Tequesta Planning Board Approves Country Club Renovations Amid Concerns Over Temporary Structures
- Meeting Overview:
The Tequesta Planning and Zoning Board convened on January 15, 2026, to discuss community projects, notably approving site plan modifications for the Tequesta Country Club. The discussion focused on improving the clubhouse and cart barn, while addressing resident concerns about temporary structures in the east parking lot during construction. The meeting also covered the 2025 infrastructure sales tax expenditure, highlighting funds allocated to the Tequesta Drive bridge project.
A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Tequesta Country Club’s proposed renovations. The board reviewed modifications that aim to enhance clubhouse functionality without expanding membership. The application detailed a redesign of the clubhouse and cart barn, maintaining their existing size but improving their layout. Proposed changes included shifting the clubhouse to improve landscaping and parking, moving from angled to head-in parking to optimize space. The plan also featured decorative pavers for aesthetic enhancement and a landscape strategy to preserve existing trees, with 13 out of 126 trees removed for the construction while integrating additional native plantings.
The architectural design was coastal-inspired, with an octagonal cupola as a notable feature. The new clubhouse is planned to be a single-story structure, 21 feet tall, aligning with the community’s feedback to ensure a smooth visual transition to the golf course. The design emphasized visual harmony, a critical requirement of the site plan criteria. A breezeway connecting the clubhouse to the cart barn, which would house employee facilities, was also included. The construction plan involves a temporary arrangement for ongoing operations, utilizing trailers on site.
Concerns arose from residents regarding the temporary use of the country club’s east parking lot for cart storage and administrative functions. Steve Osborne, a resident, expressed discomfort with the plan to erect a tent storing 70 to 80 golf carts, citing its visual impact. He requested the replacement of a deteriorated visual barrier hedge along the property line with a new 8-foot hedge to restore privacy. Osborne also objected to proposed administrative trailers, arguing they were non-compliant with zoning regulations for the R1A district, emphasizing, “Legally we shouldn’t be doing it even on a temporary basis.” He suggested relocating the trailers to the driving range, which would minimize residential disruption and provide operational restrooms.
The board acknowledged Osborne’s concerns, confirming plans to replace the hedge and discussing the feasibility of an 8-foot height, which zoning does not restrict. They agreed that the administrative trailers were not permissible in the R1A district, and a motion was passed unanimously to approve the project with conditions, including the installation of the hedge and assurance that no trailers would be placed in the restricted area.
In conjunction with the clubhouse discussions, the board revisited the 2025 infrastructure sales tax expenditure report. The village received $631,990 in revenue from the tax, alongside $28,000 from investment income. Of this, $46,386 was spent on engineering plans for improvements to the Tequesta Drive bridge, leaving $613,926 in reserves for future project costs, expected to total approximately $855,000. The infrastructure tax, established by a 2016 voter referendum, had reached its $2.7 billion threshold, leading to a reduction in sales tax for Palm Beach County residents starting January 2026. While discussions of a new transportation-focused sales tax are anticipated, specifics remain undefined as the county develops a plan.
Questions emerged during the infrastructure report presentation about the justification for the bridge project expenditure, considering the bridge’s relatively recent construction. Public comments included inquiries about potential closures during renovations, to which it was clarified that improvements would proceed without closing the bridge.
Molly Young
Planning Board, Zoning Board Officials:
Elizabeth Schauer, Leslee Dasher (Chair), Theresa Maggio (Vice-Chair), Sherry Ambrose, Jeanne McEldowney, Marie Sapirie (Alternate No. 1), Marco Valdez (Alternate No. 2), Jared Gaylord (Alternate No. 3)
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Meeting Type:
Planning Board, Zoning Board
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Committee:
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Meeting Date:
01/15/2026
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Recording Published:
01/15/2026
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Duration:
48 Minutes
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Notability Score:
Routine
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State:
Florida
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County:
Palm Beach County
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Towns:
Tequesta
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