square foot units with an 800 square foot average is proposed. Grandfathering existing structures is an open topic with the developer willing to agree to structural alterations when alterations exceed 50% of the structure's value. Finally, an enhanced shuttle is desired by all sides. Payment of this amenity is up for negotiation depending on whether a CRA is established to service the entire area in the future.
This suggestion is not offered as a final solution for the MidTown project. These elements are merely a restarting point for the community to consider and comment upon; a starting point to again open up dialogue designed to meet the needs and wants of the community, the developer and, ultimately, the residents.
Ugh! Restarting Again?
Take it from this lawyer with two thumbs: it's better than litigation.
Leadership requires communication and negotiation. Litigation is counterproductive; a lose-lose proposition; neither side actually wins in the courtroom but, most of all, Boca Raton residents ultimately have to suffer through the fight and also suffer large potential financial loses not to mention the impacts on quality of life and property valuations. The differences in this suggested proposal from what the staff has said it wants and what the developer need to get are relatively small but the current litigation posture makes it near impossible to resolve.
It is time to exercise leadership and sit across the negotiating table to bring this deal to closure. It is time to arrive at a practical solution for what will be a defining project in Boca Raton. That is what leadership demands and elected officials are responsible for; that is what is in the best interest of the residents.
And why am I doing this, why am I opening my self up to criticism, to misleading political mailers like the one you may have received in the mail recently?
Leadership!, Leadership! Leadership! My Opponent, Acting Mayor Singer has not shown leadership in his past performance; his present performance; and, will not show leadership in the future.
Some residents, like my stubborn Editor Jason Pelish, suggest playing chicken with litigation, thinking $135 million of other people's money, your money, is worth gambling to keep the population lower. $135 million pays for a lot of pensions, a lot of splashpads, and maybe even a park or two. That's a lot to gamble when negotiation is still possible. My position on it is that we've got to keep negotiating, that dialog is the way.
Please stop the posturing and, for the sake of the residents, seize the moment!
Al Zucaro
Publisher of BocaWatch
small area plan
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http://alfredzucaro.com
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.
Laura July 13, 2018 at 7:18 am
Leadership!, Leadership! Leadership! My Opponent, Acting Mayor Singer has not shown leadership in his past performance; his present performance; and, will not show leadership in the future. ~ Al Zucaro
You're correct Al, this article demonstrates transparency and the leadership we are desperate for… looking forward to sharing this article with my concerned friends and neighbors.
Katie July 13, 2018 at 7:47 am
The plan looks a lot like Mizner Park, and a bit like Atlantic Avenue with all the small retail. Let's not call it Midtown this could prove to be 'Boca's Heart'. Taking the initiative is what Leaders do thank you Al.
If we can keep it to 1000-1200 high end units is a huge change from 2500 tiny boxes.
I like all the trees and traffic calming on Military Trail too.
Keep holding their feet to the fire Al to get the best project for us – someone has to do it.
We know this acting Mayor is all talk, don't be fooled folks, Al is working for us!
John C. Gore July 13, 2018 at 8:14 am
It's refreshing to read a comprehensive update on the state-of-play re: Midtown and of a possible negotiated compromise. This highlights the difference between an engaged and informed Mayor and one who relies on the questionable advice of sclerotic and incompetent city staff. Perhaps a new Mayor and a more resident-friendly City Council can produce a win-win outcome.
Arik Fletcher July 13, 2018 at 8:21 am
Where will the children go to school that live in these 1500 new residences? Boca high I presume which is already well over capacity and bursting at the seams as is…The city cannot build another high school not because of money but we dont have any land parcel large enough for a new high school. I never see this brought up. Not to mention the extra traffic and congestion on Glades which is already bad enough and dont try and tout this live-work-play claiming it will minimize extra traffic as people can walk to work. 80% of the jobs within walking distance is low wage retail. I wonder how much Mr. Crocker is going to ask for these new units? How much do you want to bet the average retail worker that would make the most of the location could never even come close to being able to afford one. These greedy developers only care about one thing. They dont care about the effects of their projects on our infrastructure. At some point you need to say enough is enough and take a stand. Hopefully you are this guy Al but the way this article reads, it gives me pause.
https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/local-education/state-school-leaders-where-the-crowd-new-schools-not-needed/P9wTgZnLU07KWFYxZ5oVvL/
Mr. Singer has taken credit for a "new school" and solving the over crowding issues,but this article speaks a different truth. Looks like our boundaries will change and our kids will be bussed to who knows where.
JM July 13, 2018 at 1:52 pm
Thank you Arik for mentioning both the lack of space in our schools to accommodate new residents in these units, and the issue with "mixed use." You are correct, as I have seen and heard the statement over and over here in Boca Raton…."live where you work." Yes, these are mainly retail jobs with salaries that will not be able to afford the likely high end rents. With regard to sitting across the table and negotiating, this should be with the Palm Beach County School District and the Florida Dept of Ed and not a Developer.
Joe Panella July 13, 2018 at 8:41 am
Dialogue, discussion, good-faith negotiations should always be welcome. But how does one negotiate with someone who is suing (threatening) you regarding the subject you are negotiating? A suggestion might be to have Crocker drop the lawsuit in order to reopen the dialogue with the city.
David Board July 13, 2018 at 9:14 am
Why do we have to put up with blackmail litigation from these greedy developers? If a developer decides to sue us, they should be blackballed from any rezoning requests or future building permits. Our city government should send a clear message to these corruption artists: PLAY BY THE RULES, OR GET OUT OF TOWN.
