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Council approves plats, utility ordinance reading and road transfer; schedules Harder Hall workshop
Summary
The City Council approved a three-lot plat, advanced an ordinance to require council approval for outside-city utility connections to second reading, approved a road transfer with FDOT and extended due diligence on a city property purchase, March 18, 2025.
At its March 18, 2025 meeting the Sebring City Council approved several administrative and procedural items and announced the result of a ballot referendum.
Key council actions recorded that evening included:
- Plat approval: The council approved a plat submitted by Sparta Ministries Inc. to divide a roughly 20-acre tract off Sudan Mission Road into three large lots. The motion was approved with one councilor abstaining due to a disclosed financial relationship with the plat applicant (vote recorded: yes – Mendel, Stewart, Fisher; abstain – Jeffrey).
- Utility connection ordinance (first reading): Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance amending Chapter 23 to require City Council approval before properties outside the city limits may connect to the city utility system. The ordinance adds criteria councils can consider (financial, economic, aesthetic, environmental and planning impacts) and set a second and final reading for April 4, 2025.
- Road transfer: Council approved a proposed road transfer and maintenance swap with the Florida Department of Transportation and Highlands County that would transfer control of a section of State Road 17 (US 27 to Sebring Parkway) to the city while giving the state responsibility for the Parkway corridor; FDOT indicated annual maintenance costs for the segment are roughly $79,000.
- Contract due-diligence extension: Council approved extending the city’s due-diligence period to April 11, 2025, for the pending purchase of the Bridal Trust property (phase details and environmental reporting were discussed earlier in the meeting).
- Workshop scheduling: Council approved a motion to schedule a workshop with Harder Hall ownership and staff to discuss the proposed golf-course ground lease (see separate article). The motion passed unanimously.
Referendum result: City administration announced the results of a local referendum asking whether to change the Clerk/Treasurer position from elected to appointed. The vote count reported in the meeting was 64 yes and 82 no; therefore the referendum failed and the Clerk/Treasurer remains an elected position.
Why it matters: These routine but consequential procedural actions affect long-range planning, utility governance, right-of-way control and property development in and around Sebring. The utility ordinance in particular changes the approval path for out-of-city development seeking city services.
Next steps: The utility ordinance will return for final reading April 4, 2025. The workshop with Harder Hall ownership is to be scheduled; staff will return with any negotiated agreements and follow-up reports for council consideration.
