Despite the recent rains, Highlands is one of four central Florida counties that remain at high risk of wildfires. Units from Lake Placid, Placid Lakes and Sun ‘N Lake South were joined by Florida Forest Service crews yesterday in dousing the flames of a brush fire off Lake Apthorpe north of Lake Placid.
The blaze charred 15 acres before they got it under control. Apparently, no structures were damaged, and no injuries were reported. Cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Big development appears to be on the way to the Crown Jewel of the Ridge. Lake Wales city commissioners have voted for a zoning change that could allow more than 1200 apartments on 195 acres north of Chalet Suzanne Road and east of U.S. 27.
The land wraps around the existing site of Serenity Apartments. A swath of land owned by the corporation fronting on Chalet Suzanne, already zoned for commercial use, and was not included in the change.
Developers from Starr Lake, Inc, did not say when development might start.