Arik Fletcher July 13, 2018 at 11:10 am
Agreed, he seems like a typical school yard bully. I cant get my way so im gonna sue WAAAAA. Where does it say the city is required to allow him to rezone. Im not an attorney and admit to not knowing all the details or why his suit has a fighting chance of winning so someone please explain what i'm missing. He wants to rezone the city says no so that means he can sue. I realize anyone can try and sue for just about anything these days but unless he has a good chance of winning why should we back down? Just because you want to rezone something doesn't mean the city is required to allow it. I'm still waiting on an answer of what to do with all the additional kids that would go to Boca High too…
Michael Liss July 13, 2018 at 2:55 pm
No good result can emerge without dialogue. Both our elected officials and Crocker have proven to be short-sighted and stubborn, but all can give that up "for the greater good."
Al, I don't know how you managed to get the plan from Crocker, but it has been a very missing piece of the puzzle. Now that it is in the public domain, all can work to better the area with a context. Who would not want some workable version of what is proposed? It looks great…but it can't work without not only the city and all property owners involved, it will require the owner of the infrastructure, the county.
As I have contributed before, if the schools and roads can be designed along with the privately held parcels, this can be an awesome opportunity to create something special. The CRA notion does allow for every interest to be considered and should moot all litigation.
Al, thank you for creating a platform for ideas to be discussed. I look forward to our electeds using the platform to share their ideas and not simply respond to posts. After this election Boca should have the time and people to come together and plan a great new future for Boca.
Chris Scarpa July 13, 2018 at 7:43 pm
It makes parents of children going to school in the city very happy to hear citizens asking the question finally, if we continue to develop what will our schools look like ? Laura brought up rezoning you're absolutely correct they are going to take Boca kids and ship them out west to make the numbers work I even read an article where they may ship them as far as Boynton Beach because they have capacity. Arik you are absolutely right the developers could care less that our kids are jammed into the schools like sardines. Thank you everybody for continuing to make school overcrowding a priority, as I continue to say the children young adults and teachers of this community deserve a whole lot better. There has been zero discipline shown in the last couple years when it comes to over development. At least in this article we finally have a visual of what they're talking about at Midtown thanks to Al Zucaro. Al has his finger on the pulse he has the children and teachers best interest in mind, Al is the guy to lead our city and get it back on track.
Jim Wood July 13, 2018 at 8:04 pm
Suing your customers is risky business!
Harold July 14, 2018 at 10:54 am
The only one who wins in a law suit are the lawyers ….Al has been involved for years behind the scenes trying to bring us the truth. He trys not to take sides and bring us the facts so we might make our own decisions, putting us in contact with people, who we would never have a chance to convers with during our busy lifestyle. Al has created a platform for us to be enlightened and respond, a place to present our views, and have discussions with others who have different points of view. Just the fact that we now can see a preliminary plan for review and discussion is impressive. We need to work together and compromise to satisfy all who will be impacted with this project. There are many questions to be answered, some of which should have been considered way before this time by the city officials, who should have been proactive not reactive, who put us in this situation that we are trying to resolve now "what were they thinking and who were they thinking of? – certainly not families who have to commute every day or the children and the education they deserve. From planned mobility BS to Mizner disaster and the Wildflower city's original proposal, it shows we need a change in the city from the bottom to the top in the direction and decisions we are going to make going forward. We have started and need to complete it with a new leader and council members that represent the residents views and concerns with this comming election. This is our city and it's not for sale $$$. Remember the motto "A CITY IN A PARK" and thanks to the people who believe strive and have been abused for it.
Seth Schneider July 15, 2018 at 9:28 am
Congrats Al! You've become a shill for the developers!! So much for "resident friendly." The density you are suggesting we accept is even higher with this plan being that it is over a significantly reduced area. 2,500 units over 300 acres weren't acceptable but 1,000-1,500 units over 60+ acres are? AND ALL CONCENTRATED ON MILITARY TRAIL!?!?! What a joke! The P&Z suggestion of 600 units included the area of the mall and Glades Plaza meaning the region along military trail should have no more than 200!! Funny that the developers will meet with candidates multiple times but refuse to meet with local residents. I'm glad the current Council is refusing the meet with the developers. The developers had their chance for discussion and compromise and blew it.
jack mcwalter July 15, 2018 at 6:36 pm
Seth, HOLY CRAP. Don't you understand what is going on. We got developers that are pissed off and are ready to walk away. You talk like a tough guy . "They had their chance". OK we follow your advise. 2 years from now headlines in Palm Beach Post. "Boca loses $135 million lawsuit and taxes go up 20%". So the city council can pound their chest and say "We showed them". Mean while Midtown area becomes more blighted and home values plummet in Paradise Palm and the rest of the surrounding areas. Oh Amazon puts Town Center mall out of business . Oh boy we showed those money hungry developers whose boss. Oh these guys are Tom Crocker's guys. Remember him he built Mizner Park and the Crocker center. Oh in 2 or 3 years we have a recession and the developers go out of business. We showed them "they had their chance and they blew it". Oh many residents decide to sell and get out on first sign of a recession. Now we got a dead area in the city. Singer and this city council are all replaced for being stupid costing the city $135 million. But they can brag right before Aug 28th how tough they are "We showed them". Yesterday, Singer bragged that he wants to study Midtown some more. Christ sake we have been studying for years. Now the developers want to deal because they can't afford to wait 2 or 3 years to get approvals. NOW we got someone who takes the initiative to find out what they have to offer. Look, they provided us with a Midtown Master Plan . 2500 units to 1250, 10 units an acre instead of 20. They gave up on the tri rail. We showed to urban planners and they said "HOLY CRAP'. 2 or 3 more Mizner parks. But no the council can't see it or get involved since "we will show them ". Al, is not selling out he is buying into doing what is right. Engage, listen, educate the city , and let you decide what is right. We don't advocate anything but showing you in detail what their plans are. What the hell is wrong with that?? This project is designed for young couples that will have kids. Both will be working so need a nursery and pre school. Guess what is being looked at for this project. Bobby Miller is leading the way for conservation and they are listening. And finally, they are looking at a elementary school. Al is leading this conversation. He is doing something Scott. The city will shut this project down over an argument on valet rules. Al is focusing on kids and schools and what is right. Now is the time to deal . Many of us told Al that to stay out of it. People won't understand and you will lose the election . His attitude is that's ok but I am doing what I think is right and that is getting the residents involved and help shape the Midtown area so it can be something good. In my video I said Midtown could be the Heart of Boca. But no Mr Singer said Al is selling out after he has approved 3500 units in last 3 years. Taken 1000's from developers and Al zero. The Boca Watch staff are betting that the residents will understand what we are trying to do. I suggest you go to our home page and read our mission statement. It says nothing about elections but doing what is right .
