Replacement Candidates Are A No Show !

Board members of the Equestrian Forum were present at tonight’s Forum with the candidates seeking election on the Wellington Village Council held by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.  

We are appreciative that incumbant’s Anne Gerwig and Howard Coates, in the spirit of transparency in relation to public office, were present and answered a number of questions regarding our community and it’s businesses.  

We are disappointed that the applicants seeking to replace these two disregarded this public forum and did not show up.  We encourage our members to support Anne and Howard in the upcoming election on March 11th 2014.

Chamber of Commerce Hosts Candidate Forum

Forum Seeks Chamber of Commerce Support for Equestrian Preserve Flood Relief

Horse Park Plan Is Pulled

Horse Park Plan Is Pulled Apart by Horses - Investors vow to resubmit proposal for village-owned land.

BY JASON SCHULTZ PALM BEACH POST STAFF WRITER 

WELLINGTON — Just days before the village council was to vote on whether to sell the K-Park property, the group of investors who said they wanted to buy the 67-acre site and turn it into a horse park has withdrawn its offer.

Jack Van Dell

“It’s getting to become a much more complicated project than it originally was,” said Jack Van Dell, a local jeweler and representative for the Horse Park LLC group that was trying to buy K-Park. “I’d just rather get it all together and get back at them later.”

The withdrawal comes after a village consultant raised questions about Horse Park’s plan and after village residents and some council members had spoken strongly against it.

“We’re even more convinced now that it doesn’t really exist,” Mike Nelson, chairman of business and economic development for the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, said of Horse Park’s plan. “This is just a play to acquire the property for $10 million and then flip it.”

The village-owned land on State Road 7 at Stribling Way has been slated to become everything from a recreation area to a Palm Beach State College campus in the past.

During the summer, the council signed a letter of intent to sell the property to Van Dell’s group for $10 million and gave it several months to return with a completed proposal, including a sound business plan. During that time, the village agreed not to explore bids from other suitors.

Village Attorney Laurie Cohen said the council was set to vote Tuesday on whether the group had met all the criteria the village had put on the potential buyers when the council signed the letter of intent.

Van Dell said his group wants to build two hotels and a 5,000-seat equestrian event center on the property as part of its horse park to attract shows. He claimed the scope of the project that the group wants to build has grown to about $120 million from $40 million.

But the proposal and the group has been widely criticized by some council members and residents.

Nelson, who was thrilled to hear of the group’s withdrawal, argued that a horse park business was not economically viable on the property and claimed the investors really wanted to just sell it all off for commercial developments such as strip malls.

A consultant hired by the village to evaluate the group’s horse park proposal also found major problems with the plan.

“It is concluded that the applicant has not fully met the requirements of the Letter of Intent,” wrote consultant James Fleischmann.

Fleischmann said he questioned whether everything the group proposes would fit on the site.

He also said the number of event days the group is using in its revenue projections was higher than comparable horse parks and that there was no basis for the number of tourists the proposal assumes the horse park would get.

Van Dell said he had not seen the consultant’s report so he could not comment on it. But he said the group knew the village would have many more questions, so they decided to take their time to get the project right.

“This is not a hurry-up-and-get-it-done kind of deal,” Van Dell said. “The land is not going anywhere.”

Cohen said that with the group’s withdrawal, the exclusive agreement the council had with Horse Park is now expired and the council can decide if it wants to talk to other bidders for the land.

Chuck Mineo, one of those potential bidders, said he wanted to build an oval pedestrian park and line it with shops such as cafes.

Councilwoman Anne Gerwig said she was never in favor of the horse park idea because she didn’t think it belonged right next to busy State Road 7. She said she wanted to see some of the land turned into commercial developments and use the revenue from that to turn the rest into a public park.

Van Dell said the group was not asking for the exclusive ban on other bidders to continue, arguing that he didn’t think any of the other bidders could match his group’s potential jobs and economic impact.

He estimated it would take his group 60-70 days to complete its proposal, then return to the council.              

