I haven’t lived in Highlands County in over 15 years but I do visit the area on a regular basis. My honest opinion is there hasn’t been too much growth in the region. Sure, there are some commercial developments along U.S. 27, but wouldn’t I classify it as booming.
I think growth is a good thing. But it needs to be more concentrated in town centers and not allowed to sprout like weeds in the more surburban areas. Honestly, if the region does experience explosive growth then I’ll be more than happy to relocated to the area. Geographically, Highlands County is located in an ideal location in respect to some of the major metro areas in Florida (Orlando, Tampa, Ft Myers, etc.) but there needs to be more of a transportation link (i.e. interstate or toll expressway) before we see any appreciable increase in population and commercial centers.
I, for one, am not elated by this burgeoning growth. My wife and I moved here ten years ago from a large metro area to escape unbridled growth.
My assessment of Highlands County at the time (my first visit in 1996) was that it had all the basics (shopping, etc.) I needed. If I wanted more it was just a matter of a 60-90 minute drive to Lakeland, Orlando, Ft. Myers, etc. The price of land and housing and property taxes—to what I was used to—was very attractive indeed.
Of course, that is now history and I suspect it will only get worse (more expensive) as the county grows. While growth offers some positives, they are almost always offset with negatives attendant with growth. Compromises and tradeoffs are a given.
Growth is always to be expected but what I fear is unprecedented run-away growth. Growth has to be in a controlled manner of the overall quality of life (overcrowding, heavy traffic, etc.) will suffer. It was too much growth too fast that caused me to leave the last area I lived in.
I think people need to learn to keep it in their damn pants or barring that take the necessary precautions to avoid ridiculously large families. This little planet is quickly running out of excess room folks. We have to have room enough for everything that was here over a hundred years ago, not what we have now. World human population is currently 5.6 billion people and growing at a rate of 90 million people per year. Anyone old enough to participate in this forum probably doesn’t have anything to worry about personally, but at least for some of us most likely children born into our families before we die will begin to see the effects of over population. There are already signs of it, but people refuse to recognize them.
Well John, while I agree with you somewhat (minus the profanity). If you take a look around Highlands County you will see that babies has nothing to do with the influx in population. It would be the senior population that is growing by leaps and bounds here. I have lived here for 30 years and the growth I have seen does not seemed planned or managed well at all. We have considered moving out of the area to an area more family oreinted. There was more to do in this area for families and children when I was growing up than there is now. Suprisngly shopping is not a family activity in my book. The number of Golf Courses seems awfully large for an area this size. The number of proposed senior subdivisions is quite large. There are other people who live here, and I think that they are being left in the dust (or have decided to move away already). They build all these stores due to the growth in population, yet it is not working class families who are moving here. So who is going to work in these stores? Just a few thoughts.
I recognized world population as being a problem about 25 years ago when I read an article in Parade Magazine (Sunday supplement to many Sunday newspapers). At that time, if I recall correctly, the article said the world’s population was growing by about 75 million/year (over and above the death rate). Compounding has increased that number today.
We finally get US population stabilized, but legal and illegal immigration is pushing our population ever higher. But that’s a drop in the bucket compared to overall world population.
I used to contribute to various environmental groups (Clean Water Action et al) which championed causes to clean up what man has polluted, preserve natural resources, etc. However, I realized this was eventually going to be futile unless man stabilizes, even reduces global population. These causes, while very worthwhile, will only buy time before we either run out of resources or pollute the entire planet.
After reading that article I stopped contributing to environmental groups and redirected my contributions (it was a work place program we had) to organizations like Zero Population Growth and Negative Population Growth groups.
Little good it obviously did, as world population is at an all-time high and growing faster than ever, with ever increasing life expectancies.
There are those that tout the earth can sustain/support billions more humans. While that may be so, it most certainly won’t be at the same quality we enjoyed up until now. That’s just pure incontrovertible fact. The earth’s best days are behind her. It’s all down hill from here—unless we change our ways, i.e., reduce world population, stop the clear cutting of forests, reduce global pollution, etc.
But, I’ve lived long enough now to understand the nature of man, and I don’t have much hope of us turning things around.
Growth is booming in Highlands County. Is it too much? Do you have any concerns or are you excited about the possibilities?
Share your thoughts.
I am concerned that we will just become another strip mall / cookie cutter housing development community clone like everywhere else, and it seems like it IS starting to happen.
