-------------------- "Coral Lake Mobile Home Park- The Other Side" --------------------
By Aaron Vantrease

August, 2005

Our town news received an explanation of the problem surrounding one resident's issues with the city of coconut creek and the coral lake mobile home park and answers to questions presented by various newspapers concerning a lawsuit brought against the city of coconut creek by aaron vantrease:

Coconut creek wants coral lake mhp out to make room for a housing complex called paloma lakes. The units, approximately 346+/- , will sell for $175,000 up. To accomplish their goal requires the land, on which coral lakes mobile home community sits, to be rezoned from mh1 to pud. To legally approve this type of rezoning requires florida statute 723.083 to be satisfied. Statute 723.083 places a burden on the city of Coconut Creek to verify that adequate housing is available for those families being displaced.

I believe the rezoning was passed without that burden having been met. I feel their reports of adequate housing being available as presented by the urban group [hired by the developer] is flawed, as well as the testimony of the expert witness, mr. Posgay [hired by the city], because mr. Posgay used the flawed report of the urban groups as a basis for the opinion he expressed, and added his own comment as follows:

There is some information and content that could have been or should have been included in the study that may have given you more information, namely some of the things that the commissioners have been questioning this evening. A break down of the ages admitted by various communities, whether they'd be an all age community over fifty-five is one item. A listing of criteria as to what a mobile home has to do to qualify as regarding to age or physical status to be received or approved in another community is another fact . . . [taken from transcription of that meeting June 9th, 2005].

Janice ellery another resident and i presented our own reports showing why the urban group report was flawed. However the city commission did not consider our evidence because we were not classified as "experts." In my opinion the city tried to push rezoning through without due process of law by ultimately refusing to verify the sources the expert witness was using until after the hearing was over. The information used by the expert had already been found to be inaccurate at a previous hearing when the planning and zoning board table the rezoning. It was not the burden of the city to hire an expert witness to comment on the housing availability but, it was done in my opinion to offset the "carelessly" prepared housing studies that were prepared by the developer.

Questions presented to aaron vantrease and answers by aaron vantrease

Q - Are you suing the city of coconut creek?

A - Yes I am. Included in the suit are the city of coconut creek board of commissioners and city of coconut creek, and wood partners, applicant for rezoning.

Q - What are the grounds for your suit?

A - The board of commissioners acted in violation of florida statute 723.083.

Q - Has there been any attempt to settle with the city without going to court?

A - Yes attempts have been made. In fact a meeting was held the same day we filed to see if this could be avoided. Unfortunately, the person or persons from the city of coconut creek with the power to approve a settlement between us did not attend the meeting; therefore it was a waste of time for everyone who did attend the meeting.

Q - Do you think it was possible the sale of CLMHP was a solicited sale?

A - I think that is highly possible. The park was hit by a large number of code violations then fined; causing a large debt of over $475,000 to be owed to the city. Then just at the right time a buyer steps up and says, "I'm here to end your money worries." What would you think?

Q - How can we find out if it was a solicited or unsolicited bid?

A - I don't have the answer to that question. However I have a better question.

Did the park solicit bids on their own or did the city solicit bids for the park or did a buyer just happen to stop by one day?

I find it interesting that there were two buyers back to back. As soon as one bailed the second was there ready to take over. Not a day was lost.

Q - Is it true the city offered $1,375 for a singlewide and $2,750 for a doublewide home?

A - The park did not offer those amounts. Those are minimum amounts required by Florida Statute 723 as payment through the Mobile Home Relocation Committee.

Questions to be continued on next issue

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