j. ZON-24-066 340 ROYAL POINCIANA WAY—SPECIAL EXCEPTION The applicant, Richemont North America, dba Cartier, has filed an application requesting Town Council review and approval of a Special Exception for a permitted use greater than 3,000 SF for an individual retail use in the C-PC zoning district within the Playhouse building within The Royal Poinciana Plaza.
Received via email 5.13.24:
I am a resident of Palm Beach and am writing to strongly oppose the establishment of a private club in the Paramount Building. Having lived on Sunset Ave for over 20 years prior to moving to my permanent address below, I am very aware of the issues in this neighborhood before even entertaining the idea of a new facility at the Paramount.The traffic is very heavy during the winter season and adding more food delivery trucks, garbage trucks and other vendors along with hundreds of club members will significantly increase the gridlock. Please do not support this proposal as it threatens to ruin our quality of life on the island by making our neighborhood a traffic nightmare.
Sincerely,
Fran Levy
--
Fran Levy
430 North Lake Way
Palm Beach, Florida 33480
Received via email 5.14.24:
Town Council:
I am writing this email to you out of concern for the quality of life in Palm Beach.
I have been a resident of Palm Beach for over 25 years and am strongly opposed to the establishment the proposed renovation of the Paramount Building at the corner of County Road and Sunrise Avenue which would turn the building into a private club for a proposed membership of approximately 450 people.
The Paramount Building is located on a very prominent corner of a heavily trafficked area, diagonally across the street from St. Edward Roman Catholic Church on the NW corner of Sunrise and diagonally opposite the large primary Synagogue, Palm Beach Synagogue, on North County Road.
The traffic in this area is extremely heavy, particularly on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, when the Church has masses, weddings, baptisms, first communion and confirmation ceremonies, and the Orthodox Synagogue holds services, weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and Bris ceremonies throughout the season. The traffic is horrific and the parking is impossible.
The area of Bradley Place, Sunrise Avenue, Sunset Avenue and County Road is very congested during the winter and spring seasons. The addition of several hundred cars of club members, plus food delivery, garbage trucks and other vendors would only exacerbate an already untenable situation.
I personally am very involved in the Town of Palm Beach, having served for many years as a member of the boards and an officer of many Palm Beach County organizations including, the Palm Beach Police & Fire Foundation of which I am First Vice President of the Council of 100, The Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach Country Club, Kravis Center and the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Foundation, so I spend most of my year in Palm Beach from October until June and am very familiar with the traffic and social situation.
Please do not support this proposal as it threatens to ruin our quality of life on the island by making our neighborhood a traffic nightmare.
Robert L. Fromer
340 Polmer Park Road
Palm Beach, FL 33480
516-445-4539
Received via email 5.14.24:
Dear all,
In case you have not been informed, Tony Cummings has withdrawn from his partnership with Woerner, and Tony is no longer involved in the Paramount Project.
Best regards,
David
Received via email 5.15.24:
I live in Palm Beach on Island Drive and have much concern regarding the thought of a new private club in the Paramount Building. The traffic is already very busy during the height of the season and adding additional delivery trucks, garbage and parking for hundreds of club members will significantly increase the gridlock. Those of us who reside here pride ourselves on the quaint feel of our town. Adding another private establishment will bring in much more inconvenient congestion.
Please do not support this proposal as it threatens to ruin our quality of life on Palm Beach island by making our neighborhood an even worse congested nightmare.
Richard Schaps
631 Island Drive
Palm Beach, FL 33480
Received via email 5.15.24:
Sent from my iPhone
To the Town Council,
We are Palm Beach residents since 2006.
We live at 120 Sunset Ave apartment 4 c for 6 years.
The traffic since Covid increased dramatically.
Sometimes it takes 15 minutes or longer to get out of Sunset Ave to South County.
If this zoning change is approved our quality of life will totally change in Palm Beach.
A private club clearly doesn’t belong there.
Thank you,
Hana and Allan Green
Public Comment, Town of Palm Beach Admin
admin
12 months ago
Received via email 5.13.24:
I am writing regarding the upcoming decision about the Paramount Building renovation. We are residents of Palm Beach and our concerned regarding the traffic situation in town between Sunrise and Sunset. We hope the Paramount is updated but we believe a private club of this magnitude does not serve the residents in this location. Focus on the significant traffic problem already and don’t contribute to the current impassable situation. We would hope that a more modest renovation of the theater would accommodate the town residents. We would not support variances in this location.