Seth Schneider July 19, 2018 at 11:38 am
Jack,
You are making a huge assumption that the city is going to lose the lawsuit. The fact of the matter is the landowners could build right now based on the current zoning, Crocker just wants residential which is not in the current zoning. There is no moritorium on building in the area, the Council just hasn't approved a zoning change for residential. Crocker will lose the lawsuit because other developers in the area already have plans in the works for construction based on current zoning.
My comments are based on facts and not grandiose assertions of unrealistic worst-case scenarios. Amazing how you've gone from 0 to 60 from no development to whatever Al says. Another fact is that Crocker continues to assert that they have spoken to neighboring communities. That is an out-and-out lie. I have personally reached out to Crocker more than once and have been more than willing to have conversations regarding Midtown but have been ignored. I live in the immediate area and I'm not against development at all, I just want it done smart and done right. That's not what's happening in this case, especially with Al's new BFF's charm offensive.
Arik Fletcher July 17, 2018 at 1:51 pm
For those that are confused or think a new school is in the works you only know or saying part of the story. The new school planned is an "ELEMENTARY" school. Let me make it clear the city has NO SPACE for another high school even if they had the funding, PERIOD. These are words straight from Singers mouth. They need a min. of a 40 acre parcel for a new high school and there just isnt one, Plain and simple. So the only only thing to do is keep overcrowding Boca high more and more or move the boundaries. I dont know about you but I bought in Boca because of the schools. Let the mall go bankrupt then another high school can be built there. Dialogue is ok but at some point these developers need to get the message enough is enough. There should be no rezoning even considered if the project is going to add more than 10% then the existing number of units. Like Mizner on the green planned to go from 300'ish to 1,200 ish is complete insanity and B.S. STOP messing up this city. Good schools, great parks, Clean/safe/family neighborhood is Boca's claim to fame. Concentrate on those simple basic principles and people will continue to want to move and live here. Keeping property values high. Flood the market, overcrowd the area and ruin the schools and no one will want to live here. If people wanted to live in Miami or fort lauderdale common sense says they would have bought there not boca. Development is fine but over development is not and we crossed that line some time ago.
We just went through the worst depression/recession in most of the populations lifetime, unless your old enough to have been around for the great depression and guess what? Boca is still here and people still want to invest and buy a home here for now. You paint a very gloomy picture of boca if crocker doesn't get his way but its all far fetched propaganda. If 2008 did not kill off boca, I highly doubt that just because some greedy cry-baby developer didn't get to overdevelop the area, thats its going to cause this city to go straight down the toilet. Gimme a break… You say these units are designed for young families, like that means something. Many of the single family homes were "designed" as that too but that doesn't stop owners from renting out a home to multiple families or students to the point they have to park all over the lawn or add to school overcrowding. Or illegally partitioning off the home to convert it into a duplex, triplex or quad. How in the heck can anyone sit there and predict that none of the 1500 units will have high school aged children. Seriously, oh he's talking about another elementary school. Guess what? it is inevitable that those or any kids will get older and guess what that means? oh yea, they will eventually go to high school. So great not all the families will have high school aged kids right off the bat, but I will guarantee there will be some and as those "younger families" kids get older in 3,4,5,7 years then what. Sure some will move, but parents also like to try and keep their kids in the same schools. So sure they may move up and into a single family home at some point but if they stay in Boca then we are really in for a world of hurt a few years from now. Perhaps one solution to the school issue is a deed restriction that none of those address can use public schools and those parents must use private schools.
jack mcwalter July 17, 2018 at 10:57 pm
Arik, I basically agree with you. No more growth of any kind. But this is not reality. Myself and many of my friends that are grand parents have their grand kids finishing college and there are lots of good jobs around in boca and they are looking for a lively area as in what midtown wants to be to live in. I am being selfish . I want my grand kids and frankly my kids to move back to boca and we are seeing that all over boca except in midtown area where housing values are stagnant. And we know why when you drive down military. Abandoned buildings. Ok you win. No more buildings in boca. We will show them. I got an idea lets pass an ordinance that boca is now an adult only town for those over 55 or 65. Yeh right. We need to look at above master plan and at least evaluate one way or another and that is what Al is proposing. We are trying to keep you informed. Certainly this council has quit but we at boca watch especially Al haven't.
Jason Pelish July 17, 2018 at 11:08 pm
Arik, I don't think anyone is arguing that if Boca Center isn't changed it's going to go down the toilet. I, for one am afraid of it being changed because I use it a lot as a place to shop and eat. You've got two anchor markets on either side and lots of interesting places in between. The success of the place is one reason why I am not happy about it being changed at all. The liability we're trying to avoid is to lose that money in a settlement.
Everyone has touchy feelings about this, but think about the root of the problem we're dealing with…. developers are so certain there's going to be increased residential demand that they're aiming to build even more homes for the people who want to move in. We could have the opposite problem: imagine nobody wanted to live here and nobody wanted to invest in making it so new residents can move in.
You're right with the demand side of the equation – that there will always be a demand that overshadows any obstacles to development. It's impossible to keep that from stopping, and as long as the demand exists there's going to be investment to try to meet it and people motivated to change the laws in order to facilitate meeting it.
