Aerial Photos: SugarHill-Sector Lands, Restoration, Indian River Lagoon

A view from Airglades Airport looking southerly. Photo Ed Lippisch, 9-14)
A view from Airglades Airport, the business center of proposed US Sugar’s “SugarHill” development,  looking southerly into a horizon of agricultural lands. (All photo by Ed Lippisch, 9-27-14)

(* I have just realized the photo above is the old Clewiston Airport not Airglades. Here is one of Airglades from http://www.airnav.com/airport/2IS.   JTL 9:30 AM.)

Airglades Airport, photo Wikipedia.
Airglades Airport, photo AirNAv.

The flight last weekend: Stuart to Clewiston…

I could not be a passenger, it was too windy and I knew I would be sick hanging my head over the edge of the Cub. It has happened before.

In the yellow Piper Cub, the fight to Clewiston from the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon, in Stuart, is about 45 minutes one way, a long time if the air becomes a rough ocean.

Approaching Clewiston from the east.
Approaching Clewiston from the east.

So my husband, Ed flew alone and sent me a few photos along the way. He will do anything to get  up in that airplane. For him it is fun even if it is windy.

So let’s take a closer look where Ed flew, to that area we all keep taking about in Hendry County and proposed first by US Sugar Corporation: SugarHill.

As one can see from the map below, Airglades Airport is west of Clewiston close to where Highway 27 shoots north.  The SugarHill sector plan land use change encompasses a tremendous amount of land, 44,000 acres, these  lands are located where the state has an option to buy for Everglades restoration.  If some of those lands get zoned for residential and commercial development it could complicate trying to send water south through trading these lands or using them for restoration in the future. That’s why we want to take a look.

Location of Airglades Airport, Google Maps, 2014.
Location of Airglades Airport, Google Maps, 2014.
Sugar Hill proposal, 2014.
Sugar Hill proposal, 2014.
A view from Airglades.
A view from Airglades Airport, (same photo as above) shows runway on right, development on left, and miles and miles of surrounding agricultural lands.
Agricultural lands.
Agricultural lands.
Agricultural lands.
Agricultural lands.
Agricultural lands land canal.
More agricultural lands and canal.
Very north west over what was once Lake Hipochee.
Very north-west over what was once Lake Hipochee, headwaters of the Caloosahatechee.
Flying back to Stuart looking back to Clewisotn.
Flying back to Stuart looking back to Clewiston.

So basically the SugarHill sector lands are west of Clewiston, there is an airport, some development and miles and miles of agriculture. What is shall become only time will tell. I hope now that you’ve had a look, it will be easier for you to make a decision to protect these lands for the Everglades, St Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon.

__________________________________

Article 360: (http://www.law360.com/articles/579122/us-sugar-s-plan-could-bog-down-everglades-restoration) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 thoughts on “Aerial Photos: SugarHill-Sector Lands, Restoration, Indian River Lagoon”

  1. You are amazing, Ms. Thurlow Lippish. You should put all these blogs in a book. thanks so much. You are using your time and your talents wisely. May you be blessed always.

    Eula R Clarke, P.A. Law Offices of Eula R. Clarke, P.A. 615 SW St. Lucie Crescent Suite 105 Stuart, Florida 34994 Phone: (772)220-3324 Fax: (772)220-1805 Email: eulaclarkelaw@yahoo.com

    Reply

Leave a Reply