Harmony, Florida

Infobox Settlement
name = Harmony, Florida
official_name = Town of Harmony
settlement_type = Unincorporated community
nickname =
motto =

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pushpin_label_position = none
pushpin_map_caption = Location of Harmony in Florida
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Florida
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Osceola

government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
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established_title = Established
established_date = 2003

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
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population_density_km2 =
population_density_sq_mi =

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = GNIS|2063058|Harmony, Florida. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.]
elevation_m =
elevation_ft = 79
latd = 28 |latm = 11 |lats = 22 |latNS = N
longd = 81 |longm = 08 |longs = 42 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 34773
area_code = 407
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 12-12097
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 2063058
website = [http://www.harmonyfl.com www.harmonyfl.com]
footnotes = [cite web |url=http://www.zipinfo.com/cgi-local/zipsrch.exe?cnty=cnty&ac=ac&zip=Harmony+FL&Go=Go |title=Harmony FL |publisher=ZIP Code Lookup |accessdate=2008-06-09]

Harmony is an unincorporated, award winning, master-planned community near St. Cloud, Florida, United States.

Development

In 2003, after seven years of planning the first residents moved in and made Harmony their home.cite press release | title=Award-Winning Town Of Harmony Welcomes Its first Family | publisher=Town of Harmony | date=June 18 2003 | url=http://www.ewire.com/display.cfm/Wire_ID/1647 | accessdate = 2008-05-24] The planned community has already been awarded a Merit Award, ranking Harmony among central Florida's best communities.

The developers of Harmony and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) have reached an agreement to speed the four-lane widening of Highway 192/441. The highway currently separates Harmony from the new high school being built directly across from the community. As the school will eventually serve students from Harmony, a section of the 1.1-mile-long road widening will be elevated. Concerns for pedestrian safety, the developers and FDOT wanted to complete the works prior to the comencement of the school year in 2004. The agreement is the first of its kind in the State in which a private developer (the Harmony CDD) and FDOT have worked in concert on such a municipal project. [cite press release | title=FDOT and Town of Harmony Accelerate Widening of Highway 192/441 | publisher=Harmony Development Co. | date=July 22 2003 | url=http://www.ewire.com/display.cfm/Wire_ID/1687 | accessdate = 2008-05-24]

In 2005 the development of Harmony was purchased by Starwood Capital Group. Since then several existing amenities in Harmony have been removed and many others promised by the original developer have either been rescinded or remain unfulfilled. These actions on the part of the new developers have created much controversy and consternation on the part of long standing Harmony residents. The marketing promises that were apparently broken or remain unfulfilled by Starwood / Harmony Development Company have been documented in detail by a residents website with an open newsgroup. [cite web | title=Town of Harmony Residents Open Newsgroup | publisher=Harmony Residents | date=March 5 2006 ... | url=http://groups.google.com/group/HarmonyFL | accessdate = 2008-08-12]

References

External links

* [http://www.harmonyfl.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.harmonyfl.com/harmony-homes.html Harmony Homes]
* [http://www.starwoodcapital.com/ Starwood Capital site]
* [http://www.HarmonyFLcommons.com/ Harmony Residents Independent site]