Highlands County

The Highlands County 2050 Comprehensive Plan serves as a long-term vision to guide land use programs and activities. It aims to ensure a high-quality, diversified living environment by efficiently distributing compatible land uses, discouraging urban sprawl, and protecting environmentally sensitive lands. Key objectives include managing growth through specific strategies like infill and avoiding sprawl, protecting groundwater, cultural resources, and natural habitats, coordinating Kissimmee River restoration efforts, mitigating military base encroachment, and addressing hazard mitigation. The plan also integrates the Lake Placid Regional Plan and promotes Sustainable Community Overlays to guide planned urban development.

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.