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Highlands Today

Eagle public hearing will be Tuesday

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By GARY PINNELL

Highlands Today

Published: October 4, 2009

SEBRING - Should Greg Eagle be allowed to build a training camp for classes of 1,000 students and 250 staff on what is now Southern Farms, southwest of Venus?

That's what the Highlands County commissioners must decide Tuesday morning.

Two public hearings are on the agenda:

•Approve two comprehensive plan amendments in the stipulated settlement agreement among the county, the Florida Department of Community Affairs, and Southern Farms, and

•Change zoning from agricultural to agricultural planned unit training center.

About 200 people showed up two weeks ago at the Venus community center to tell Commissioner Don Bates they didn't want the center. A few Venusians have called or written this newspaper to say they are either neutral or in favor the center.

At the Venus meeting, several members of the crowd said they planned to attend Tuesday's commission meeting.

Ellen Peterson, president of Save Our Creeks, said on Thursday she planned to hold a press conference in front of developer Greg Eagle's Cape Coral real estate office.

The proposed security training center would include a 6,000-foot runway, a helipad, dormitories for 1,000 students, and 25 houses for about 250 staff. Plans call for 1 million square feet of operational facilities, shooting ranges, a live-fire urban-terrain military training area, and facilities for canine and waterborne training.

Two training towers up to 250 feet tall and three training buildings up to five stories high also would dot the site.

Eagle Training would provide instruction for first responders, police and firefighters, the United States military and foreign military personnel.

Detractors have said the facility will actually train Blackwater-style mercenaries. Eagle has denied involvement with Blackwater.

DCA is requiring the Gannett Slough, which is a natural wetland, have a conservation management plan. They want new policies to protect the Lake Okeechobee watershed. Eagle's plans are in step with county and DCA requests.

At attempt to interview Eagle on Friday afternoon was unsuccessful. Eagle said he was advised by his attorney not to comment.

Highlands Today reporter Gary Pinnell can be reached at 863-386-5828 or gpinnell@highlandstoday.com

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