The conflict surrounding the proposed redevelopment of Boca Raton’s government campus has intensified, as a lawsuit was filed this week against the group leading opposition to the project. Local attorney Ned Kimmelman filed suit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court against Save Boca and its founder, Jon Pearlman, seeking an emergency injunction to invalidate the petitions collected by the group in its effort to bring the matter to a referendum. Save Boca gathered 7,000 signatures from residents opposing the development.
Kimmelman, a resident of Boca Raton, alleges in the suit that Save Boca and Pearlman misled voters to encourage them to sign the petition. The lawsuit states, “Save Boca and Pearlman are conducting an audacious scheme to evade Florida law and abuse our electoral process in Palm Beach County and the City.” The legal filing further claims that the proposed amendment to Boca Raton’s city charter would prevent the city council from selling or leasing land larger than half an acre, which Kimmelman argues could create a costly government crisis.
Neither Kimmelman nor Pearlman responded immediately to requests for comment.
The redevelopment plan, known as One Boca, is led by David Martin’s Terra and the Frisbie Group. The proposal includes new city offices, residential units, and retail space on public land in downtown Boca Raton, including the site of the current city hall at 201 West Palmetto Road. The plan involves a 99-year lease of public land to the developers.
On September 9, the city council voted to postpone approval of the lease until after a voter referendum scheduled for March 10, 2026. Terra and Frisbie were selected for the project earlier this year after a competitive bidding process that included Related Ross, Namdar Group of New York, and Atlanta-based RocaPoint Partners.
During a recent city council workshop on One Boca, Rob Frisbie Jr., a partner at Frisbie Group, said that revised plans will be presented at upcoming city meetings on October 27 and 28. He noted that the scope of the development is being reduced from the original 30 acres.
At the same meeting, Save Boca supporters criticized the proposal as a misuse of public land and raised concerns about environmental impacts such as gopher tortoise habitats. One supporter referenced Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign in urging rejection of the project.
Frisbie said his team has been holding community meetings to gather input. “We’re just in the design phase where we’re listening and incorporating additional feedback from the community,” he stated. He added that enhancing Memorial Park is a focus in the revised plans.
After the October meetings, residents will have an opportunity to vote on the proposal in March 2026.