The only thing I can imagine to help manage that problem is prioritization of other factors that prevent the development from being so rapid. You could say "more planning" but in this case, Midtown, it's been in planning ridiculously long. I looked at the archives of the City Council meetings, looking for a picture of a previous Council Member in a meeting recorded from 2012. I was shocked when they brought up Midtown like they were already worn out discussing it. I was critical of Angelo Bianco's tone when I first wrote about Midtown last year, but then I had no concept of how long they've been at this. If I were in that position I would be pulling out my hair. I can see putting new restrictions on new zoning, but this thing has been bouncing back and forth for longer than anything on record – correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not into making it more crowded but it's not like this project is something that just came up overnight. There could have been a clearer "no" when this was being first discussed but that didn't happen.
I'm not afraid of the city losing the case and losing the money. I'm afraid of having the folks who have the opportunity to build something wonderful get demotivated and produce something less than excellent. I'd be heartbroken at this point if I had to go through so many years of discussion about it.
Someone whose opinion I treasure asked me today "Does BocaWatch scare people too much?" Does a critical and introspective force examining local government impede excellence in the community – keep people from being as bold as they need to be? It was a propitious question, to be asked as we're pondering these things about Midtown today. The best answer I can give is that being bold alone isn't enough just like expecting government to be able to remedy all issues alone isn't enough. Both of those things are redeemed via transparency and iteration between stakeholders who care. Zucaro totally blew my mind when he showed me the diagram included in this article – something I never expected. The lesson I took away from it is that you can't yield harmony without touching the thorniest issues. Being a leader means stepping beyond politics, going outside the box, not just bumping around within it among folks repeating the same excuses to each other. It means getting results for your people, being more than just a politician and more than just playing the numbers safe like a marketer. I'm sharing my awareness of that because I stepped up to the table here with lots of prejudices, thinking my opinions were absolute, but these bold souls are schooling me.
The school overcrowding thing is the gorilla in the room. I think it would be kinda cool if the Midtown plan had some kind of multi-use facilities that could be used to enhance the experience of homeschoolers. For example socialization and phys-ed spaces for homeschool kids. You wouldn't necessarily have to build a whole new school if the alternative experience is made better. If 200 kids lived in the new units but the new spaces helped 400 kids transition to homeschool and still have the best of both worlds, that would be an alleviating force reducing school overcrowding. This might be a little too idealistic to expect, but this is an uncomfortable box we're all in as residents. If we are bold enough to think outside the box and use communication tools like this site as a resource to facilitate transparency, iteration and discussion then we the residents outside government can charge our leaders with the sentiment that makes them more decisive, able to serve us better. If we cross our arms and expect someone else to make the moves we're squandering our opportunity.
YOU can instead comment, share articles and sentiment on social media, even write an article for BocaWatch. Just because you don't hear people agreeing or thanking you, doesn't mean you haven't encouraged them to think about it and care. You all's comments got me thinking, that's for sure.
Its real plain and simple. IF YOU OVERCROWD THE FISH TANK YOU END UP SWIMMING IN S#*T ! You can try and argue that but anyway you slice it YOU would be wrong, but go ahead and try if you like. I'm not against Al or his efforts on trying to head this thing off at the pass and I plan on voting for him. I just hope he has the backbone to stand up to these greedy developers when the cards fall. You honestly think that these developers have the cities or your best interest at heart with these projects? Thats funny. They care about one thing and one thing only MONEY.
Homeschooling facilities at midtown as a solution? Surely you jest… Most "young families" these days both parents work full time just to try and pay the high cost of rent/housing. Boca High is not expecting to be overcrowded, IT ALREADY IS 120%+ over. Moving boundaries, stopping the border jumping, is only a bandaid and will only fix a small percentage of the problem.
How many other projects are already approved or in the process other than midtown that will add 1000's or tens of 1,000's of more families/students/traffic/crime etc. Midtown is only one piece of the pie. You ask what if nobody wanted to move here. That's exactly my point. Sure it's nice to have some stores to shop at and a plethora of restaurants to choose from, but dont we have enough already. If the younger ya-hoo's want the "lively" atmosphere let them live in Ft. lauderdale or Miami. You can get that "lively" feeling just about anywhere. I for one would like to be able to send my kids up to 7-11 without fear of being carjacked and shot! Why do we want to be just like everyplace else? I know you were joking about the 55+ for the whole city but why does it have to be one extreme or the other. Some place in the middle is just fine. Why does "lively" = adding 1,000's of extra units. Where are all these abandoned buildings over by midtown that is such an eyesore?
Ask yourself what are the first 3 things that come to mind when you ask: what made Boca great to begin with?
If schools wasn't in the top 3 then you are either misinformed or lieing.
So was overcrowded schools, streets, or high crime any one of those 3? you thought of? Hmmm. If so you should immediately list your home and move to Miami if you dont want to wait. Or you can just wait a few more years and stay here…
Boca Raton is one of the only places in S. Florida that your child can go from K-12 in all A rated schools. Its not just a rating issue but a safety one as well. God forbid something happened at one of the schools like a fire or shooting and the kids couldn't be evacuated fast enough and some died. How much do you think that lawsuit will cost the city??? Seems like if I was a judge or juror I would be much more likely to rule against a city that knew and ignored all the warning signs and did little to prevent it. You can slice this loaf of bread anyway you want but at the end of the day the schools are maxed and there isnt room for another high school. Thats facts! so unless all new development is excluded from attending public school there is only one answer. STOP adding 1000's of new condo units every year. Then we can discuss the other issues. like traffic and crime.
Jason Pelish July 18, 2018 at 8:44 pm
Dude, me and you are going to have to put on my "Lake Monster" costume (I get the front) and apply some Scooby-Doo level spooky hijinks if we're going to keep people from moving here. Last time I spoke about population levels in front of City Council Lulu Ramadan literally said I "attacked the population of Boca Raton". It's a very hot potato and most politicians avoid answering questions about it like you're asking them to get a snake tattoo on their face.
