Received via email 5.16.24:
Dear Palm Beach Architectural Review Commission,
I am writing in regard to 620 North Lake Way. My husband & I are building a home at 301 Plantation, the property directly to the south of 620 N Lake Way. Both properties are on the west side of North Lake Way and are higher than both North Lake Way and our eastern neighbors across the street. The west side properties have a stronger visual impact on the neighborhood & road.
We feel an owner has the right to build their choice house. The plan should take into account the neighboring houses and street. We have several concerns regarding the landscaping and architectural design.
Landscaping:
The landscape plan, open to the street, is different from the neighborhood.
- 620 N Lake Way’s front yard landscape plan, fairly open to the road, has a low retaining wall along the street, with higher numerous Lilyturf grasses, sword ferns, and five Southern oaks. It is a rustic, free form landscape design with a strong northern landscape influence. There are no palm trees or crisp 15’H hedges to create privacy and define it.
- Quercus Virginiana oak is the massive Southern oak tree. It is gorgeous when allowed to grow in its free form natural, twisted, low branched style (& rather homely when forced to stay vertical). While not a fast grower (growing approx 3’ a yr), each tree will eventually have a massive canopy 60-120’ wide by 60-80’ high (cultivars have an approx 60’ wide canopy). The plan shows 7-8 rustic ranch style Southern Oaks, approx 25-30’H, on their lot. The plan does not represent how wide each tree will become (this tree does not like to be heavily manicured).
Three of the oaks are on their southeast corner, our northeast corner; 2 are approx 3’ off our property line, one is approx 14’ to the north. These 3 Southern Oaks will overwhelm the northeast corner of our property. As they grow, their large & rather dense leaf canopies will make it impossible for our manicured privacy hedge and palms to grow between us; the trees will have to be continuously pruned back (making them look lopsided on the street – not optimal). Additionally, the Southern oak is a messy tree with it’s spanish moss, acorns, and yearly spring leaf renewal drop. We would prefer to not to have these 3 trees invading our property.
The Southern oak in the backyard by the pool (14’ from our property line), will be pruned back off our property as it grows. Its not a perfect solution, but not visible from the street.
Architecture:
- As the presentation shows, Alfred Browning Parker’s mid century organic architecture was their architectural inspiration and starting point. The design has additional elements, making it a loose mix of retro 50’s wide roof overhangs (but with vertical windows) contrasted by a flat roof section with soaring vertical windows – a more contemporary/modern section. The natural stone and stucco walls with louvered covered terraces attempt to pull the various elements together. It is contrasted with dark framed windows. A strong driveway design of horizontal cement/stone and grass strips slopes upward to the house. Combining all these elements with a free form rustic northern landscape -- it’s a particular statement sitting on higher ground, open to the street/neighborhood, with little consideration for its Palm Beach neighborhood. It is perhaps a lot.
- The south section of the house, a single story with flat roof, is correctly set back at 12’6” from the joint property line. Inside this area, there are ‘social areas’ with a lot of hard surfaces and just a few plantings. The outdoor bath area with shower and tub/jacuzzi is enclosed by a wall approx 4’ from our joint property line (with the pretty dwarf white trumpet tree dropping it’s leaves in the spring); there’s an adjoining outdoor patio, the south wall of the house, the walkway to the pool and a 6’H site wall. A lot of hard surfaces which will bounce noise and carry conversations. Our pool, pool house, 2nd floor MBR and MBR terrace are directly to the south (from which we will be to see their outdoor tub/jacuzzi & shower). More plantings with a consideration for noise absorption & sight obstruction would be appreciated. Perhaps continuing the Brazilian Beauty Leaf border treatment along this section would also help.
