Babcock Ranch
Encyclopedia
Babcock Ranch is an approximately 17000 acre (68.8 km²; 26.56 sq mi) planned community
under development in Southwest Florida
that was approved as part of a public-private partnership
strategy with the State of Florida
and local governments that established the neighboring Babcock Ranch Preserve. Plans for the future city of Babcock Ranch were announced in 2005 by real estate development
firm Kitson & Partners
as part of a complex real estate transaction that facilitated the largest conservation land acquisition in Florida history. In 2009, the company joined with Florida Power & Light to announce plans to make Babcock Ranch the first solar-powered city in the United States. The largest photovoltaic power station
in the world and a network of rooftop solar panels on commercial buildings, planned to be expanded over time, are intended to send more renewable power into the Florida electrical grid than the city consumes. Kitson & Partners have stated their goal is for Babcock Ranch to be the "world's most sustainable city".
and Lee County
near Fort Myers, Florida
, Babcock Ranch was named for Edward Vose Babcock
, a lumber baron and mayor of Pittsburgh (1918–1922), who purchased the land in 1914. The land's primary use was logging and agriculture, and those uses continue to generate funds for maintenance and operation of the Babcock Ranch Preserve. The Babcock Ranch Preserve Act enacted by the Florida legislature in 2006 made it the first Florida preserve responsible for generating its own funding under a public private management partnership that includes the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Forestry.
The state offered US$
455 million for 91000 acre (368.26 km²; 142.19 sq mi) in 2005,
but negotiations broke down over the structure of the transaction and tax issues. A sale of the real estate would have triggered significant tax liabilities that could be avoided if ownership was transferred through sale of all corporate stock. The state was barred from meeting the family’s terms by a provision in the state constitution
which prohibits use of land acquisition funds for purchase of a private company’s stock.
Florida real estate development firm Kitson & Partners, led by former professional American football
player Syd Kitson
, signed a contract for purchase of the Babcock Florida Company including the ranch in July 2005 and laid out a plan to sell over 74000 acre (299.47 km²; 115.63 sq mi) to the State of Florida for preservation of the most environmentally sensitive areas
The contract was contingent on a series of local and state approvals for development on the property to be retained by Kitson & Partners and a land management agreement that would provide for continued ranching operations and employment of the ranch staff under state ownership. Purchase from the family and sale of the preserve lands to the State of Florida and Lee County closed on July 31, 2006.
As part of the arrangement, Kitson & Partners received $350 million for the land, with approximately $310 million provided in the final budget of Governor Jeb Bush
and $40 million from Lee County, Florida. According to Time, the purchase was the "largest preservation buy in Florida history". Governor Bush stated that the state ownership "would preserve the single largest tract of contiguous land in the state's history".
. Three schools will be within walking distance of the town center. The elementary schools will be near the center of each village, and the high school will be accessible by bike trails in addition Florida Gulf Coast University
plans a satellite campus in Babcock Ranch. All commercial buildings and homes in Babcock Ranch must be certified as energy-efficient and constructed according to Florida Green Building Coalition standards. Babcock Ranch will have an interconnected system of computer networks utilizing the IBM Rational Focal Point software running all city services from transport to energy to communications, and also linking up to local businesses; Babcock Ranch will be added to IBM's list of the world's "smarter cities". According to Smart Planet, wireless Internet
connectivity will cover the whole of Babcock Ranch city.
Kitson & Partners was expected to break ground on infrastructure and housing developments sometime in early 2012, but due to the late 2000s economic recession and Florida Legislators rejecting renewable energy bill,a bill that would have allowed the Babcock Ranch development to move forward with an initial 75-megawatt solar array through a partnership with Florida Power & Light Co., a spokeswoman for Kitson & Partner said earlier this month. Instead, the project has been stalled for a year because state law now requires utilities to pursue the cheapest power alternative, the first homes are now not expected until 2015.
,
will combine with a network of solar rooftop arrays on commercial buildings to generate more energy than the city consumes, making Babcock Ranch the first solar-powered city in the United States
.
According to Florida Power & Light chief development officer Eric Silagy, the photovoltaic solar plant to be built at Babcock Ranch will be the largest in the world, occupying rooftops throughout the city plus 400 acre (1.62 km²; 0.625000552608715 sq mi) of land. It is expected to be almost two times the size as the current largest array. Babcock Ranch's solar power plant will connect to the main grid
so a consistent energy supply can be maintained by importing power on overcast days and exporting it on sunny days. The objective in using a solar generator to power the city is a reduction in carbon emissions
and dependence on oil
, and to lower energy bills for residents, aided by proposed "smart home" energy efficiency technology. Residents and businesses will utilize smart grid technology to monitor and control their energy consumption.