Michael Rome Rome Capital Partners, LLC
240 Via Las Brisas Palm Beach, Florida 33480
Received via email 5.3.24:
Dear Members of the Town Council,
We are writing on behalf of the 34 homeowners residing on the 100 block of Sunset Ave, who are closest to the Paramount Project and the most deeply affected by the proposed private club. We are concerned that developing a private club out of the iconic Paramount building would not be town-serving, negatively affecting the character and quality of life in our community and in our neighborhood.
As we review the proposed project, we've identified several key concerns that we believe are crucial for maintaining the quality of life in our community. They include:
**1. Retention of the Main Entrance on North County Rd:**
Relocating the main entrance of a private club on Sunset Ave would channel a significant influx of traffic through our residential street, funneling vehicles from multiple directions to one of Palm Beach's most congested intersections. The Paramount's limited parking capacity risks transforming our neighborhood into a de facto transportation hub.
This is especially concerning given the town's precedent of facilitating valet parking on County Rd for establishments like La Goulue, Cafe L'Europe, and Buccan, and ensuring restricted traffic flow in residential areas adjacent to the Carriage House by entering it from Royal Palm Way, a main thoroughfare, and the exact opposite of a planned entrance off the dead-end Sunset Ave. We respectfully request that Sunset Ave be afforded the same consideration as was done for the Carriage House to prevent an unsustainable increase in traffic and related disturbances.
**2. Exclusive Resident-Only Parking on Sunset Ave: **
Currently, Sunset Ave has 23 public parking spots that become available to the public after 5:30 PM. This arrangement poses a challenge not only for the residents of the 23-unit Mizner Court Apartments, who rely exclusively on these spots but also for other local inhabitants needing parking space for guests and service staff. To prevent congestion and always ensure accessibility for residents, we propose converting these parking spots to 24-hour resident-only parking.
**3. Maintenance of Public Access to Shops and Addition of a Restaurant:**
The shops at Via Paramount serve as vital community resources, contributing to the town's vibrancy and accessibility. Maintaining public access to these amenities is essential, and we believe that integrating a restaurant that would replace Chez Jean Pierre, with other offices and services, would enhance the area's appeal, benefiting both residents and visitors while respecting the site's status as a National Historic Landmark.
We are committed to supporting the rehabilitation of the Paramount and believe these measures will ensure that the Paramount positively contributes to our community without sacrificing the livability of Sunset Ave.
Respectfully,
Vincent Cloud, co-chair, and contact 146 Sunset Avenue
Lawrence (Larry) Sosnow, co-chair 156 Sunset Avenue
Received via email 5.13.24:
I am a resident of Palm Beach and am writing to strongly oppose the establishment of a private club in the Paramount Building. Having lived on Sunset Ave for over 20 years prior to moving to my permanent address below, I am very aware of the issues in this neighborhood before even entertaining the idea of a new facility at the Paramount.The traffic is very heavy during the winter season and adding more food delivery trucks, garbage trucks and other vendors along with hundreds of club members will significantly increase the gridlock. Please do not support this proposal as it threatens to ruin our quality of life on the island by making our neighborhood a traffic nightmare.
Sincerely,
Fran Levy
--
Fran Levy
430 North Lake Way
Palm Beach, Florida 33480
Received via email 5.14.24:
Town Council:
I am writing this email to you out of concern for the quality of life in Palm Beach.
I have been a resident of Palm Beach for over 25 years and am strongly opposed to the establishment the proposed renovation of the Paramount Building at the corner of County Road and Sunrise Avenue which would turn the building into a private club for a proposed membership of approximately 450 people.
The Paramount Building is located on a very prominent corner of a heavily trafficked area, diagonally across the street from St. Edward Roman Catholic Church on the NW corner of Sunrise and diagonally opposite the large primary Synagogue, Palm Beach Synagogue, on North County Road.
The traffic in this area is extremely heavy, particularly on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, when the Church has masses, weddings, baptisms, first communion and confirmation ceremonies, and the Orthodox Synagogue holds services, weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and Bris ceremonies throughout the season. The traffic is horrific and the parking is impossible.
The area of Bradley Place, Sunrise Avenue, Sunset Avenue and County Road is very congested during the winter and spring seasons. The addition of several hundred cars of club members, plus food delivery, garbage trucks and other vendors would only exacerbate an already untenable situation.
I personally am very involved in the Town of Palm Beach, having served for many years as a member of the boards and an officer of many Palm Beach County organizations including, the Palm Beach Police & Fire Foundation of which I am First Vice President of the Council of 100, The Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach Country Club, Kravis Center and the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Foundation, so I spend most of my year in Palm Beach from October until June and am very familiar with the traffic and social situation.
