Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
City
City of Palm Beach Gardens
Nickname(s): The Gardens, PBG, The Golf Capital of the World[1][2]
Motto: "A Signature City"[3] and "A Unique Place to Live, Learn, Work, and Play!"[4]
Coordinates: 26°50′56″N 80°10′02″W / 26.848788°N 80.167124°W / 26.848788; -80.167124Coordinates: 26°50′56″N 80°10′02″W / 26.848788°N 80.167124°W / 26.848788; -80.167124
Country  United States of America
State  Florida
County Palm Beach
Established June 20, 1959
Government
 • Type Council-Manager
 • Mayor Eric Jablin
 • Vice Mayor David Levy
 • Councilmembers Robert Premuroso, Joseph Russo, and Marcie Tinsley
 • City Manager Ronald "Ron" M. Ferris
 • City Clerk Patricia Snider
Area
 • Total 55.3 sq mi (143.3 km2)
 • Land 55.1 sq mi (142.7 km2)
 • Water 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2)  4.5%
Elevation[5] 16 ft (5 m)
Population (2010)[6]
 • Total 48,452
 • Density 875.6/sq mi (338.1/km2)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 33403, 33408, 33410, 33412, 33418, 33420 (PO Box)
Area code(s) 561
FIPS code 12-54075[7]
ANSI code 02404464[7]
GNIS feature ID 0302681[5]
Website www.pbgfl.com

Palm Beach Gardens is a city in Palm Beach County in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 48,452.[6] The city has a number of gated communities.

Geography

The city has a total area of 55.3 square miles (143 km2). 55.1 square miles (143 km2) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) of it (4.5%) is water.[7]

History

Prior to development, the land that became Palm Beach Gardens was primarily cattle ranches and pine forests, as well as swampland further west. In 1959, wealthy landowner and insurance magnate John D. MacArthur announced plans to develop 4,000 acres (16 km2) and build homes for 55,000 people. He chose the name Palm Beach Gardens after his initial choice, Palm Beach City, was denied by the Florida Legislature, because of the similarity of the name to the nearby Palm Beach. MacArthur planned to build a "garden city" so he altered the name slightly. The city was incorporated as a "paper town" (meaning that it existed only on paper) in 1959. The 1960 Census recorded that the city officially had a population of one, apparently a squatter whom MacArthur had allowed to stay on his property.

Rapid development took place in the 1960s. By 1970 the city had a population approaching 7,000 people. To showcase his new community, MacArthur purchased an 80-year-old banyan tree located in nearby Lake Park, that was to be cut down to enlarge a dentist's office. It cost $30,000 and 1,008 hours of manpower to move it. A second banyan was moved the following year. While moving the first banyan tree over the Florida East Coast Railway, the massive tree shifted and disconnected the Western Union telephone and telegraph lines running adjacent to the railroad, cutting off most communications between Miami, 80 miles (130 km) to the south, and the outside world until the damage could be repaired. These trees still remain at the center of MacArthur Boulevard near Northlake Boulevard and are still featured on the city shield. In January 2007, the great-grandson of impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alexandre Renoir, presented a painting to the city which depicts the Gardens banyan tree. It is currently on display at the city hall on North Military Trail.

City growth was slow but steady throughout the 1970s and 1980s, as the population has still not reached the predicted 55,000 people envisioned by MacArthur. However, the opening of the 1,300,000-square-foot (120,000 m2) Gardens Mall in 1988 initiated a new wave of development, as did the sell off in 1999 of approximately 5,000 acres (20 km2) in the city by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Development of this property happened quickly and led to much new growth in the city. The city adopted an Art in Public Places ordinance in 1989 and has amassed an eclectic collection of works.[8]

The city suffered much damage to its tropical landscaping in the hard freezes of 1985 and 1989, but has experienced no freezing temperatures since then. The city was hit by Hurricane Frances, Hurricane Jeanne, and Hurricane Wilma in 2004 and 2005. Much of the city lost power for days at a time after each storm, and many traffic signals and directional signs in the city were destroyed. Many homes and businesses were severely damaged during the first two storms and contractors and construction materials were at a premium. Hundreds of homes were only nearing final repair when Hurricane Wilma hit the following year damaging or destroying many of those completed or ongoing repairs.