26°52′28.22"N 81°43′8.29"W
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
under development in Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida is a region of Florida , United States located along its gulf coast, south of the Tampa Bay area, west of Lake Okeechobee and mostly north of the Everglades...
that was approved as part of a public-private partnership
Public-private partnership
Public–private partnership describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies...
strategy with the State of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and local governments that established the neighboring Babcock Ranch Preserve. Plans for the future city of Babcock Ranch were announced in 2005 by real estate development
Real estate development
Real estate development, or Property Development, is a multifaceted business, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re-lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of improved land or parcels to others...
firm Kitson & Partners
Kitson & Partners
Kitson & Partners is a real estate development and commercial management firm based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The company is involved in commercial and residential projects within the United States and internationally, and places an emphasis on environmentally friendly projects, such as the...
as part of a complex real estate transaction that facilitated the largest conservation land acquisition in Florida history. In 2009, the company joined with Florida Power & Light to announce plans to make Babcock Ranch the first solar-powered city in the United States. The largest photovoltaic power station
Photovoltaic power station
The following page lists photovoltaic power stations that are larger than 25 MW in current net capacity. Solar photovoltaic cells convert sunlight into electricity and many solar photovoltaic power stations have been built, mainly in Europe...
in the world and a network of rooftop solar panels on commercial buildings, planned to be expanded over time, are intended to send more renewable power into the Florida electrical grid than the city consumes. Kitson & Partners have stated their goal is for Babcock Ranch to be the "world's most sustainable city".
Early history
Occupying land in both Charlotte CountyCharlotte County, Florida
Charlotte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 141,627. In 2005, the population of the MSA was 154,030.The U.S. Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county was 152,814...
and Lee County
Lee County, Florida
Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. Located in southwest Florida, the principal cities in the county are Fort Myers and Cape Coral...
near Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
, Babcock Ranch was named for Edward Vose Babcock
Edward V. Babcock
Edward V. Babcock was a lumber industrialist who served as Mayor of Pittsburgh from 1918 to 1922.-Early life:Edward Vose Babcock entered the lumber business from an early age...
, a lumber baron and mayor of Pittsburgh (1918–1922), who purchased the land in 1914. The land's primary use was logging and agriculture, and those uses continue to generate funds for maintenance and operation of the Babcock Ranch Preserve. The Babcock Ranch Preserve Act enacted by the Florida legislature in 2006 made it the first Florida preserve responsible for generating its own funding under a public private management partnership that includes the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Forestry.
Sale
In the late 1990s, the Babcock family sought to sell the ranch to the state of Florida. The property was considered a priority for purchase by conservation leaders who saw it as the final section needed to establish an environmental corridor stretching from Lake Okeechobee in the center of Florida all of the way to the Charlotte Harbor Estuary on Florida’s Gulf Coast.The state offered US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
455 million for 91000 acre (368.26 km²; 142.19 sq mi) in 2005,
but negotiations broke down over the structure of the transaction and tax issues. A sale of the real estate would have triggered significant tax liabilities that could be avoided if ownership was transferred through sale of all corporate stock. The state was barred from meeting the family’s terms by a provision in the state constitution
Florida Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Florida is the document that establishes and describes the duties, powers, structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of Florida, and establishes the basic law of the state....
which prohibits use of land acquisition funds for purchase of a private company’s stock.
Florida real estate development firm Kitson & Partners, led by former professional American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player Syd Kitson
Syd Kitson
Sydney William Kitson is a former professional American football player who played guard for four seasons for the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys....
, signed a contract for purchase of the Babcock Florida Company including the ranch in July 2005 and laid out a plan to sell over 74000 acre (299.47 km²; 115.63 sq mi) to the State of Florida for preservation of the most environmentally sensitive areas
Environmentally Sensitive Area
An Environmentally Sensitive Area is a type of designation for an agricultural area which needs special protection because of its landscape, wildlife or historical value. The scheme was introduced in 1987...
The contract was contingent on a series of local and state approvals for development on the property to be retained by Kitson & Partners and a land management agreement that would provide for continued ranching operations and employment of the ranch staff under state ownership. Purchase from the family and sale of the preserve lands to the State of Florida and Lee County closed on July 31, 2006.
