Toxic Reality Under This Future Neighborhood - Should You Be Concerned?
What’s Lurking Under This Former Golf Course?
Plans to transform the former Cypress Creek Golf Course into 152 homes in west Boynton are underway, but the land comes with baggage. Now designated as a Brownfield Site, it requires extensive cleanup before any construction can begin. Testing has uncovered arsenic and long-banned pesticides like dieldrin and toxaphene - chemicals tied to decades of golf course maintenance and earlier agricultural use. Recent reports say groundwater levels are within acceptable limits, but soil contamination remains an issue, with additional testing still in progress - even on nearby residential properties.
Before a single home is built, toxic soil must be removed and the site monitored for at least a year to ensure contaminants don’t return. State approval is mandatory before any permits can be issued. For Boynton residents, the stakes go beyond one development. As more former golf courses are eyed for housing, a bigger question looms: how many other properties carry hidden environmental risks beneath the surface?
Costco Is Out… But the Controversy Is Far From Over in West Boynton
A controversial development in west Boynton Beach has been scaled back - but the fight isn’t over. West Boynton Ranches has revised its plan for a 32-acre site near Valencia Reserve, dropping a proposed big-box store and reducing the project to 259 townhomes and apartments. The new version includes 25% workforce housing and lowers building heights to three stories. The change comes after county officials signaled they wouldn’t support a special zoning category needed for the original, much larger proposal, which included over 1,000 units and retail.
Despite the smaller plan, nearby residents remain strongly opposed. Traffic concerns along Lyons Road and Boynton Beach Boulevard, especially near Bethesda West Hospital, continue to dominate the debate, along with fears of over-development in the Agricultural Reserve. A key vote is set for April 29th. Even in a reduced form, the project could significantly impact traffic, density, and the future of open land in west Boynton.
🎉This Week’s Featured Events
Green Cay Nature Center and Wetlands is celebrating International Wildlife Film Week through Thursday, April 30th. The preserve features scenic boardwalks and a visitor center at 12800 Hagen Ranch Road in west Boynton. Throughout the day, guests can enjoy short wildlife films in the theater. It’s a a cool and comfortable way to explore nature and discover new species. For showtimes and hours, click here.
An International Jazz Day Concert is set for Thursday, April 30th at the Lake Worth Beach City Library, located at 15 North M Street. Just a short drive from Boynton, it’s well worth the trip. The FREE show starts at 6:00 pm, but seating is limited - so get there early. Enjoy a live performance by Neil Bacher and Friends, bringing smooth, rhythmic jazz to this lively celebration. For more information click here.
A Town Hall Meeting hosted by District IV Commissioner Aimee Kelley takes place Wednesday, April 29th, from 6:00–8:00 pm at the Boynton Beach Police Department Headquarters (2100 High Ridge Road). Residents are invited to speak up, hear updates on key city projects (including Lawrence Road and Miner Road) and get a presentation on local crime trends. Community partners will also be on site to connect with attendees. For more details, click here.
🤔 Did You Know?
Reaching the historic Boynton Hotel (built in the late 1890s) was once an adventure in itself. Before 1911, there was no bridge, and visitors crossed the Florida East Coast Canal on a hand-pulled barge like the one shown above. Back then, the canal - now known as the Intracoastal Waterway - was much narrower. Today, it’s far wider, but modern bridges have turned that once-arduous crossing into a quick, effortless trip.