Palm Beach Post jschultz@pbpost.com

White Fences Polar Express - Dressage

• White Fences Polar Express: Dec 14-15, 2013
• Prize List  
• Stabling Chart
• New Barn and Shed Rows: use main farm gate entrance (facing house) to unload.
• Tent stabling: use new trailer bridge via Buck Ridge Trail
• Facility map
• All show traffic enter via Sycamore Dr from Seminole Pratt Whitney Rd.  Do not use Lion Country Safari Rd.
• Trailers will no longer use side gate on Hanover Cir.  Stabling drop off will use main farm gate on Hanover.  Tent stabling uses bridge over Buck Ridge Trl canal  All haul-ins and all trailer parking will be via new bridge over canal from Buck Ridge Trail.
• NO vehicles are to cross the smaller bridge.  Pedestrians only
• Cars can park along Hanover Cir or along Buck Ridge Trail easement/levee and people then use pedestrain bridge.
• Do not block access to any fence opening or for trailers to swing wide onto bridge.
• Only park along the facility's side of the road (do not park in the neighbors' easements)
• Tentative Show Schedule
• Entry pickup and open schooling 11 am - 4 pm Friday
• Renew your memberships!  They expire Nov 30
• Judges: Kathy Connely "S"   Bill Warren "S"  Merrilyn Griffin "r" NJ
• For Questions call: (561) 790-6406

Leslie Morse hosts ShowChic's ShopTalk

An Evening with Leslie Morse

Top international Grand Prix rider Leslie Morse will discuss her return to the arena with the progeny of her two famous stallions, Kingston and Tip Top 962, how her breeding program has filled her stalls with talented young horses, and her journey to bring them to the highest levels of the sport. Don't miss this fascinating look at the next generation of dressage horses under Leslie Morse!

Global Dressage Festival Clears Last Hurdle

WELLINGTON, Florida, November 13, 2013 

The Global Dressage Festival appeared to have cleared its last hurdle for year round use of one of the biggest investments in dressage show facilities in the world when a last-ditch effort Tuesday night that could have led to more delays failed to get any support.

A move by a member of the Village of Wellington council to reopen consideration of some conditions already approved failed to get support from the other four members thus ending almost two years of political wrangling over the dressage complex that is part of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

The on-again, off-again actions by the council that is controlled by three members who have frequently opposed GDF have no impact on the coming winter circuit of six CDIs with almost $500,000 in total prize money. A special use permit under which the dressage grounds have been used for the past two years from Nov. 1 to April 30 had already been approved for the 2014 circuit.

The first competition at the GDF grounds of six outdoor arenas with Olympic quality footing, 200 permanent horse stalls and a covered arena with capacity for more than three full size rings is scheduled for the end of this month.

The lineup of six CDIs–three World Cup events, a CDI4*, CDI5* and a Nations Cup–begins Jan. 8 and runs to the end of March with national shows sandwiched between them.

The approvals include use of a second access to the show grounds on a road that runs beside the estate of a famiiy that has fought development of the show grounds.

The Global Dressage Festival dovetails with the Winter Equestrian Festival of jumper and hunter competitions that draws riders from more than 30 countries to the Palm Beach International show grounds.

Equestrian Sport Productions, organizer of the horse shows, has also applied to host the 2018 World  Equestrian Games of the seven international sports of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, jumping, reining and vaulting plus para dressage. WEG could bring more than 500,000 spectators and have an economic impact on Palm Beach County of well over $200 million.

An earlier application to stage the event was withdrawn because of the political uncertainty.

Locally, year round use would enable free use by charities as well as a riding club and officially sanctioned competitions in a covered arena capable of accommodating at least three full size dressage arenas in South Florida’s steamy tropical summers.

Organizers can now apply to build more permanent structures such as additions to 200 stables constructed for the first dressage season in 2012 and a VIP pavilion.

