To the owners of groves that have been purchased for retail and housing developments: your property taxes may be going up. ...more

March 29, 2009

It's clear some of our legislators are using bad economic times as an excuse to dismantle state entities that they don't like. In state Rep. Denise Grimsley's case, that's the Department of Community Affairs. ...more

March 27, 2009

Jim Polatty has fought for decades with the Department of Community Affairs. But Highlands County's chief planner doesn't want the state agency dismembered. ...more

March 27, 2009

Anyone who lives in Highlands County will not dispute that U.S. 27 is the main artery through which the county's traffic flows. Traffic goes faster through undeveloped stretches in the north and south parts of the county and slows down as we approach the commercial and office areas. Now, add a school or two along U.S. 27, another mall and a big housing project. Think of the ramifications. Is that what you, as a county resident, want? Will the resultant traffic be unpalatable for you or do you think that more is better? Should new housing be built along U.S. 27 or should it be restricted to commercial? Do schools belong along the county's main road? What about a park or two? These are important questions whose answers will help county planners determine what they think are the best options for undeveloped land along U.S 27. ...more

December 10, 2007

SEBRING — One of Highlands County's most important meetings will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Highlands County Government Center. But here's the problem: it's about urban services boundaries and comprehensive plan amendments and neighborhood commercial nodes. If you're bored and already moving to the next story, stop. Read a little further. Remember Hometown Democracy, where the people want to make decisions about whether a strip mall is located in their back yards, or whether another used car lot replaces an orange grove? ...more

December 8, 2007