In the southeast corner of Palm Beach County on the Atlantic seashore, a village by the sea that began as an agricultural community in 1895 has become one of Florida’s most popular destinations for visitors, new families and seasonal residents. The City of Delray Beach encompasses slightly over 16 square miles with a permanent population of nearly 65,000 and growing. Over the past decade, renewal and re-development efforts in Delray Beach have resulted in recognition as the All-America City in 1993 and 2001, the Blue Wave designation for our clean and beautiful beaches and hailed by city planners around the nation as a model for growth management. All these accolades can be attributed to the significant involvement of the residents of Delray Beach. Every citizen of this City can claim authorship to an unparalleled quality of life in a very diverse community that works in concert for an even better future.
The City of Delray Beach has a Commission-Manager form of local government. The people elect a Mayor every two years who presides over four commission members who are elected to two year terms in alternating years. The City Commission appoints a City Manager who is the Chief Operational Officer for the City and the City Attorney who acts on all legal matters pertaining to the City. The City Manager is charged with overseeing the business of the City and is responsible to the City Commission for the supervision of the City’s various departments and employees. The Mayor and the City Commission make policy, pass on ordinances and regulations, confer with Palm Beach County officials on regional issues and meet regularly each month at meetings attended by and participated in by the public at large.