BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — Boca Raton’s debate over public land near the downtown Brightline station is moving into its next phase after City Council voted to advance the Save Boca ordinance and send a related charter amendment to voters at the next available election.
The vote marks a major procedural step for Save Boca, the resident-led group that has pushed for stronger public land protections after a fight over eight acres of city-owned land near Brightline. The group said the ordinance has now been passed into law by the City Council, while the charter amendment will still require voter approval.
The issue centers on public land in downtown Boca Raton, including the eight acres adjacent to Brightline that had been tied to the Terra/Frisbie proposal. Boca Raton voters rejected that proposal on March 10 by a 75% margin, according to Save Boca. The group said that vote brought out a record number of voters for the issue.
But Save Boca said the council vote does not end the matter.
In a statement after the meeting, the group thanked supporters and called the vote “a significant step forward and a true milestone,” but said residents should not view it as a final victory. The group said it intends to keep pressure on City Hall as the charter amendment moves toward the ballot.
Save Boca also raised new concerns about discussions involving transit-oriented development, or TOD, on the same eight acres of public land near Brightline. Transit-oriented development generally refers to development planned around rail or transit access, often with higher density near stations.
According to Save Boca, City of Boca Raton-sponsored discussions are still being held about transit-oriented development on the land despite the March 10 vote. The group pointed to an April 22 presentation that it said was led by Councilwoman Drucker and senior city staff. Save Boca said the first agenda item for that presentation was “Transit Oriented Development.”
The group said the presentation originated from City of Boca Raton offices and was given to local planners, engineers and other professionals. Save Boca said slides from the presentation depicted the same eight acres of public land next to Brightline that had been targeted by Terra/Frisbie.
The group also questioned why a recent request for qualifications, or RFQ, for downtown improvements prepared by city staff does not include the eight acres. According to Save Boca, the RFQ only includes improvements to 17 acres west of NW 2nd Avenue.
That distinction matters because the public land debate has not only been about one project. It has become a broader fight over how downtown Boca Raton land is controlled, what level of development may be allowed there, and whether voters should have a direct role in deciding the future of city-owned property.
The ordinance and charter amendment now create two separate tracks.
The ordinance has been advanced by the council. The charter amendment still has to go before voters at the next available election. If approved by voters, the charter language would become part of the city’s governing document, making it harder to change without another vote.
Save Boca said it remains concerned that future high-rise transit-oriented development could still be proposed for the same public land. The group said residents should continue watching City Hall discussions, downtown improvement plans, RFQs, presentations and any future references to the Brightline-adjacent acreage.
For Boca Raton residents, the immediate next step is the ballot. The city will have to place the charter amendment before voters at the next available election. The details of that election, ballot wording and any related city actions will shape the next stage of the public land fight.
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