I like your 3 questions. My answers are 1. The Beach & Ocean 2. The Nature 3. The Weather. Boca was made great because of people like Don Capron, Gordon Gilbert and Jim Rutherford who made us treasure those things and preserve them more than our neighbors.
I went to school here, public school decades ago. When I moved from NY during middle school the contrast in quality of education was like night and day. I was a dumb kid in NY but here that meant gifted!!! If you're comparing other Florida cities Boca sounds better, but these schools in Florida have a long long way to go before they can claim "great".
If kids live in Midtown they're not Boca High students. They'd go to Spanish River like everyone else west of I-95 unless there's some weird exception for Paradise Palms or something.
I knew the homeschooling mention would get laughed at, but a lot of parent's reactions to concerns about safety is to homeschool. I think this trend will increase. Coach Roudy, a local trainer who works with kids opened my eyes to how many kids homeschool. He would help them meet their PE credits. The more people know about resources like that and what's available, I believe, will make parents who are able to choose it more.
I don't think it's fair to say ALL developers build only for the money. Of course they do it for profit, but I think what we want from them is more, for them to deliver excellence that will improve our quality of life. To say "ALL developers" doesn't celebrate the ones who build great things that we use and enjoy. Developers who build disappointing places based only on profit are the ones we should discourage. But shouldn't ones who are good be encouraged? Would we be booing and hissing at Addison Mizner if he were alive today?
Erik, I could almost put my name on your comment. I have been railing against development for 2 years and now in last 6 months over crowding and safety in boca schools . My first time in boca was 1972 for 2 months of classes with IBM. I was shocked since I thought this place was paradise. In 1980 I moved here raised a family in great schools and still great as you said. When Midtown came about I did 4 videos against it. I said what you said. But reality is the city is going to rezone for housing and we are especially Al are trying to lesson the impact. I said 650 and than P&Z said 600 and now developers are saying ok instead of 2500 how about 1500. Closer to1250 or even better 1000 would be better OR as you said zero which I am inclined to agree. Al is just trying to inform the residents, keep dialogue going, talk it out instead of spending 2 to 3 years in a courtroom. What is wrong with that??? If the developers won't deal with us we need to be ready to go the mattresses as they say in the movies. We need to vote Al and Kathy whom along with Monica and Andrea will be prepared to see this issue to its end. Zero development. Shut everybody down. Erik, you win.
Ann Marie July 20, 2018 at 9:43 am
Is not exactly what the Golden Triangle did to Archstone? Sue? Over and over. So now yr against lawsuits? Sound inconsistent.
Alfred Zucaro July 20, 2018 at 4:58 pm
Good afternoon Ann Marie,
Golden Triangle did not sue. In the Archstone matter, some residents sued in order to stop the development; now known as Palmetto Promenade. The lawsuit you refer to here is the developer suing the city arguing that the city has failed to meet its obligation under the law. A completely different situation; a situation that has the residents/taxpayers at risk for a judgment possible as high as $137 million dollars. The applicable law in this case allows for a 150 day window for parties to resolve their differences. At this point no discussions are taking place….Why? That is the question being raised. AZ
First there is a huge difference between Addison Mizner and that era. That was (developing) not the (overdevelopment) that is happening today. Addison Mizner was also more well known for his architectural style than his planning ability. He had many blunders throughout his career. This was also during a time of Boca Raton's infancy when a person could walk across the federal hwy. blindfolded and have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than a car. So, yes I do think its fair to say the developers are in it only for the money. Look at the projects they purpose. They are almost always designed for maximum quantity of units above all else. Its only after the city planning rejects and asks for less units and more contributions to the area. Then this negotiation of unit density starts. If it wasn't for the city and planning they would be slapping up high rise after high rise with zero regard. When was the last time a developer purposed a project that was responsible from the get go? I can't think of one, all have had one common theme cram as many units in as possible. Sure there are some good architects out there that try to balance the structure and design (after all it has to at least look good so they will sell) with the surrounding area but I would be interested to hear from one of these Architects that could claim they are not under any pressure from the developer or investor to cram as many units as possible to maximize as much "profit" or money from the project. You can be as naive as you want but my eyes are wide open.
Homeschooling can be a good option for some but if its done correctly it is very time consuming and a big commitment for both student and parent. Plus as I mentioned most young families do not have the financial resources or time for one parent to stay home these days. So, its not that I laughed at the homeschooling concept but I surely dont see it as a viable solution to Bocas schools overcrowding issue anytime in the near future or to justify the 1,000's of new units being shoved down our throats. Boca High, Spanish river and just about every other school in Boca is ALREADY overcrowded. Sure some more than others but all are over their designed occupancy. The city can only play this game of student shuffleboard so long. Adding additions, modular (trailer) classrooms and moving boundaries will only delay the inevitable. Don't look now but the inevitable is already here or at the very least FAST approaching!
As far as your 3 items you mentioned that made boca great. Two of your picks "weather" and "beach & ocean" could be said for just about any city along the 1000's of miles of Florida's coast line. The question was what made "Boca great" NOT what made "Florida great". I'll give you "nature" since Boca has always been known for its parks and mostly undisturbed coastline but the other two are too generic to say or imply they made "Boca" great to begin with. While yes when you measure Boca or Florida schools against other schools in the country they have a ways to go. However if your a new young family looking to move to S. Florida and good schools are important to you then your choices quickly and I mean quickly dwindle. Especially if you want to live close to the "beach & ocean" When we moved to Florida Boca wasn't our first choice but after comparing the cost of private school and the reputation boca schools had we ended up here. After all why do you think that Boca Raton is so highly sought by "young families" I'll give you a hint its the schools. Don't take my word for it go read the "school overcrowding" article on this site. Bocas claim to fame has always been;
1. Good schools = Sure some cities may have an A rated school but few or none have A rated from K-12 Parents like to know when they move to an area they dont have to worry about their kids next school when they transition from elementary -to- middle- to -highschool.