Please do not support this proposal as it threatens to ruin our quality of life on the island by making our neighborhood a traffic nightmare.
Robert L. Fromer
340 Polmer Park Road
Palm Beach, FL 33480
516-445-4539
Received via email 5.14.24:
Dear all,
In case you have not been informed, Tony Cummings has withdrawn from his partnership with Woerner, and Tony is no longer involved in the Paramount Project.
Best regards,
David
Received via email 5.15.24:
I live in Palm Beach on Island Drive and have much concern regarding the thought of a new private club in the Paramount Building. The traffic is already very busy during the height of the season and adding additional delivery trucks, garbage and parking for hundreds of club members will significantly increase the gridlock. Those of us who reside here pride ourselves on the quaint feel of our town. Adding another private establishment will bring in much more inconvenient congestion.
Please do not support this proposal as it threatens to ruin our quality of life on Palm Beach island by making our neighborhood an even worse congested nightmare.
Richard Schaps
631 Island Drive
Palm Beach, FL 33480
Received via email 5.15.24:
Sent from my iPhone
To the Town Council,
We are Palm Beach residents since 2006.
We live at 120 Sunset Ave apartment 4 c for 6 years.
The traffic since Covid increased dramatically.
Sometimes it takes 15 minutes or longer to get out of Sunset Ave to South County.
If this zoning change is approved our quality of life will totally change in Palm Beach.
A private club clearly doesn’t belong there.
Thank you,
Hana and Allan Green
Received via email 5.13.24:
I am writing regarding the upcoming decision about the Paramount Building renovation. We are residents of Palm Beach and our concerned regarding the traffic situation in town between Sunrise and Sunset. We hope the Paramount is updated but we believe a private club of this magnitude does not serve the residents in this location. Focus on the significant traffic problem already and don’t contribute to the current impassable situation. We would hope that a more modest renovation of the theater would accommodate the town residents. We would not support variances in this location.
Michael Rome Rome Capital Partners, LLC
240 Via Las Brisas Palm Beach, Florida 33480
Received via email 5.3.24:
Dear Members of the Town Council,
We are writing on behalf of the 34 homeowners residing on the 100 block of Sunset Ave, who are closest to the Paramount Project and the most deeply affected by the proposed private club. We are concerned that developing a private club out of the iconic Paramount building would not be town-serving, negatively affecting the character and quality of life in our community and in our neighborhood.
As we review the proposed project, we've identified several key concerns that we believe are crucial for maintaining the quality of life in our community. They include:
**1. Retention of the Main Entrance on North County Rd:**
Relocating the main entrance of a private club on Sunset Ave would channel a significant influx of traffic through our residential street, funneling vehicles from multiple directions to one of Palm Beach's most congested intersections. The Paramount's limited parking capacity risks transforming our neighborhood into a de facto transportation hub.
This is especially concerning given the town's precedent of facilitating valet parking on County Rd for establishments like La Goulue, Cafe L'Europe, and Buccan, and ensuring restricted traffic flow in residential areas adjacent to the Carriage House by entering it from Royal Palm Way, a main thoroughfare, and the exact opposite of a planned entrance off the dead-end Sunset Ave. We respectfully request that Sunset Ave be afforded the same consideration as was done for the Carriage House to prevent an unsustainable increase in traffic and related disturbances.
**2. Exclusive Resident-Only Parking on Sunset Ave: **
Currently, Sunset Ave has 23 public parking spots that become available to the public after 5:30 PM. This arrangement poses a challenge not only for the residents of the 23-unit Mizner Court Apartments, who rely exclusively on these spots but also for other local inhabitants needing parking space for guests and service staff. To prevent congestion and always ensure accessibility for residents, we propose converting these parking spots to 24-hour resident-only parking.
**3. Maintenance of Public Access to Shops and Addition of a Restaurant:**
The shops at Via Paramount serve as vital community resources, contributing to the town's vibrancy and accessibility. Maintaining public access to these amenities is essential, and we believe that integrating a restaurant that would replace Chez Jean Pierre, with other offices and services, would enhance the area's appeal, benefiting both residents and visitors while respecting the site's status as a National Historic Landmark.
We are committed to supporting the rehabilitation of the Paramount and believe these measures will ensure that the Paramount positively contributes to our community without sacrificing the livability of Sunset Ave.
Respectfully,
Vincent Cloud, co-chair, and contact 146 Sunset Avenue
Lawrence (Larry) Sosnow, co-chair 156 Sunset Avenue