Lakeside Estates development plans 'on the 5-yard line'

Posted 10/29/24

Plans are moving forward on a development of up to 1,300 homes near Buckhead Ridge.

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Lakeside Estates development plans 'on the 5-yard line'

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MOORE HAVEN — Plans are moving forward on a development of up to 1,300 homes near Buckhead Ridge.

“In comparison to a football game, we are at the 5-yard line, and we are very close to scoring. That’s the time everything gets exciting,” Glades County Attorney Richard Pringle told Glades County Commissioners at their Oct. 28 meeting.

At that meeting, commissioners approved a financial assurances agreement requiring the developer to purchase a security bond to cover the infrastructure responsibilities they have under the agreement.

He said they estimate the on-site improvements, the water main and wastewater treatment facility will cost $40,674,182.

“It is important for the county to have security in regard to the developer’s obligations to construct the infrastructure for their project,” said Pringle.

Steve Dobbs, engineer for the project, said millions of dollars of site work is already completed.  He asked if they would receive credit for infrastructure work already done.

Pringle said once the work that has been completed has been signed off on by whoever has jurisdictional authority for that element of the project, the required security bond can be reduced. He said there is a process in place for reductions to take place twice a year.

Lakeside Estates and Villas, to be built on State Road 78, west of Buckhead Ridge, will include up to 1,300 homes as well as schools, restaurants, stores and public buildings.

“We have a project that is for Glades County, monumental. It is larger than anything that Glades County has approached in the past, to my knowledge,” said Pringle.

A housing development on that land was originally planned by Glenn Harvey. Harvey sold the 525 acres to the new developer in 2021.

In other business at the Oct. 28 meeting, Kate Adams, of Friends of Glades County Parks and the Florida Trail Association, asked the commissioners to amend the ordinance that designates street addresses. She said the current ordinance does not allow vacant land to receive a street address. This has caused some confusion for hikers and others using recreational land in Glades County.

She said people sometimes get lost and the “trail angels” (volunteers who assist hikers) have difficulty finding them. Cell phone service is sometimes spotty so they can’t always use GPS coordinates.

At least one county park does not have a street address because it does not have any buildings. The boat ramps and trail heads don’t have street addresses, she added.

Commissioners agreed this is a good idea. One commissioner noted people calling 911 also sometimes have problems telling emergency personnel where they are.

The commissioners also voted to advertise a public hearing to discuss considering a non-ad valorem assessment for fire services and/or emergency rescue services. The public hearing will be held Dec. 10.

Lakeside Estates, Jewish, Glades County

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