2,182-acre housing development proposed

Lykes Brothers Inc. filed plans last week to build a 2,182-acre housing development between S.R. 66 and Lake Placid.

The large-scale plan amendment will be heard by the Highlands County Planning and Zoning Commission at 1 p.m. Tuesday in the County Government Center.

If the planning commission agrees - and if the county commissioners and the state Department of Community Affairs ratify the decision to change the land use from agriculture to mixed use - the new community would be located around Lykes Brothers' current headquarters, straddling U.S. 27 and C.R. 17. Lake Placid is three miles south; Sebring is seven miles north.

According to the proposed 15-year buildout, 4,000 houses and apartments would be placed on the acreage, along with 1 million square feet of multi-story office, warehouse, light industrial and commercial space - enough for shopping center or mall. A community center, town hall, 150-room hotel and celebration plaza would be included.

Although the community would be large enough for its own school, conversations between the developers and the school board "indicated they do not have a recommendation at this time."

The community would be organized according to the natural attributes of the land, with active and passive recreation, gathering places, pedestrian-first neighborhoods, and bicycle and walking paths, according to a 3-inch thick plan filed with the Highlands County planning office. Homes would be built for energy and water conservation.

Native plants, bird habitats, microclimates and butterfly gardens would be included. Rain barrels would capture roof runoff, watering holes would allow the water to infiltrate back in the earth, and homeowners would have space to compost.

About 290 acres would be conserved. Lake Francis is nearby, three smaller lakes would be enveloped by the subdivision, and two lakes are on its borders. Josephine Creek weaves through the development. Tennis courts, public parks, a community pool, a health club and an 18-hole golf course are also planned.

This is the third large-scale plan amendment in Highlands County: Blue Head Ranch and Westby Ranch were the others that agreed to at a joint projects meeting on April 18, 2008.