Boca Raton — Developer Rob Frisbie told the City Council on Nov. 4 that his team has "fundamentally redesigned the plan by shifting all private development East Of Second Avenue" and reduced the originally discussed private footprint from about 31 acres to roughly 7–8 acres while keeping Memorial Park publicly owned.

Deputy City Manager Andy Lukasick told the council staff is "working to finalize some financial data so that we can present that information to you at your November 18 meeting." Lukasick said staff has commissioned two appraisal approaches: one valuing the entire 31 acres under current zoning and a second that values only the parcels proposed for a ground lease under the developer’s proposed development strategy.

Why it matters: the scope and basis of any appraisal will affect how the city compares proposed ground‑lease revenues against property valuations and will shape public trust and debate over whether to use a public‑private partnership and a referendum to approve any conveyance.

What the developer said: Frisbie said the revised plan concentrates private development on parcels adjacent to the Brightline/Bridal Line and on former surface parking, and that the redesign allows the city to "update and improve the recreation and civic buildings in the park" using revenues from adjacent mixed‑use development. He said the team is working to place the project on a ballot so residents can vote on it.

Staff and council discussion: Lukasick described the two appraisal tracks and said staff would deliver a parcel‑level breakdown. Council members split on scope: several members urged staff to limit the appraisal to the 7–8 acres that would be subject to a ground lease to avoid public confusion, while others said an appraisal of the full 31 acres and a parcel breakdown would be useful given earlier iterations of the plan.

Council Member Wigger (as recorded in the meeting) proposed creating a Boca Raton Memorial Park Land Trust — a nonprofit entity to hold Memorial Park in perpetuity — and suggested linking a portion of any ground‑lease revenue to an endowment for the trust. He described examples of local land trusts and said a perpetual endowment could fund park maintenance, historical nonprofits and alternative park acquisitions.

Public comment: more than two dozen speakers lined up during the public comment period. Opposition speakers, including organizers of the Save Boca effort, argued the council and developer rushed the proposal and used city resources to promote the plan; some accused officials of insufficient transparency and questioned consultant and PR relationships. Supporters and other residents said downtown activation and investment could revitalize the area; other speakers urged renovating existing facilities rather than leasing parkland to private interests. Concerns raised repeatedly included traffic and infrastructure capacity (stormwater, sewer and drainage), project density, and the need for independent financial analyses.

Formal actions and next steps: the council did not approve a final deal on Nov. 4. Staff committed to provide third‑party financial analysis and appraisal details and to return with additional financial information (Lukasick mentioned Nov. 18). Earlier in the meeting the council adopted the consent agenda by voice vote, 4–0.

Context and outstanding questions: the transcript records references to Florida’s P3 statute and the Live Local Act during the presentation; staff said assumptions about development density and entitlement will factor into parcel valuations. Residents requested public records for appraisal engagement materials and for any entitlement or zoning language that may govern the site. The council did not set a final deadline for a decision on the partnership during the Nov. 4 meeting.

What to watch: staff’s Nov. 18 presentation of financial data and the appraisal results; any draft ground‑lease terms or entitlement regulations provided to the public; and whether the council places a charter or referendum measure on a ballot related to the campus or park protections.