The dispute over the proposed redevelopment of Boca Raton’s government campus, known as One Boca, has intensified as a new lawsuit targets the group leading opposition to the project. Attorney Ned Kimmelman filed a suit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court against Save Boca and its founder, Jon Pearlman, seeking an emergency injunction to invalidate petitions that Save Boca collected for a referendum on the project. The group reportedly gathered 7,000 signatures opposing the redevelopment.
Kimmelman’s suit alleges that Save Boca and Pearlman have been “spreading misinformation to induce people/voters to sign the petition.” The complaint further claims, “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.” According to the filing, Save Boca’s proposed amendment to Boca Raton’s city charter would block the city council from selling or leasing land greater than half an acre, a move Kimmelman argues could result in an “unworkable, very expensive” government crisis.
Neither Kimmelman nor Pearlman were immediately available for comment on the matter.
The redevelopment plan, led by David Martin’s Terra and the Frisbie Group, calls for a mixed-use project that would include city offices, residential units, and retail on public land downtown. The plan would also redevelop the current city hall at 201 West Palmetto Road and involve a 99-year lease of public land to the developers. Terra and Frisbie were selected over other bidders in February after a competitive process.
The Boca Raton City Council voted on September 9 to postpone approval of the 99-year lease until after a voter referendum. At a recent city council workshop, Rob Frisbie Jr., a partner at Frisbie Group, said new plans would be presented at upcoming meetings on October 27 and 28. He indicated that the development’s scope is being reduced from its original 30 acres.
During the workshop, supporters of Save Boca voiced strong objections to the project, describing it as a betrayal of public trust and expressing concerns about environmental impacts. Some cited the protection of gopher tortoise habitats and referenced Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign in their appeals to city officials.
Frisbie stated that the development team is engaging with residents. “We’re just in the design phase where we’re listening and incorporating additional feedback from the community,” he said. He added that upcoming plans would focus on improvements to Memorial Park.
The current timeline sets the next city meetings for October 27 and 28, with a public referendum scheduled for March 10, 2026.
