Boca Raton adopts new lobbyist disclosure rules aimed at curbing backroom development deals

Boca Raton is moving to put more of its development lobbying on the public record. A proposed ordinance scheduled for a May 26 City Council hearing would require development applicants to identify people authorized to speak with city officials on their behalf and disclose whether those people are registered lobbyists. City documents say the measure would amend the city’s zoning procedures, not Palm Beach County’s broader lobbyist-registration system. The proposal comes weeks after a city election shaped by arguments over growth, redevelopment and transparency. ### What exactly would Boca Raton require from development applicants? Ordinance 5785 would amend Chapter 28 of Boca Raton’s zoning code to create “lobbyist certification and disclosure requirements for development applications,” according to the public hearing notice and agenda materials. The ordinance is tied specifically to development approvals, not to every city matter. City documents summarized by TAPinto say applicants would have to identify anyone authorized to communicate with city officials on the applicant’s behalf and disclose whether that person is a registered lobbyist. Anyone appearing before the City Council, the Community Redevelopment Agency or city boards would also have to state on the record whether they represent a development applicant as a lobbyist. (myboca.us) The proposal would also affect paperwork. Boca Raton officials said a development application would not be considered complete unless the required lobbyist certifications are submitted and kept current throughout the review process. ### How does this fit with Palm Beach County’s existing lobbyist rules? Palm Beach County already requires lobbyists to register before lobbying Boca Raton staff, boards, committees or the City Council, according to the city’s lobbyist-registration page. (tapinto.net) Boca Raton’s proposal does not replace that county system; it adds disclosure requirements inside the city’s development-review process. The ordinance background prepared for council says it was drafted “at the request of Deputy Mayor Michelle Grau” to establish a “clear and consistent framework” for disclosing lobbyist participation in development review. (tapinto.net) That framing shows the city is trying to tie lobbying disclosures directly to land-use filings and hearings, rather than relying only on the countywide registration database. (myboca.us) ### Why is this coming up now? Michelle Grau is one of three council members elected in March 2026 after a campaign season dominated by disputes over the failed One Boca government campus redevelopment proposal. TAPinto reported that Grau, Jon Pearlman and Stacy Sipple ran as part of the Save Boca movement, which opposed the downtown redevelopment plan. (bocaraton.granicus.com) The One Boca proposal became a flashpoint in Boca Raton politics. TAPinto said critics accused city leaders of backroom dealing and developer influence, and voters later rejected the project. The same outlet reported that the proposed redevelopment would have covered 30 acres of publicly owned land with a mixed-use project including a government campus, community center and housing. (tapinto.net) Michelle Grau’s city biography says she entered office in March 2026 with a focus on “transparency, accountability and responsible governance.” That stated agenda matches the ordinance now before the council. ### Does the ordinance change who reviews development projects? Boca Raton’s planning system still routes development applications through staff review and, depending on the project type, to bodies including the Planning and Zoning Board, Community Redevelopment Agency and City Council. (tapinto.net) The city’s planning pages say those bodies review rezonings, land-use amendments, development agreements and other major applications. (myboca.us) What changes is the disclosure overlay. The ordinance would add a new certification step to the existing approval process, and city officials said those disclosures must remain current while an application is under review. ### When will the council take it up, and where can residents follow it? The Boca Raton City Council scheduled the public hearing on Ordinance 5785 for Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at the 6500 Building at 6500 N. (myboca.us) Congress Avenue, according to the city’s public notice and meeting calendar. The CRA meeting begins at 10 a.m., followed by a workshop and then the regular council meeting. (tapinto.net) The city’s agendas page says residents can watch live or archived video and review agenda materials online. The public notice also says interested citizens are invited to participate and be heard at the hearing. May 26 is the next concrete step. Ordinance 5785 is listed for the City Council regular meeting, and the city’s agendas and video archive are the public record for what council members do with the proposal. (bocaraton.granicus.com) (myboca.us) (myboca.us)