Local News

Proposed Avon Park ordinance would limit where farm workers can live

Marc Valero | Highlands Today
Published: September 19, 2012

AVON PARK - An organized effort, including representatives from the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), aims to stop a proposed city ordinance addressing farm worker housing.

"Our goal is to try to get the city manager to stop the proposed ordinance referred to as Ordinance 15-12, an amendment to Avon Park's Land Development Code," said Patricia Austin.

The ordinance would abolish farm worker housing in low density residential zones, therefore putting restrictions on where migrant farm workers can and cannot live.

Austin said a group of LULAC representatives, including Civil Rights Commissioner Victor Valdes, will meet with City Manager Julian Deleon on the proposed ordinance at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at City Hall.

Austin said others will attend the meeting where they will ask: whose decision was this to make this change and why? Why are the migrant farm workers being singled out? What zones will or will not allow immigrant farm workers? How does Deleon justify what he is doing to the community, the businesses, the city's economy, the farm workers and their families?

Austin is a LULAC Dist. 4 Civil Rights Commissioner.

Deleon said the city council has not taken any formal action on the ordinance.

This is something that has gone before the Planning and Zoning Board, but the city council tabled it, he said.

"We are obviously willing to listen to anyone in the community who has any input or thoughts to offer," Deleon said.

Austin said there will be a candle light prayer vigil on the issue at 6:45 p.m., Sunday, at Donaldson Park.

An email from Austin notes rallies from 3-5 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Monday, but no locations are listed.

Ordinance 15-12 calls for adding "farm worker housing" to a table of land uses, and removing "boarding house," as a permitted use in R-2 (residential) and C-4 (commercial) zoning.

mvalero@highlandstoday.com (863) 386-5826