[TrotTrotPumpkn]

I keep getting emails about lawsuits brought by the Jacobs family against WEF? What is this about and what is the standing to sue? Why do they want to close one of the best facilities in the country? Is there more information somewhere?

[Grataan]

I had no idea wha you were talking about since I stay in breed show land, but heres an article

http://www.dressage-news.com/?p=18596

another

http://www.aroundtherings.com/articl....aspx?id=41782
from the around the rings article:

The new amendment is, however, a dark cloud over our Wellington community and was no doubt filed to create continued uncertainty. Simply stated, it's another attack by the Jacobs to prevent a successful, thriving equestrian industry that is attractive and available to all Wellington residents and visitors - all to protect the entrance to their 200 acre compound on Pierson Road.

bolding mine

please excuse typos im really sick typing w/one hand and other hand on mug of chicken noodle soup

[ThisTooShallPass]

Did the retail plaza & condominium hotel break the camels back? That is taking land out of what could be green space? Clueless.

[MHM]

Did the retail plaza & condominium hotel break the camels back? That is taking land out of what could be green space? Clueless.

I believe the hotel/shopping plaza part of the plan was dropped long ago. The suit appears to be over the existing facility, which consists of barns and rings.

[CHT]

So they built it without getting proper authorization and changes to the land use?

Kind of a "better to ask forgiveness than permission" kind of deal?

If that is the case, then the lawsuit has merit. As sad as it would be for the equestrian community, I am not sure that is grounds for allowing developers to walk all over the land use laws and proper channels when building.

[MHM]

So they built it without getting proper authorization and changes to the land use?

I don't know if that's actually what happened. It depends which spin doctor you choose to believe.

For sure, the lawyers are coming out ahead on this whole thing.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

I just don't get it. This isn't a brand new facility after all. Or am I missing something?

I suppose I should buck-up and read the court docs. I was just hoping someone would have some idea on the back story. Is the goal to run up fees? It looks like they have lost a couple times at the appelate level now. I can only imagine how peeved the tax payers must be getting if that article was correct and they are on the hook for defending...

[ThisTooShallPass]

Awaiting the cliff notes.

[SGray]

So they built it without getting proper authorization and changes to the land use?

Kind of a "better to ask forgiveness than permission" kind of deal?

If that is the case, then the lawsuit has merit. As sad as it would be for the equestrian community, I am not sure that is grounds for allowing developers to walk all over the land use laws and proper channels when building.

wasn't it built on old polo grounds?

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

Yes, one of the articles said the polo grounds were destroyed by weather and they rebuilt on them. Good point.

[Grataan]

So they built it without getting proper authorization and changes to the land use?

Kind of a "better to ask forgiveness than permission" kind of deal?

If that is the case, then the lawsuit has merit. As sad as it would be for the equestrian community, I am not sure that is grounds for allowing developers to walk all over the land use laws and proper channels when building.

No, from the news articles I read, they built it with the proper zoning variances, then recently new people were elected to the city council and those people revoked the variances. But the lawsuits have been ongoing since like 2006 or so

[MHM]

I just don't get it. This isn't a brand new facility after all. Or am I missing something?

To clarify, there are TWO facilities in Wellington. The one on Pierson Road where WEF is held now is about twenty or so years old, where the hunter and jumper activity takes place all year, and intensifies all winter.

The lawsuit concerns the other property on the corner of Pierson Road and South Shore Boulevard. It is a new facility, but built on the site where the old polo grounds were. The WEF horse show used to be held there, too, decades ago, when the show was not as big. There were still rings and stalls there all along, plus the old polo stadium, until they were damaged by weather a few years ago.

The new facility was built in the last couple of years, with several rings and permanent barns. The original plan did include a hotel and shopping area, but that part of it was nixed. There were a few hunter and jumper classes and (I believe) some dressage shows held there last winter, but the legal wrangling still continues.

[kw]

What MHM said...this isn't the "showgrounds" you are porbably thinking of where WEF is held, it's the the old polo stadium grounds at the northeast corner of Pierson and Southshore, closer to the old polo barns (now Palm Beach Equine Sports Complex). It has been worked on for a few years now with a lot of issues and politics involved, and as of right now there is the rings, covered, and some barns that are up. They have held some shows there last year but now as others said, it's still a big legal battle (and really a stupid one IMO) to get the existing buildings torn down. If you want a little insight from a dressage perspective read about what Robert has to say about all of it at doversworld.com.

[ybiaw]

It's all so silly. Politics. SMH.