Highlands County Considers Environemtal Lands Program Vote

Highlands County commissioners are in the preliminary stage of authorizing a vote to establish an environmental lands purchase program.
On Oct 1 commissioners voted 4-1 to approve a two-year contract with the North Florida Land Trust to work toward an effort to evaluate community support for a 2016 referendum.
There is no determination at this point about whether the referendum will occur and what the funding source will be.
At the Oct. 1 meeting it appeared the emphasis may be on purchasing conservation easements on agricultural lands to reduce development pressure in outlying areas of the county where infrastructure does not exist to support new development.
On Nov. 7, commissioners approved $68,509 to advance what is being called the Ridge to Rivers Conservation Plan. This refers to the area between the Lake Wales Ridge and the Kissimmee River.
There will be a series of workshops and other public meetings during the study period. Stay involved.