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-APR. 2 31980 41 340 <br />THAT THE WALKER PROPERTY IN 1923 WAS THE SHOWPLACE OF THE COMMUNITY <br />AND IN THE EARLY 1900'S, INDIAN RIVER COUNTY WAS NOTED FOR PINEAPPLES, <br />BUT WHEN THE PINEAPPLE GROWERS WENT OUT OF BUSINESS DUE TO A FREEZE, <br />NOBODY TOLD THEM THEY HAD TO RAISE PINEAPPLES AGAIN. HE WENT ON TO <br />POINT -OUT THAT IN 19261 THE KINGHTS HAD SIX FISH HOUSES ALONG THE <br />COAST AND SUBSEQUENTLY WENT OUT OF THE FISH BUSINESS; IN 1921 <br />FELLSMERE SUGAR COMPANY WAS IN BUSINESS AND THEY SHUT DOWN IN 1966; <br />AND HE, HIMSELF, CAME FROM A TOMATO GROWING FAMILY, AND WHEN IT <br />BECAME ECONOMICALLY UNFEASIBLE TO CONTINUE, NO ONE TOLD THEM THEY <br />HAD TO KEEP ON GROWING TOMATOES. TIMES HAVE CHANGED AND THE MAIN <br />INDUSTRIES IN THE COUNTY NOW ARE CITRUS, CATTLE, AND TOURISTS. MR. <br />HOGAN THEN WENT ON TO TALK ABOUT THE TREMENDOUS GROWTH OF THE CITRUS <br />INDUSTRY IN THIS COUNTY, STATING THAT THERE ARE NOW ABOUT 56,200 <br />ACRES OF CITRUS IN THE COUNTY, OR ABOUT A SIXTH OF OUR AREA. <br />MR. HOGAN FELT THAT THE PRIME CITRUS BELT WAS ESTABLISHED <br />ARBITRARILY AND NOTED THAT IF MS. WALKER HAD TO TURN HER LAND BACK <br />INTO CITRUS PRODUCTION TODAY, SHE WOULD HAVE TO EXPEND ABOUT $200,000 <br />JUST TO GET THE GROVE TO FIVE YEARS OLD. HE FURTHER NOTED THAT MANY <br />PEOPLE NOW BELIEVE THAT ANY PROPERTY EAST OF I-95 WILL GIVE WAY TO <br />PROGRESS AND THERE IS MUCH PROPERTY IN THIS AREA THAT ALREADY IS <br />ZONED R-lA, R-lMP, R-lE, C-1, ETC. <br />A. J. HAMILTON OF 26TH ST. STATED THAT HE MOVED TO THIS <br />AREA 23 YEARS AGO FOR THE COUNTRY ATMOSPHERE, AND HE CANNOT FEEL <br />THAT .IT IS SUITABLE TO REZONE IT. HE WISHED THE AREA TO REMAIN AS <br />IT IS AND FELT ONE REZONING WILL LEAD TO ANOTHER. <br />RAY SCENT, REALTOR, SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED REZONING <br />AND FELT IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT THE STAFF HAS BROUGHT UP THE POSSI- <br />BILITY OF THE ENTIRE AREA BECOMING R -2B, INSTEAD OF JUST THE PORTION <br />BEING DISCUSSED TODAY. HE NOTED THAT THE R -2B, WHICH THE DEVELOPERS <br />HAVE AGREED TO REQUIRES 1,000 SQ. FT. IN AN APARTMENT, AND HE FELT <br />THIS MUST BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION SINCE IN R-1, YOU COULD DEVELOP <br />HOMES THAT WOULD BE MUCH SMALLER. HE EMPHASIZED THAT MERELY CHANGING <br />TO A HIGHER DENSITY DOES NOT NECESSARILY DOWNGRADE AN AREA. <br />.• <br />