Sometimes it seems exciting and convenient to think that’s we’ll have certain stores at our fingertips (I like some of those stores as much as the next person), but I don’t think the crowding, traffic, and ugly strip-mall look for the resulting community would be worth it overall. I have no desire for Sebring to look like Brandon - “pave paradise and put up a parking lot”, anyone? Chain restaurants and stores are not really going to make any of us happier for more than 10 seconds. To me, that’s not what life is about! I’ll drive when I need a big shopping fix, thanks (or get it on the internet, cheaper and easier yet!). There are more than enough communities of urban sprawl out there for those who want that kind of lifestyle.
Another reason I think we should limit growth is because our green space/lakes is what attracts most people to this area in the first place… if we raze it all then we are shooting ourselves in the feet.
As a parent, I think an advantage to some of the faster-growth communities is that they often have better schools (for those who can afford to live in the good districts). All of the schools in Highlands County are Title 1 schools and don’t offer many of the educational choices that can be had in larger areas. I’m not planning to, but if I were to leave Highlands County, this would easily be my #1 reason for going somewhere else.
In that same vein, as a middle class youngish family, I definitely can feel that the population here is lopsided. I appreciate what the retirees here contribute to the community, but I wish there were more child-bearing age folks in the mix.
I think we should use strict and innovative growth plans to limit development and preserve the positive aspects of living in a smaller community. Whenever possible, we should use other successful communities as a benchmark in this endeavor.
IMO, greed and lust for the God Almighty dollar will see to it that Highlands County will go the way of the typical metro area. I hail from a small town where it happened, so I know first hand. Knowing human nature as I do, I foresee the same thing happening here, in time.
I can only say, if you think things are bad now, I submit they will get far more worse if the below action is allowed to happen (I think it would behoove all to view this video in its entirety and consider it a wake up call):
,I have been in this area all my life and have seen it grow. I decided to raise my children in Lake Placid but now with all of the growth and money coming in the mentality of everybody has changed. We are not Tampa or Orlando and for us working people we just simply CANNOT afford to live here anymore. So to keep my children here I now work 2 full time jobs. So now I can pay my bills but never see the children. I’m spinning my wheels!
3 years ago I rented my house for 400.00 a month and struggled then. Now I pay 800.00 and when I checked around I found the cheapest to 1200.00 to 1500.00 a month. That’s what I make at my office job during the day. How can people afford that?
The cost of living keeps going up, gas keeps going up, food keeps going up. But the pay still remains the same. I beleave growth is good but we also have to take the people in consideration that was already here before the BOOM!
My only alternative would be to move out of this area because I can no longer afford to live here. And you know that is what is happening everyday! People selling what little that they have and moving out of the state just to be able to live in a home that they can afford. We speak of affordable housing, doe’s anybody know what our county considers affordable housing? Try, 149,000.00 !!!!!!!!
I could never afford that and I know none of my coworkers could eather and we are professionals.
Some how we need to find a balance, atleast that is my opinion.
,I have been in this area all my life and have seen it grow. I decided to raise my children in Lake Placid but now with all of the growth and money coming in the mentality of everybody has changed. We are not Tampa or Orlando and for us working people we just simply CANNOT afford to live here anymore. So to keep my children here I now work 2 full time jobs. So now I can pay my bills but never see the children. I’m spinning my wheels!
3 years ago I rented my house for 400.00 a month and struggled then. Now I pay 800.00 and when I checked around I found the cheapest to 1200.00 to 1500.00 a month. That’s what I make at my office job during the day. How can people afford that?
The cost of living keeps going up, gas keeps going up, food keeps going up. But the pay still remains the same. I beleave growth is good but we also have to take the people in consideration that was already here before the BOOM!
My only alternative would be to move out of this area because I can no longer afford to live here. And you know that is what is happening everyday! People selling what little that they have and moving out of the state just to be able to live in a home that they can afford. We speak of affordable housing, doe’s anybody know what our county considers affordable housing? Try, 149,000.00 !!!!!!!!
I could never afford that and I know none of my coworkers could eather and we are professionals.
Some how we need to find a balance, atleast that is my opinion.
I would agree that wages here are low/depressed. Knowing that, you should have considered that before starting a family. Also, if you lived here all your life, you should have bought a home (15-30 year mortgage) instead of renting (you are just throwing your hard earned money away renting, since it’s not tax deductible and home mortgages are). Further, if you have lived here all your life, you should have very well have been able to purchase at least a modest home.