The Professional Golfers' Association of America has its headquarters in the city. There are 12 golf courses within the city limits, including a course owned by the municipality. The Honda Classic has been held at two Palm Beach Gardens locations: from 2003 to 2006 at the Country Club at Mirasol and since 2007 at the PGA National Resort and Spa. PGA National was also the site of the 1983 Ryder Cup, the 1987 PGA Championship, and the Senior PGA Championship from 1982 to 2000.

The Gardens Mall, PGA Commons, Midtown, Legacy Place, and Downtown at the Gardens are the center of the city's retail market. They are located on the municipality's main stretch on PGA Boulevard.

Economy

Top employers

According to Palm Beach Gardens' 2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[9] the top employers in the city are:

# Employer Employees
1 G4S 3,000
2 School District of Palm Beach County 1,193
3 Brookdale Senior Living 1,000
4 Tenet Healthcare 855
5 PGA National Resort & Spa 780
6 TBC Corporation 600
7 Biomet 3i 476
8 City of Palm Beach Gardens 455
9 Belcan 329
10 Anspach 256

Education

Public K-12 primary and secondary schools are administrated by the School District of Palm Beach County. Palm Beach Gardens Community High School and William T. Dwyer High School are the local public high schools. The Upper School campus of The Benjamin School is also located in Palm Beach Gardens.

The Edward M. Eissey Campus, a satellite campus of the Palm Beach State College, is located in Palm Beach Gardens. It includes the Eissey Theatre for the Performing Arts.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
19601—
19706,102610,100.0%
198014,407136.1%
199022,96559.4%
200035,05852.7%
201048,45238.2%
Est. 201451,919[10]7.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
Palm Beach Gardens Demographics
2010 CensusPalm Beach GardensPalm Beach CountyFlorida
Total population48,4521,320,13418,801,310
Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010+38.2%+16.7%+17.6%
Population density879.5/sq mi670.2/sq mi350.6/sq mi
White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic)89.3%73.5%75.0%
(Non-Hispanic White or Caucasian)82.3%60.1%57.9%
Black or African-American4.4%17.3%16.0%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)8.9%19.0%22.5%
Asian3.1%2.4%2.4%
Native American or Native Alaskan0.2%0.5%0.4%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian0.0%0.1%0.1%
Two or more races (Multiracial)1.6%2.3%2.5%
Some Other Race1.4%3.9%3.6%

As of 2010, there were 27,663 households, out of which 17.6% were vacant. As of 2000, 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.70.

In 2000, the city's population was spread out with 18.7% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $59,776, and the median income for a family was $74,548 (these figures had risen to $69,630 and $83,715 respectively as of a 2007 estimate).[12] Males had a median income of $50,045 versus $33,221 for females. The per capita income for the city was $42,975. About 3.5% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2000, 89.27% of the population spoke only English at home; Spanish was spoken by 5.60% of the population, Italian by 1.00%, French by 0.83%, and German by 0.61%. Eleven other languages were spoken in the city, each of which are reported at less than 0.5%.[13]

City services

The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department has 117 sworn officers. Its operational divisions include Road Patrol, Traffic, K-9, Detective and Crime Scene Investigation, SWAT and Hostage Negotiation.[14] The department also has an 85-member Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) unit,[15][16] including a Police Explorer Post.

As of September 2015, the chief of police is Stephen J. Stepp.[17][18] Clinton Shannon and James Stormes are the Assistant Chiefs. There are four Police Majors.

The Police Department provides protection to the city and also manages NorthComm - The North County Communications Center which handles emergency communications for the City of Palm Beach Gardens, the Town of Jupiter, the Town of North Palm Beach, the Town of Juno and the Town of Palm Beach Shores. When someone calls 9-1-1 in one of these locations, their call is routed to NorthComm and from there they notify the nearest available police unit.

The Palm Beach Gardens Police Foundation is a non-profit foundation holding IRS 501(c)(3) status.[19] The Mission of the Palm Beach Gardens Police Foundation is to secure private funding to enhance the integrity of the community and the effectiveness of the Police Department. It does this by providing funding for innovative police department projects, that would not otherwise be funded from the city’s budget. These are typically programs that serve the community, improve communications, and foster excellence in policing.

The Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue Department operates out of five stations located throughout the City.[20] As of October 2013, the Fire Chief is Michael Southard.[21]

On September 11, 2010, the city dedicated its "09.11.01 Memorial Plaza" at Fire Station 3 on Northlake Boulevard. The memorial commemorates the September 11, 2001 attacks. Its centerpiece is a steel section retrieved from the ruins of the World Trade Center in New York City.[22]

Government

The city charter provides for a council-manager government.[23] The city council consists of five Palm Beach Gardens residents elected to serve three-year terms.[24] A quorum of three members may conduct city business.[25] The city manager is appointed by a majority vote of the council.

Each year, the council appoints one of its members to be mayor, and another to be vice-mayor.[26]

Transportation

In December 1987, the last "missing link" of Interstate 95 (I-95) opened between PGA Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens and State Road 714, west of Stuart,[27] paving the way for new development immediately to the north. There are three interchanges on I-95 serving the city and a fourth at Central Boulevard is under consideration.[28] The city also is served by two interchanges on Florida's Turnpike.

Public transit is available to the rest of Palm Beach County through the regional commuter bus system PalmTran. In addition, the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority has proposed extending the Tri-Rail commuter rail system northward with a proposed station near PGA Boulevard north of the current terminus at Mangonia Park. A trolley system is also proposed to serve the newly developed "Downtown" area.

The nearest major airports, with driving distances measured from Palm Beach Gardens city hall, are:[29]

The nearest general aviation airports are:[29]

Notable residents

Some notable Palm Beach Gardens residents, past and present, include:

References

  1. ↑ "Palm Beach Gardens: Welcome to the Golf Capital of the World". web.achive.org. Archived from the original on October 23, 2003. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Images of America: Palm Beach Gardens". Palm Beach Gardens Historical Society, The Golf Capital of the World, Chapter 7: Pages 105-118. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Palm Beach Gardens: A Signature City". web.achive.org. Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Palm Beach Gardens: A Unique Place to Live, Learn, Work, and Play!". web.achive.org. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Palm Beach Gardens query results". Geographic Names Information System. US Board on Geographic Names. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  6. 1 2 "2010 Redistricting Data". American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 "2010 Census U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Art in Public Places". City of Palm Beach Gardens. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report: Fiscal year ended September 30, 2014". City of Palm Beach Gardens. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  10. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Selected Economic Characteristics: 2005-2007". American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
  13. ↑ "MLA Data Center Results of Palm Beach Gardens, FL". Modern Language Association. Retrieved November 13, 2007.
  14. ↑ "Police Department". City of Palm Beach Gardens. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) Program". City of Palm Beach Gardens. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Palm Beach Gardens Volunteers In Police Service". Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Stephen J. Stepp, Chief of Police". City of Palm Beach Gardens. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Chief Stephen Stepp". Palm Beach County Law Enforcement Planning Council. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Palm Beach Gardens Police Foundation". Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  20. ↑ "Fire Rescue". City of Palm Beach Gardens. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  21. ↑ "Fellows". Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  22. ↑ "09.11.01 Memorial Plaza". City of Palm Beach Gardens. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  23. ↑ "Section 6-1". City Charter. July 27, 1996. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  24. ↑ "Section 4-1". City Charter. July 27, 1996. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  25. ↑ "Section 18-1". City Charter. September 20, 1984. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  26. ↑ "Section 4-3". City Charter. July 27, 1996. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  27. ↑ Kleinberg, Eliot (December 20, 2012). "Highway's last gap filled in 25 years ago". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  28. ↑ DiPaolo, Bill (July 10, 2012). "I-95 interchange at Central Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens under consideration". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  29. 1 2 "Driving directions from 10500 North Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens, FL". Google Maps. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  30. ↑ "European Tour - Players". europeantour.com. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  31. ↑ "Hectic move to Palm Beach Gardens aside, Stacy Lewis settling in as LPGA's rising star". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
  32. ↑ DiPaolo, Bill (2015-08-05). "Inventor of Mr. Coffee machine and Jupiter resident dies at 91". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  33. ↑ "Old Palm Golf Club resident, member Charl Schwartzel wins Thailand Golf Championship". Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  34. ↑ "Chris Volstad Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  35. ↑ "Golfer Lee Westwood Buys Palm Beach Gardens Mansion". Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  36. ↑ "WTA | Players | Info | Serena Williams". wtatennis.com. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
  37. ↑ "WTA | Players | Info | Venus Williams". wtatennis.com. Retrieved 28 May 2011.

External links

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