2. Nice parks and coastline = after all our slogan was a city within a park
3. Sleepy, safe, small town feel = 3 for the price of one. Don't take my word for it Boca has been considered by many to be this and whenever Boca Raton has ever been referenced in TV shows or Movies it has never been in conjunction with lively, party town, spring break, overcrowded, or high crime. Just a nice safe family oriented town one would aspire to living and raising a family or retiring there.
4. Tech jobs = This was more so when IBM was here and an area the city should focus on improving and bringing back these types of businesses and jobs. This is the true meaning of live-work-play. Not lets see how many overpriced cookie cutter condo or apts we can fit in this tiny area as if we were some kind of chinese sweatshop.
5. Exclusivity and wealth = Most associate boca raton as exclusive and wealthy with good reason we are one of the richest cities in S. florida and home to some of the most expensive real estate in the country. Not that it would matter to some but what is more valuable an ounce of spanish treasure coins or the same ounce and kart of a plain gold bar? The answer is the gold coins, and why? Because they are rare and not easily found.
Boca used to be the Spanish gold treasure coin. However the developers are turning Boca into the same old ounce of gold you can find anywhere.
Hey Jack instead of all the doom and gloom about town center going under and all of midtown area that you would have us believe is going to look like Grand River and I-96 in Detroit if crocker doesn't get his way. Imagine if town center went under and instead the space was used to build a state of the art, world class teaching hospital, that would employ 1000's of high wage jobs in conjunction with FAU expanding and offering medical study programs in partnership with the new hospital (more good paying teaching jobs). Boca regional site could be used for a bigger and better High-school. Once again more good paying jobs we could level Spanish oaks which is a dump anyways and make Boca high one big campus with double or triple the occupancy of the one we currently have. Crocker then could develop his midtown project and build even higher end more expensive units that could be used as housing by all the doctors, nurses, etc. I see a sky bridge in my version that would connect the hospital to the housing. This way on call doctors could traverse from home to work in a couple minutes when emergencies arise. Maybe some high speed conveyor walkways to help speed them along. Lord knows we have enough elderly down here to support such a structure. Imagine the draw not only for the high paying jobs but for the wealthy older population that wants to enjoy florida's climate but also worry about easy and fast access to world class health care if they should need it. Point is, just because one person doesn't get his way will equal the total demise of the area. If developers truly wanted to build "great things" to improve the quality of life for the community these would be the kind of projects they would purpose. Not more low wage retail crap with a bunch of apartments crammed into it with prices so high the average retail worker could never afford it unless they pack in 2-3 per bedroom. You want to improve Boca make it great? Awesome I'm all for it. Lets do it but not with a bunch of crappy, overpriced apartments and more dying retail.
The lag on the posts can cause a timing issue, I see. However it appears that we are on the same page or at least the same chapter, so no worries. Hopefully my posts where not taken as argumentative but as yet another way of looking and thinking about the many challenges we face and possible solutions. I wasn't trying to win anything and only wanted to shed some additional light on some of the topics that get overlooked by some or covered up by others. Good luck and best wishes for all and our city.
Vicky August 8, 2018 at 9:06 am
The first thing that comes to mind for me when thinking of the increase of population in this proposed area is where these children will go to school. The zoning I believe would send these kids to Verde Elementary, which is already EXTREMELY stuffed. Their computer lab and their music room has been turned into class rooms (granted they are having a new school built in the coming years, but still). The quality of our children's education and school experience is being affected. Stuffing more and more students in schools that already are filled should not be happening!


AND I just experienced it on a "choripan" at the Flat Iron Grill in Issaquah. They make their own chorizo and put it on a roll with a drizzle of chimmichurri.
That sounds great!! I think I'll start making weekly batches and playing around with different ways to use the stuff. So delicious.


May 9, 2018 – El Segundo, CA-based executive search firm Century Group has opened a new office in Denver, marking its fifth location. Managing director Peter Nelson will lead the firm's efforts in the region.
Mr. Nelson has worked with the search firm for nearly two decades. He has completed searches for clients in the engineering, entertainment, technology, legal and services industries. His diverse client list has included both public and private companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 to start-up companies.
Mr. Nelson was previously director, executive search at the firm's El Segundo office – managing and completing searches in the entertainment, engineering, technology, real estate, legal and service industries. He's placed professionals at the CEO, CFO, vice president, controller and management levels within finance, accounting, tax and audit. He joined Century Group as an associate, where he focused on developing relationships with professionals in public accounting. He was later promoted to senior associate, where he focused on managing a diverse client list in both public and private companies, ranging from start-up to Fortune 500.
Century Group espouses a company-wide philosophy that is grounded in collaboration. Its clients range from start-up to Fortune 100 companies, and encompass a wide variety of industries.
Denver remains America's fastest growing city, according to recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The city ranked No.1 on Forbes magazine's list of the Best Places for Business and Careers, making it a natural landing spot for growth among executive search firms. Here's a look at some recent growth activity in Denver among search firms from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives.
Plano, TX-based executive search firm Top Gun Ventures has opened a new office in Denver with the addition of Laura Marriott as partner. This is the firm's eighth location. Ms. Marriott has expertise in the private, public and non-profit sectors globally. She previously ran her own strategy consulting firm focused on mobile tech companies.
McDermott & Bull has acquired Denver-based Prime-Core Executive Search. Ken Dropiewski, as a result, joins the firm as a principal consultant in the sciences group, specializing in the med-tech space. "The addition of Ken to our firm is a huge win for McDermott & Bull," said CEO Rod McDermott.
The Hennessy Group has expanded in Denver with the addition of HR veteran Edward Herpel as vice president. He focuses will be on search project management as well as business development in the pharmaceutical / biopharmaceutical sector and other selected industry sectors in life sciences.