When I moved here 10 years ago I purchased a seven year old, fully furnished, three bedroom, two bath, fireplace, sun deck, screened front porch, two sheds, etc. double wide mobile home on a 1/2 acre lot for $39,000. 1500 SF CMU stucco homeson 1/4 acrre lots could be had for $50K to $75K all day long. Anyone of the above would have been preferable to renting, and could be had for the $400 rent you were paying.
After what has happened here in the past several years, with the cost of land and housing skyrocketing, I wouldn’t have moved here today. It’s not the value it once was.
Dale, I’m not trying to but into your business, but I am interested in your story. Would you be willing to tell a little more about yourself? Your history, education, work experience, things like that? Who knows, It might lead to someone offering you a new career. I would understand if you don’t feel comfortable answering my request. I just feel it’s criminal that a person in your position, a man who has been here all and struggled through most of his life so far would feel as if he has to give it all up just to try to make ends meet. You are right, that’s not right. I’m a vet and that’s damn sure not the principals and ideals my friends and I fought and died to protect and they aren’t what the men and women over in Iraq and Afghanistan are bleeding and dying for either. It is so we have an even shot at having a fair chance at making a decent living for our kids and families right here in Lake Placid and Palm Harbor and Tampa and Pinellas Park and wherever else.
I must have failed to mention that I am a single mother with 3 children. They are almost grown but still expensive. And I did own a home but could not make the payments after the divorce. Also, my only bills are living. I owe nobody, no credit cards, no loan payments, nothing. Only the rent, electric, phone, cable, gas and groceries. And not owing anything is not always a good thing. Because I have no credit I can’t qualify for anything not like I can afford it anyways.
I run an office during the day and deliver pizzas at night. Not that hard just alot of hours.
I moved here from south florida over 2 years ago..I moved here to get away from the traffic and the expense of living there...but the cost here is catching up..and I do see the growth here even though I have only been here for a short time..I don’t think we are ready for a population boom..for one thing, there’s no public transportation...for our elderly population I wish there were better services for them: available transportation to stores or for physician appointments...I see some older drivers on the road that can’t see,hear, and have impaired reflexes (ie: an older driver came into a local toyota dealer one day because he couldn’t figure out how to roll up his windows) I was concerned that day about him being on the road..imagine with more people coming here to live..we need better public services
I must have failed to mention that I am a single mother with 3 children. They are almost grown but still expensive. And I did own a home but could not make the payments after the divorce. Also, my only bills are living. I owe nobody, no credit cards, no loan payments, nothing. Only the rent, electric, phone, cable, gas and groceries. And not owing anything is not always a good thing. Because I have no credit I can’t qualify for anything not like I can afford it anyways.
I run an office during the day and deliver pizzas at night. Not that hard just alot of hours.
I assume you get alimony for the children. Between the alimony and your two jobs I would think you could at least (at the time of the divorce and couldn’t afford the payments on the old home) tried to buy a less expensive home, possible a mobile home, if need be. At least if you were in your own home and carrying a mortgage, your interest payments would be tax deductible (rent isn’t). Further, your payments (other than homeowner’s insurance) would be fixed for the life of the mortgage (15-30 years), whereas rent will go up annually—as you know.
I know all about tough times. My mother and father were divorced when I was seven and my sister was three and brother two. My mother couldn’t make it as my alcholic father refused to pay child support, so we ended up living with my grandparents until I was 14 and my mother remarried.
Life is tough and it’s not fair. That’s the way it is and one has to make the best of it, making the right choices and decisions, etc.
I do commend you for working two jobs and trying hard (many folks in your situation wouldn’t). You will have to rely on your children (and other family, if possible) to help, as you are all in it together.
I do believe the average earnings to cost of living here in HC is out of kilter, espcially over the last few years. I for one would never come to live here for employment by and large. There are few well paying career type jobs here.
However, you might move to an area that has higher paying jobs, but the cost of living might also go up commensurately, negating the higher wages.
I hate to preach doom and gloom, but, IMO, the best days of this country are long behind us. In the future I see a much larger underclass, erosion of the middle class, and far more socialism. I’m just thankful I grew up in the era I did and made the best of it, retired and moved here. I want to enjoy living here for as long as I can.
