>>> A new ordinance could allow campers to serve as emergency housing for Lake Placid Residents
Lake Placid Planner Dana Riddell wants people to be able to live in their camper if their home gets damaged or destroyed during an emergency. Lake Placid High School serves as the main shelter during hurricanes, but officials say they want to give residents another option. Staff will require property owners to obtain a permit to temporarily reside in these campers, they must be connected to critical utilities such as water and electricity and they shouldn’t negatively impact anybody’s quality of life. Additionally, a licensed inspector will have to deem their primary home unlivable before they can proceed. This will be presented at the local planning agency meeting tonight at 6:30. And if it’s approved, it’ll go before the town council on July 20th.
>>> New details emerge on fatal fire in Avon Park
The county has released new details on a fire that took the lives of two people at the Econo Lodge in Avon Park on April 3. Officials say the hotel didn’t have any fire alarms or extinguishers so they couldn’t be used to aid in putting the fire out. It happened just before 2AM in room 232, where both occupents of the room were lying on the floor and pronounced dead on scene. Officials say Highlands County Fire Rescue used hand held pumps and other devices to put the fire out and didn’t have to use larger resources like pumper trucks. Officials say the hotel didn’t have any fire suppression devices on hand and they lacked other life saving equipment.
>>First budget town hall to be held Tuesday
If you want to get an early look at the county’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year, you can attend a town hall meeting tomorrow at the Government Center on South Commerce Avenue in downtown Sebring. This is the first of three town halls, where you can hear the budget presentation in its entirety and ask questions if you choose to do so. The meeting will begin after the regular county commission meeting raps up. If you can’t come to this one, you have two more opportunities. The next one will be held at 6pm on July 14 at South Florida State College, and the 3rd will take place on July 16th at the Lake Placid government center at 6pm. If you can’t go in person, you can watch them on the county’s website or YouTube channel.