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September 1, 2020 •	A day in the life
On the First Day of Summer Vacation
I went swimming in a nuclear pond
On the first day of my summer vacation, I went swimming in a cooling pond for a nuclear power plant. Nothing has happened to me, no new growths or extra limbs. The pond was never used for its intended purpose and turned into a recreational area. One can swim in the cooling pond with impunity. I hope. I mean you say nuclear and think radiation mutations.
The Rancho Seco Recreational Park in Herald, California, is owned by Sacramento Municipal Utilities District or SMUD. They also own the Nuclear Power plant on the grounds, the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station. They also own the massive solar farm and a natural gas-powered plant. The Nuclear plant ahs been decommissioned since 1989 and has had its fair share of accidents.
I have to admit, accidents at a nuclear power plant is a scary thought. We instantly think of radiation poisoning, meltdowns, unsafe food, water, and air. Perhaps because of the movie The China Syndrom with Jane Fonda and Kurt Douglas where reporters uncovered flaws and issues with a nuclear power plant. The movie started a wave of "No Nukes" mania and over 60 US nuclear plants were canceled in the late 1970s. Many of the accidents in real life at the Rancho Seco power plant were not dangerous. There was one though.
On March 20, 1978, a power supply failure for the plant's non-nuclear instrumentation system led to a steam generator dry out. An automatic reactor shutdown occurred. Many years later, in 2005, The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, (USNRC) said it was the third most serious safety-related occurrence in the United States to date ( first and second was the Three Mile Island accident and the Browns Ferry cable tray fire) Yikes!
With the plant shut down and with the blessings of, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on October 23, 2009 in they took the emergency cooling pond turned lake and created a stunning 400-acre park for the public. It really was nice. The lake, named the Rancho Seco Lake, is small at 160 Acres and is fed by the Folsom South Canal. It is pretty pristine. There was a small area for swimming while the rest of the lake remained off-limits for wading and swimming. Folks were fishing and small boats were welcomed. Gas-powered engines and Minnow bait were prohibited. I don't know about minnow bait, but no gas engines meant it remained nice and quiet.
The Park had group picnic areas and individual picnic areas in abundance. All under beautiful mature trees and sitting on the green grass. There was little to no trash as there were park employees constantly coming by and picking up trash, tree limbs, and asking folks to turn down the music. It was nice to sit there, in the shade, and enjoy looking at the lake. I did not actually swim, but my husband did and said the small swim area was mostly gravel in the water so you were not sinking in mud.
The park boasts camping areas both group and tent camping, as well as RV areas. As far as I could see all the areas had water and the RV areas had electrical hookups. Again, these areas were pristine and clean. It looked like the tent camping area was located near the water. There is no swimming or wading, but if you were a fisherman, though, you would be in heaven.
There was a store, but it was not opened that day. Peeking into the window it had the normal beach store items, sunscreen, hats, towels, snacks, and various other items. Kayaks, Row Boats, Stand Up Paddleboards, Electric powered fishing boats were available to rent and Windsurfers are also welcome on the lake. The lake is a natural habitat for Bass, Bluegill, Red Ear Sunfish, and Crappie. Rainbow trout are stocked in the lake January through March.
Overall, I would go back. It is so hard to find places where it is clean, there isn't a bunch of garbage left from fishermen and day-trippers. I only went by the water a little bit, but I found no hooks, lines, and other debris in the water. I did find, some swans, A beautiful black and white dragonfly, some ducks, and a frog or two in the reeds. I highly recommend this park as a place to reserve a picnic pagoda and bring the family or daylong fun.
Swim Area, Black and White Dragon Fly and Nuclear Towers.
TAGS: daytrip, nuclear, park, pond, power plant, summer, swim
News You May Have Missed 6/8 – 6/12
The Mystery Of Sandy Island


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New details on 92nd Street MTS ramp
By Michael Garofalo
Published Feb 25, 2019 at 5:29 pm (Updated Feb 25, 2019)
Construction of connection to Marine Transfer Station will require playground removal, potential changes to traffic and bus patterns
The planned East 92nd Street access ramp to the Department of Sanitation's Marine Transfer Station would traverse a section of what is now DeKovats Playground. Image: NYC DDC
The planned East 92nd Street MTS ramp would connect to the existing bridge that traverses the FDR Drive at East 91st Street. Image: NYC DDC
Though the East 91st Street Marine Transfer Station will welcome its first garbage trucks this spring, the 92nd Street ramp that will eventually serve as the primary access point to the East River facility will not be completed until 2023.
The new ramp, which will be located near the intersection of East 92nd Street and York Avenue and run through a portion of what is now DeKovats Playground at the northern end of Asphalt Green's campus, will connect to the existing bridge that spans the FDR Drive at East 91st Street.
Construction on the ramp is expected to commence in 2021 and will require the removal of play equipment and a number of trees in DeKovats Playground. The $53 million project will also require changes to the surrounding streets, including the potential reconfiguration of East 92nd Street to accommodate two-way traffic between First and York Avenues.
The East 91st Street Marine Transfer Station is expected to open March 25, following years of ultimately unsuccessful local efforts to block the controversial Department of Sanitation facility. The project remains broadly unpopular with Upper East Side residents and elected officials, who cite pedestrian safety, traffic congestion and air quality concerns raised by increased garbage truck traffic in the neighborhood, among other issues.
Until the new ramp is completed, garbage trucks will access the East River waste transfer station using the existing ramp at 91st Street, which runs through Asphalt Green's campus. The new ramp was first announced in 2015 in response to community concerns with pedestrian safety and air quality hazards presented by trucks using the existing ramp between the complex's athletic fields and playground.
Air quality monitoring and traffic agents
The southern portion of DeKovats Playground will remain open during construction, and the Parks Department intends to replace the removed equipment and redesign the entire playground once ramp work is complete. The estimated $3.2 million necessary to complete the playground project, however, is currently unfunded.
