City of Palm Beach Gardens – History

On March 20, 1959, John D. MacArthur, multimillionaire insurance magnate and landowner, announced plans to develop approximately 4,000 acres and provide homes for 55,000 people in a new community. The land would be developed under his careful supervision. Mr. MacArthur’s chosen name for the City was Palm Beach City. However, permission to use that name was denied, so MacArthur, in keeping with his “garden city” plan, decided to call the City Palm Beach Gardens. He wanted this new City to be a place to raise a family and earn a living – to realize the American dream. With this in mind, he set to work carving the City of Palm Beach Gardens from empty miles of dairy cattle grazing land.

Mr. MacArthur envisioned the City streets lined with trees and flowers. Millions of dollars were wisely invested by MacArthur to create a Florida community with hundreds of waterways, rolling terrain, magnificent mature pine and shade trees, and rich foliage. Because Mr. MacArthur was a lover of trees and Mother Nature, he instructed that City streets and construction go around trees that had been growing there for many years. This made for an expensive proposition but he wanted to build a City that was entirely new and unblemished. Churches were the first buildings to be built in the City. He wanted to ensure that the City had a variety of houses of worship to serve residents of all faiths.

By 1964, Mr. MacArthur was satisfied with the industry and recreation in Palm Beach Gardens. He heard that the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) was looking for a new site for their home offices and golf courses. MacArthur donated more than $2,000,000 to the project. In March 1965, the clubhouse was completed and the PGA moved in. Several PGA tournaments, including the Seniors and the World Cup, were hosted by the City in 1971, but the relationship would not last. In 1972, the PGA moved from the property that would become the J.D.M. Country Club and today is known as BallenIsles.

The City of Palm Beach Gardens has grown steadily during its forty years in existence. In 1999, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation sold approximately 14,000 acres of land including approximately 5,000 acres in the City of Palm Beach Gardens. The City Council, entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring quality development, was able to reach an agreement with the purchasers to manage this new growth. Through the cooperation of the parties involved, the reputation and beauty of the City of Palm Beach Gardens will be preserved and enhanced by keeping in mind the “garden city” philosophy of its founder John D. MacArthur. The City of Palm Beach Gardens remains a premiere community in which to live and work, and will for future generations. As our city slogan suggests, we are “Growing Together in the Gardens”.

You can read more about the history of our city by visiting the city website.

Palm Beach Gardens Police Citizens Mobile Patrol

The Citizens Mobile Patrol, or CMP as it is known, is a special group of adult Volunteers, currently numbering 60, who, after being screened, background checked, and trained by the Police Department will patrol business and residential communities acting as additional “Eyes and Ears” for law enforcement. The goal of the organization is to prevent and deter crime, to reduce motor vehicle violations and to assist sworn officer by identifying hazards and reporting suspicious persons or incidents. Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief Stepp, in announcing the formation of the CMP back in August of 2004, was clear in emphasizing that the new CMP would not in any way impact the existing Police patrols done by sworn officers nor would the CMP have any law enforcement authority.

In other parts of the County, State and Country, CMP Volunteers patrol on a regular basis, usually in 4-8 hour shifts, and become more familiar with the community and thus are better able to recognize “suspicious” activity and notify the police. Due to their focused patrol activity, it is not uncommon for CMP’s to observe crimes already in progress. CMP’s do not take enforcement action, they only observe and report. Members will not be authorized to carry weapons and are encouraged to avoid physical contact. Very often the CMP’s greatest weapon is their established bond with local law enforcement and their ability to communicate directly with the Police Communications Center.

Citizen Patrols have proven highly successful in other local areas and some communities have used the CMP units to assist sworn officers in citing violators who park in either Handicapped or Fire Zones. Some communities use the CMP units to provide welfare checks on elderly and homebound individuals. CMP Volunteers may also be called upon to assist in locating missing adults and children. Palm Beach Gardens has phased in mny of these functions and will continue to do so as the program matures and grows in size.

Residents of Palm Beach Gardens wanting to learn more about the program are encouraged to contact Sgt. Jack Schnur of the Police Community Involvement Unit at 799-4565 or visit the city website at http://www.pbgfl.com/content/74/110/1865/2132/default.aspx