The approvals do not include plans to construct a five-story condominium hotel and retail complex at the same time as the dressage facilities were being built on the 59-acre (24Ha) GDF grounds that also includes a grass jumper derby field. 

Courtesy Dressage-News.com

Equestrian Community Outraged by Councilman Willhite

Wellington Council to Reconsider GDF Commitment ATTENTION EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY ! We and the entire national / international equestrian community thought that the Equestrian Village GDF venue had finally been approved when the Village Council on October 24, 2013 voted to approve it and when the developer, Wellington Equestrian Partners, subsequently announced it accepted the conditions of approval. But in Wellington things aren't normal. Now Councilman Matt Willhite, who has been an eager opponent of the equestrian industry, has placed an item on Tuesday's ( November 12, 2013 ) council agenda to reconsider the approval of the Equestrian Village Conceptual Site Plan. Matt Willhite has not stated his motives but in light of his historical record on matters regarding the Global Dressage Festival (GDF), we can conclude it is not in the best interests of our Dressage Riders, the equestrian community or Wellington's economic well-being.

HELP DEFEND WELLINGTON'S EQUESTRIAN INDUSTRY  Attend the Wellington Village Council meetingNovember 12, 7:00 pm,  12300 Forest Hill Blvd.

Wellington Equestrian Partners Accepts Settlement

Equestrian Sport Productions Press Release Wellington Equestrian Partners Accepts Clarified Settlement Resolution with the Village of Wellington Thus Creating Permanent Equestrian Village Site   Wellington, FL - November 5, 2013 - After nearly 18 months of legal battles and turmoil in Wellington and in the equestrian industry, Equestrian Sport Productions is pleased to announce that it has conditionally accepted the Equestrian Village Resolutions approved by the Wellington Village Council on October 22, 2013. The only conditions to the acceptance are slight modifications to the language of two conditions to reflect the language clarified and voted on by the Council at the meeting. The Master Plan Amendment approves the additional ingress and egress access off Pierson Road, allowing for access to the Equestrian Village by exhibitors, horse trailers and others. The Compatibility Determination grants approval for the site to operate as a permanent Commercial Equestrian Arena, with year-round uses of the facilities approved by the Council in a conceptual site plan that lays out in detail what the proposed configuration and uses of the property will be. ESP's acceptance of the Resolutions is one of the final steps in the settlement agreement with the Village. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the litigation between ESP and the Village will be dismissed and the legal battles will be over. The end result is one that is a benefit to the Wellington community and allows the parties to move forward with a positive and fruitful working relationship. The 2014 Global Dressage Festival will operate at the Equestrian Village property under a Special Use Permit as the permanent improvements approved through the new Resolutions phase in. ESP is looking forward to providing the best dressage venue in the world. Wellington Equestrian Partners managing partner, Mark Bellissimo, commented, "The resolution as clarified is a great victory for the Village of Wellington, the Equestrian Community, and our Partnership. I thank the council for its leadership in passing the Master Plan and Conditional use resolutions and their concern for safety in allowing us to modify the current Special Use Permit to allow for use of the Pierson Road for the upcoming season. I hope that the parties on all sides of these issues will now focus their energy on continuing to build this great community."  Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Palm Beach Post Editorial

Even When Losing, the Jacobs Win At Wellington’s Expense

BY RHONDA SWAN - PALM BEACH POST STAFF WRITER

The Wellington village council approved two resolutions Thursday that will allow Mark Bellissimo and his team to hold year-round events at the equestrian village at South Shore Boulevard and Pierson Road but rejected a staff recommendation to require them to construct a left turning lane on Pierson Road. The vote illustrates just how much influence the billionaire Jacobs family holds over the council.

The Jacobs wanted South Shore Boulevard designated as the primary entrance to the site. The council obliged, 4-1, with Ann Gerwig dissenting.

Mat Forrest, Executive Director of the Wellington Equestrian Preservation Alliance and a local spokesman for the Jacobs family, told the Post Editorial Board that the Jacobs opposed expansion of the two-lane road because " it"s a rural equestrian area. It's against what most people in the equestrian preserve want."

