Palm Beach County commission paves the way for big-box retailers

Despite outrage from locals who are against big-box retailers, Palm Beach County commissioners have decided to allow the construction of one large store on the 64 acres of undeveloped land next to the corner of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road and Southern Boulevard, the Palm Beach Post reported. The commission voted four to three on Monday to eliminate a rule restricting the size of stores to no more than 65,000 square feet. The final vote on the measure will be held sometime this fall. The county already allows commercial spaces up to 280,000 square feet to be built in the area, but residents worry that allowing single retailers of that size will have a negative impact on their community.

“There are some people who do want modernization of the area, but the great majority of the people really came for the same reason why I moved [here]: the openness, the isolation,” said commissioner Jess Santamaria. “My problem is that we are forcing people to take something we think is the right thing for them.” [Palm Beach Post] — Christopher Cameron