Respectfully submitted,
Joanne de Guardiola

Received via mail 5.23.24:
THE REASON AND PURPOSE FOR MY LETTER TODAY IS TO DRAW THE ATTENTION TO THE TOWN
COUNCIL DEELOPEMENT TO THE UNFETTERED REMOVAL OF OUR PRECIOUS CORAL ROCK. BOTH 301 PLANTATION, AND 620 N LAKE WAY BORDER MY PROPERTY; AND ARE BOTH BRAND NEW HOMES
BUILT FROM GROUND UP: ADDITIONALLY, 625 CREST ROAD, IS A BRAN_D NEW HOME BEING BUILT
ON THE LAKE. I HAVE VIDEO OF THEM HARVESTING THE CORAL ROCK WITH HUGE MACHINES OUT OF THE GROUND.
WHEN BUILDING 301 PLANTATION, CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTUCTION, THE OWNERS DUG OUT ROCK, FOR AN ENTIRE DAY, SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF CORAL ROCK ON THE NORTH BORDER OF THEIR
PROPERTY. MY HOME WAS BEING TREMENDOUSLY SHAKEN, ALL DAY, AS IF THERE WERE MINI EARTH TREMORS, TO THE POINT THAT IT MADE ME FEEL DIZZY. 301 PLANTATION HAS YET TO DIG OUT THE
ENTIRE PROPOSED WALL, DIRECTLY NEXT TO MY PROPERTY, FOR A BORDER WALL WITH HEDGES.
THIS IS OF GRAVE CONCERN TO ME AND THE INTEGRI/TY OF MY PROPERTY; THEY ALSO INTEND TO
PUT IN A POOL AND DIG OUT MORE CORAL ROCK.
THE CORAL ROCK IS VITAL TO KEEP IN TACT AND DISALLOW FIRTHER REMOVAL BECAUSE IT SERVES A VITAL FUNCTION. UNDERNEATH THE CORAL ROCK IS A FRESH WATER ACQUIFER. THIS ROCK
PREVENTS THE SALT WATER FROM THE OCEAN BREACHING THIS SOURCE OF FRESH WATER. THE
CORAL ROCK, IS AN ANCIENT SEA BED AND IS EXTREMLEY FRAGILE; BREAKING IT UP CAUSES FISSURES IN THE INTEGRITY OF THE ROCK AND THUS CAUSING FOUNDATION CRACKS IN THE CEILING & WALLS IN NEARBY HOMES WHICH SERIOUSLY DEVALUES THESE PROPERTIES AS WITNESSED IN GENERAL
VERNON WALTER'S HOME ON PLANTATION -WITH FOUNDATION CRACKS OVER HIS ENTIRE LIVING
ROOM CEILING.
YOU ALLOWED PGA GOLFER, RAYMOND FLOYD, A NEIGHBOR, ON CREST/PLANTATl'ON A VARIANCE TO DIG DOWN FAR ENOUGH TO PUT IN A WINE CELLAR. ANOTHER NEIGHBOR, DAVID LAMBERT, ON HIGH MOUNT, GOT A VARIANCE TO DIG OUT SO MUCH CORAL ROCK ON HIS MEGAMANSION AS TO INCLUDE AN ENTIRE FLOOR UNDERGROUND BASEMENT, TO ADD TO HIS OVERSQUARE FOOTAGE.
THIS SITUATION OF UNBRIDLED REMOVAL OF OUR PRECIOUS CORAL ROCK MUST BE STOPPED!
WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HOLD THIS ISLAND UP IN THE YEARS TO COME THE FICUS ROOTS?
I REALLY BELIEVE SOME STATE CERTIFIED ENGINEERS NEED TO GET INVOLVED AND DO A SURVEY &
STUDY OF THE IMPACT THAT THE REMOVAL CORAL ROCK AND HOW THIS IS IMPACTING THE DAMAGE TO NEARBY NEIGHBORS HOMES. ADDITIONALLY, HOW CONTINUED REMOVAL WILL IMPACT THE
FRESH WATER ACQUIFER, DUE TO THE POROUS NATURE OF THIS VERY FRAGILE CORAL. I BELIEVE A MORATORIUM SHOULD BE ENFORCED UNTIL A SERIOUS STUDY IS COMPLETED BY CERTIFIED
ENGINEERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER
MARY CLECKNER