Citizens focus on unwanted developments

There were two noteworthy events Tuesday at the Highlands County Commission meeting: the recognition of a jail secretary Marielena Diaz-Alsar and the EAR amendments.

Diaz-Alsar, said Sheriff Susan Benton, saved the jail half of every dollar billed by medical providers.

"Her main job is to look over the bills," Benton said. "She makes sure the appropriate discounts are applied."

Last year, the jail was billed $1.6 million, and Diaz-Alsar saved $877,000.

"She's the sheriff's office's employee," Commissioner Don Bates said, "but she's saving the county money because that's our facility." The state mandates that the county must pay the medical expenses of inmates.

"This is a true example of how much difference one employee makes," Benton said.

EARs

Every seven years, the county reviews and adjusts its long range comprehensive plan. Since August, the commissioners, their planners and the planning and zoning commissioners have spent hundreds of hours debating the meaning of every word and phrase, which will be transmitted to the state Department of Community Affairs.

Several dozen citizens at the meeting, however, weren't as interested in the minutiae as the effects.

John McClure, attorney for Sun 'n Lake of Sebring, successfully got it removed from a list of nine antiquated subdivisions. In the future, if an amendment to the Florida Constitution gives citizens the right to vote on zoning issues, Sun 'n Lake could have been forbidden to build on several thousand lots, he said.

Spring Lake didn't ask to opt out. District manager Joe DeCerbo, speaking for himself, said neither he nor his grandchildren could expect to see development in Villages 8 and 9.

Much attention was focused on Blue Head Ranch's plans to build a small city southwest of Lake Placid.

Frank Jackalone said Heartland Parkway would "lead to the destruction of Central Florida," and Paula House of Save Our Creeks said Blue Head would take 51 percent of the growth in Highlands County.

That may have been true two years ago, said Susie Bishop, Blue Head's business development manager. However, Blue Head planned to develop 54,000 housing units then; plans have been scaled back to 12,000 units.

Jackalone and House were afraid Blue Head would hurt Fisheating Creek. Fisheating Creek is on the eastern side of Blue Head's 65,000 acres, Bishop said.

Development for the next 20 years is planned on 3,000 acres of the western border of the ranch, which abuts DeSoto County. The creek is in 42,000 acres which Blue Head plans never to develop, Bishop said.