Councilman John Greene used that bogus argument, too. " There's a lot of people who are concerned about that," Mr. Greene said Thursday. " I've gotten phone calls... I'm trying to prevent further litigation."

Where were those people during the two meetings the council held on the resolutions last week ? Representatives for the Jacobs were the only outspoken opponents to the turning lane.

Residents packed the council chambers to protest Mr. Bellissimo's original plans for an $ 80 million equestrian village with a hotel. The Jacobs spent more than $ 500,000 to seat Mr. Greene, Matt Willhite and Mayor Bob Margolis, all whom opposed the project.

The three killed the project by revoking approvals granted by the previous council. Mr. Bellissimo sued. The council then reached a settlement that called for him to hold off on litigation and come back with new proposals.

Mr. Bellissimo and his tean spent 100 hours working with staff on the new applications. Staff and the village's traffic engineer recommended the turning lane for safety reasons, and Mr. Bellissimo agreed to pay the cost.

Ms. Gerwig said she voted against the resolutions because she believes the turning lane is necessary. " To me it just doesn't look like a safe situation," she said. " I couldn't support the project without that." She noted that the recommendations would have made if safer for vendors and horse trailers that would primarily use the Pierson Road entrance.

The Jacobs didn't get everything they wanted. The council instructed staff to study traffic once the events begin, and to revisit the turning lane if necessary. The council also  did not eliminate all left turns on Pierson Road.

Still, the concessions they did get will benefit only the Jacobs family. The rest of Wellington loses.

Rhonda Swan 

for The Post Editorial Board

rswan@pbpost.com

An Open Letter To Councilman Willhite

Councilman Willhite:

I write this as an individual, shocked by what I saw at the Council meeting.

Of all the Council members, it is most surprising to see you, a PBC firefighter and Station Captain, vote for politics over human and horse safety.  During your career, you have seen the devastating injuries that car accidents inflict on the human body, and you may have witnessed what an accident between a horse and a car can do as well.

Yet after the Village Council traffic engineer, ESP’s traffic engineer, and even Bellissimo adversary Victoria McCullough, all directly testified that a dedicated left turn lane was safer and a lack of that lane presented safety concerns, you still impeded constructing a safe left turn lane on Pierson Road into the Global Dressage Village equestrian complex.

Although citizen after citizen told of being forced into making U-turns in horse rigs  at one of the most dangerous intersections in Wellington, the  Players Club intersection, and after others testified they had to make U-turns in the school yard, and some testified they had to drive north on South Shore to Forest Hill, east on Forest Hill to Stribling, right on Stribling to Pierson and then down Pierson to take a left turn out of the GDV, you still steamrolled Jacobs’ political agenda over the safety of human and horse life.

While I have disagreed with you on many political issues, never in my wildest imagination did I think a fire fighter, a professional who has witnessed firsthand the devastating injury done when machine and fragile human collide, and machine and helpless animal collide, you elected personal political power over your duty to the safety of the very community that elected you. Every accident that occurs going forward should list “Cause of Accident:  Village Council, led by Captain Matt Willhite’s battle against constructing a safe turn lane.”

Whatever your politics, your duty and allegiance to serve and protect the community that elected you, has been shamefully compromised by your unconscionable alliance to the Jacobs’ agenda.

This is more than a horse issue. Children on the west side of Wellington have to ride their bikes in the road to get to Pierson Park as there are no sidewalks there, for the same reason you blocked the safe turn lane – the Jacobs’ agenda to stop anything on their driveway, Pierson Road. The Jacobs stopped the sidewalks and now they stopped the safe turn lanes. Every other direction has sidewalks to Pierson Park, except the route pass the Jacobs’ estate.

It will be a sad personal day when it dawns on you that Matt Willhite, a man whose civil service career is built around the sanctity of, and protection of life, sold out human and animal safety for personal political gain. Matt, you threw us to the wolves.

Victor Connor

Wellington, FL