Thumbs up for GL Homes' 322-unit townhouse project west of Boca Raton

On the site of what was once one of the most productive agriculture operations in Palm Beach County, a 322-townhome project will be built across the street from Olympic Heights High School west of Boca Raton.

GL Homes bought the 330-acre tract in 2021 for $215 million. The site, home of the former Johns Farm, straddles both sides of Lyons Road.

County commissioners, over the objections of Mayor Maria Sachs, approved the project.

A year ago, the homebuilder received approval to build a large, high-end development on the west side of the highway as part of its Johns PUD development. The latest approval received in late January was for the 70-acre parcel on the east side where townhomes will be built. It is the last undeveloped Lyons Road parcel between Yamato and Glades Road.

The Johns PUD will consist of 987 housing units; 660 single-family homes on the west side of Lyons Road and 327 townhomes on the east side.

GL Homes has also bought two other farming parcels in recent years for residential developments — the Whitworth Farm west of Boynton Beach and the Mecca Farm west of Delray Beach. The three purchases represent a loss of nearly 1,000 acres of farmland.

Sachs called on the commission to deny the most recent GL Homes' rezoning request for the townhome project until the county did an independent traffic study, noting that traffic congestion in the region is already unbearable at times.

More: GL Homes sues Valencia Sound HOA over $3,900 capital contribution fees for unsold homes

“Taking a pause won’t hurt anyone,” she said, noting that the traffic impact on the high school and surrounding developments need to be considered. GL Homes’ attorney Cliff Hertz, however, argued that county staff acknowledged the project met all legal requirements.

"There is no justification for a denial," he said.

The townhomes are expected to be completed by 2028. The site for Lotus Edge, the high-end development on the west side of Lyons Road, has already been cleared to make way for homes with a starting price of $1.4 million. GL Homes has yet to name the townhouse project or release prices but they are expected to be much lower than the homes at Lotus Edge.

Sachs and Commissioner Sara Baxter voted against approval; Mack Bernard, Marci Woodward, Michael Barnett and Maria Marino voted to allow the project to move forward.

Developer must comply with Palm Beach County-imposed conditions

There will be an impact on area schools — Sunset Park Elementary School, Eagles Landing Middle School and Olympic Heights Community High School, all of which are over capacity. The school board has asked that GL Homes contribute $1.6 million to defray costs.

Conditions imposed by Palm Beach County planners on GL Homes include:

∎ 43 workforce housing units (to be built offsite)

∎ An 18-foot compatibility buffer with a 6-foot-wall on the northern part of the pod

∎ A 25-foot buffer along the east property line to lessen impacts on new homes built at Boca Raton Golf Course

∎ Landscaping within the median of Lyons Road

∎ A partial signal installation

Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and transportation. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Townhomes coming to Boca Raton on Lyons Road in Palm Beach County