Karen Clogston

The Highlands County Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) for 2022-2025 aims to meet the housing needs of very low, low, and moderate-income households, expand affordable housing production, and integrate with the local comprehensive plan. Key strategies include various forms of housing assistance such as purchase assistance, rehabilitation, emergency repair, foreclosure prevention, disaster aid, new construction, demolition/reconstruction, and rental assistance. The plan also incorporates incentive strategies like expedited permitting, ongoing review processes, impact fee waivers, creation of an Affordable and Workforce Housing Trust Fund, and flexible densities for affordable housing, emphasizing green building standards and addressing homelessness.

The Highlands County 2030 Comprehensive Plan is designed to ensure a high quality, diversified living environment for the period 2010-2030. It focuses on several key areas including the efficient distribution of compatible land uses, discouragement of urban sprawl, protection of environmentally sensitive lands and cultural resources, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The plan provides guidance for the location, type, and intensity of new development, manages growth through detailed objectives, and incorporates specific regional and area plans to achieve a sustainable and well-managed community.

The agenda includes a request to adopt a resolution for a budget amendment related to road improvements in the Red Hill Farm Improvement District. Also includes a request for approval of the June 3, 2025, Meeting of the Special Districts. A public hearing is scheduled to consider resolutions pertaining to special assessments for the Sun 'N Lakes of Lake Placid Recreation District and the Placid Lakes Special Benefit District.

The meeting included a request for approval of minutes from the March 7, 2023, meeting of the Special Districts. It also covered the adoption of Resolution 22-23-93 for Budget Amendment 22-23-077, which aimed to appropriate additional revenues collected and adjust fund balances to facilitate the purchase of fire equipment. The budget amendment involves multiple funds related to fire districts, with an overall budget increase of $14,727.11 to be used alongside Fire District Fund Balances to support Fund 181 (Fire Assessments) in acquiring fire equipment.

The agenda includes presentations of years of service awards, recognizing employees' milestones, and the presentation of The Florida Guardian ad Litem Foundation's "County of the Year Award" to Highlands County. The agenda also covers a range of consent items, including approval to pay authorized bills, approval of board meeting minutes from October 2 and 16, acceptance of the Court-Related and Other Miscellaneous Funds Revenue and Expenditures Summary, and requests for waiving landfill tipping fees for the Lake Placid Arts & Crafts Country Fair. Additionally, there are budget amendments related to the Supervisor of Elections, Sheriff, Clerk of Courts, Public Library System, and Florida Defense Support Task Force Grant Award.