Frank Sciola elected chair as committee prioritizes roads, trail connectivity and equestrian uses at Loxahatchee Groves

The Town of Loxahatchee Groves Roadways & Trails Committee met June 30 to swear in Ashley Bruce, elect Frank Sciola as chair and discuss strategic planning priorities including road improvements, trail easements and possible equestrian uses at the county-owned Loxahatchee Grove Park.

The committee unanimously approved the May 21 minutes and then administered the oath to Bruce, who joined by Zoom. Members then nominated and voted to appoint Frank Sciola chair and Ashley Bruce vice chair; the motion carried with the ayes recorded as a 5-0 vote.

Why it matters: members framed the worksheet as an opportunity to rank priorities the committee will forward to the town council workshop on July 21. Several items discussed — road resurfacing, safety fixes such as guardrail replacement and rapid-flasher crossings, and establishing easements for horse-trail connectivity — would require town funding or coordination with Palm Beach County and could be affected by broader revenue changes the committee flagged.

Roads and budget. Committee members pressed staff on shifting money from routine grading to longer-lasting paving and on the town’s operational budget for roadwork. Craig Lauer, the board liaison, said the town is “budgeted roughly around 200 something thousand” for road improvement work, which he described as covering patchwork, shell rock and some asphalt repair. Members warned a pending property-tax initiative could reduce future local revenue and force projects to be delayed or cut.

Trails, easements and crossings. Members prioritized horse-trail connectivity and discussed how to secure easements. A committee member asked whether granting an easement reduces an owner’s parcel; Lauer said the land remains privately owned but that creating an easement requires legal documentation and offered to consult the town attorney. The committee reviewed a horse-crossing plan with rapid-flasher signs modeled on nearby designs; staff said the town engineer will review feasibility and, if approved, the town will purchase and install rapid flashers at specified intersections, including D Road and Tangerine and other canal crossings.

Park repurposing and community access. Several members proposed repurposing Loxahatchee Grove Park to better support equestrian activities — an arena, trailer parking and wash racks — but acknowledged the park is county-owned and any change would require county approval and likely a budget amendment. One member noted Katie Lakeman had offered to donate an acre to support an arena initiative, and others urged the committee to keep the item pinned on future agendas while staff pursues county updates.

Safety upgrades. Staff said they will present a change order to the town council to regrade and repave a problematic intersection to reduce standing water and to pursue a piggyback contract to replace guardrails along canal banks. The committee discussed alternatives such as concrete K-rail barriers pending a cost comparison.

Next steps. Members agreed to consolidate individual pillar worksheets into one packet for the July 21 council workshop. The committee confirmed its next meeting for July 16, 2026 at 5 p.m. and adjourned.

Selected quotes from the meeting: “The whole goal is to get away from putting dirt on the roads,” said Frank Sciola. Craig Lauer said the town’s road budget is “roughly around 200 something thousand” and described plans for rapid-flasher crossings. Ashley Bruce suggested adding signage that warns drivers of “blind drive” locations to slow traffic near crossings.

The committee did not adopt any new ordinances or binding agreements; staff pledged to return with legal guidance on easements, cost estimates for guardrails and engineer feedback on proposed crossing devices.