The Upper East Side's Community Board 8 urged the mayor's office to allocate funding for the DeKovats Playground project in a resolution passed at its Feb. 20 meeting.
The community board also called for a more extensive air quality monitoring regime than the city plan currently in place, and for traffic agents to be placed at intersections around Asphalt Green and nearby schools to promote the safety of children and other pedestrians.
"As much as we think it's inappropriate to have the MTS, we realize that the city is determined to use the facility as planned, so we want to minimize the negative impacts and safety issues," said Alida Camp, the chair of Community Board 8.
In addition to the introduction of two-way traffic on East 92nd Street, which garbage trucks will use to access and exit the Marine Transfer Station, city plans also call for adjustments to bus patterns in the area. Existing M31 and M86 SBS bus stops on First Avenue and East 92nd Street to be relocated to East 91st Street. Buses that currently lay over between runs on the north side of East 92nd Street would be assigned new layover zones on the south side of 92nd Street and on York and First Avenues.
Trees removed during construction will be restituted in accordance with city law. A Parks Department spokesperson said that the agency will work to maximize the number of trees replanted in the area of the project. If the number of trees to be replanted exceeds the space available, the trees may be replanted elsewhere in the neighborhood.


Valutron Appraisal Services Inc., is a full service real estate appraisal firm handling both residential and commercial appraisal assignments. The firm has appraised all types of properties throughout the whole "down-state" area. Valutron Appraisal Services Inc. is dedicated to quality and integrity and over the years have had only the largest local and national lenders, and attorneys from the single practitioner to several major law and accounting firms as clients.
For the past thirty years, Valutron Appraisal Services Inc., has been engaged in the appraisal of single family residences, small residential income properties, condominiums, cooperative apartments, and income producing properties. The concentrations of the reports have been in the New York Metropolitan Area, [encompassing the five boroughs], Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties. The types of residential properties appraised include high end Manhattan Coops and Condos, urban brownstones, multi-acre estates, modest tract homes, and exclusive "Hampton" beach and ocean front summer/weekend homes. The types of income producing properties appraised include mixed use free standing buildings, small strip centers, small office buildings, restaurants, retail establishments, mixed use type properties, multi-family buildings (up to 20 units), commercial condo units, entire Coop Apartment Buildings, auto related properties including car dealerships, motorcycle dealerships, body shops, gas stations, and repair shops. Industrial properties appraised include warehouse type properties in excess of 25,000 s.f.. The purposes of the appraisals have been primarily for mortgage purposes and appraisal reports for Estates and/or Estate tax planning, and Matrimonial purposes as requested by Attorneys and Accountants. The principal of the firm has appeared as an Expert Witness in matrimonial cases before the New York State Supreme Court in Nassau County and in Queens County as well. In addition, the firm has prepared Replacement Cost Appraisals on luxury residences for insurance purposes and has prepared appraisal assignments in connection with Bankruptcy Proceedings, Foreclosures, Partnership Dissolutions, PMI reductions, and Property Tax Reductions.
The firm carries twice the normal Errors & Omissions Liability Insurance ($2,000,000.00) with CNA Insurance Co.
Valutron Appraisal Services Inc. covers the following territories in the Greater New York Metropolitan Area, including Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island, the Hamptons, and Westchester. The office is outfitted the latest computer equipment, and is connected to all of the major real estate web sites and programs.
Client, personal references and sample appraisals are available upon written request.
Kenneth H. Lippe, SRA is President of Valutron Appraisal Services Inc., located in Roslyn Heights, New York, since 1983. He is a certified general real estate appraiser in the state of New York (License No. 46000001231) and has been appraising residential and commercial properties for the past thirty years.
Kenneth Lippe started his appraisal career at Home Savings and Loan Assoc., America's largest S & L at the time, and had formal appraisal training at the Encino, Torrance, and the main Wilshire Blvd. branches in California. Back in New York since 1980, he was employed at Citibank, N.A. as an "in house" Appraiser with the Upper Manhattan Community Business Team/Real Estate Division. After a year at the bank, Mr. Lippe ventured out into his own business d/b/a Ken Lippe and Associates. The market conditions at the time saw the prime rate rise above 18%. To add to his knowledge, he joined the Personal Lines Department at Chubb & Sons, one of the premier home insurers in the nation, preparing replacement cost appraisals for the well to do insured of luxury homes primarily on the Gold Coast of the north shore of Nassau County.
In recent years, Mr. Lippe has completed extensive appraisal assignments primarily for mortgage purposes, estate tax, trust and gift valuations, matrimonial valuations, property tax reductions, home equity loan disputes, and foreclosures. The property types include single family residences, small residential income properties, mixed use income producing properties, condominiums, and cooperative apartments. In addition, he has appeared as an Expert Witness in matrimonial cases before the New York State Supreme Court. Many of the recent condominium and cooperative appraisals performed have been in numerous new high end and luxury pre-war buildings in Manhattan primarily for Private Banking customers for several major Banks including, J.P. Morgan Chase, Citibank, Bank of America, Alpine Capital Bank, and Modern Bank. The single family homes have been multi-acre estates and exclusive Hampton beach front homes.
Mr. Lippe is a Past President of the Greater New York Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, (1991), and was instrumental in his tenure, in coordinating the efforts of the merger of the Society of Real Estate Appraisers and the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers. NY State licensing law also came about within his term. He holds a designation from The Appraisal Institute (SRA). Professional affiliation memberships include New York City Council of Cooperatives, NY Association of Mortgage Brokers, Empire State Mortgage Bankers Association, Mortgage Bankers Association of New York, Long Island Association of Professional Mortgage Women, Community Bankers' Mortgage Forum, Young Mortgage Bankers Association, Designated Realtor, and Member of the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island, Westchester/Putnam, and Staten Island Board of Realtors.