As part of the arrangement, Kitson & Partners received $350 million for the land, with approximately $310 million provided in the final budget of Governor Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
and $40 million from Lee County, Florida. According to Time, the purchase was the "largest preservation buy in Florida history". Governor Bush stated that the state ownership "would preserve the single largest tract of contiguous land in the state's history".
Community and infrastructure
Plans for the proposed future city of Babcock Ranch were developed with public participation through a series of meetings held in Charlotte County in early 2006 and formally announced with the first application for development approvals. Designed as a magnet for high tech companies and research and development hub for clean energy methods, Babcock Ranch will be completely self-contained made up of four villages and five hamlets 20,000 permanent jobs would be added to sustaining up to 45,000 residents in 17,870 households. Babcock Ranch is expected to include 5000000 square feet (464,515.2 m²) of light industry, retail, commerce, offices and civic space. The downtown area will be walkable and bikeable, and will include 8,000 homes as well offices, business parks, medical facilities, shopping, restaurants, entertainment and lodges. Babcock Ranch will have a high school, a middle school and four to six elementary schools administered by Charlotte County Public SchoolsCharlotte County Public Schools
Charlotte County Public Schools operates all public K12 schools in Charlotte County, Florida . It covers Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Englewood, Rotonda West, Babcock Ranch and surrounding areas...
. Three schools will be within walking distance of the town center. The elementary schools will be near the center of each village, and the high school will be accessible by bike trails in addition Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University, also known as FGCU, is a coeducational public university located just south of the Southwest Florida International Airport in the South Fort Myers region of unincorporated Lee County, Florida, United States. The university belongs to the 11-campus State University...
plans a satellite campus in Babcock Ranch. All commercial buildings and homes in Babcock Ranch must be certified as energy-efficient and constructed according to Florida Green Building Coalition standards. Babcock Ranch will have an interconnected system of computer networks utilizing the IBM Rational Focal Point software running all city services from transport to energy to communications, and also linking up to local businesses; Babcock Ranch will be added to IBM's list of the world's "smarter cities". According to Smart Planet, wireless Internet
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
connectivity will cover the whole of Babcock Ranch city.
Kitson & Partners was expected to break ground on infrastructure and housing developments sometime in early 2012, but due to the late 2000s economic recession and Florida Legislators rejecting renewable energy bill,a bill that would have allowed the Babcock Ranch development to move forward with an initial 75-megawatt solar array through a partnership with Florida Power & Light Co., a spokeswoman for Kitson & Partner said earlier this month. Instead, the project has been stalled for a year because state law now requires utilities to pursue the cheapest power alternative, the first homes are now not expected until 2015.
Solar power generation
An on-site 75-megawatt solar photovoltaic array, to be built by Florida Power & Light CompanyFlorida Power & Light
Florida Power & Light Company, the principal subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc. , commonly referred to by its initials, FPL, is a Juno Beach, Florida-based power utility which serves roughly 4.4 million customers in Florida. FPL Group holds power generation assets in more than 20 U.S...
,
will combine with a network of solar rooftop arrays on commercial buildings to generate more energy than the city consumes, making Babcock Ranch the first solar-powered city in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
According to Florida Power & Light chief development officer Eric Silagy, the photovoltaic solar plant to be built at Babcock Ranch will be the largest in the world, occupying rooftops throughout the city plus 400 acre (1.62 km²; 0.625000552608715 sq mi) of land. It is expected to be almost two times the size as the current largest array. Babcock Ranch's solar power plant will connect to the main grid
Electric power transmission
Electric-power transmission is the bulk transfer of electrical energy, from generating power plants to Electrical substations located near demand centers...
so a consistent energy supply can be maintained by importing power on overcast days and exporting it on sunny days. The objective in using a solar generator to power the city is a reduction in carbon emissions
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
and dependence on oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, and to lower energy bills for residents, aided by proposed "smart home" energy efficiency technology. Residents and businesses will utilize smart grid technology to monitor and control their energy consumption.
Nature preserve
Approximately ninety percent of Babcock Ranch's total land will remain undeveloped, including more than half of the area owned by developers Kitson & Partners, to be preserved as open space, nature reserves or for agricultural use. The Babcock Ranch Preserve, which includes land owned by the State of Florida and by Lee County, covers eighty percent of the ranch's original approximately 91000 acre (368.26 km²; 142.19 sq mi). The preserve is self-funding, with all operations supported by revenue from the publicly owned working ranch, the first and only of its type in Florida. The preserve is being managed by Kitson & Partners until 2016 when a non-profit entity with board members appointed by the state will take over. The state plans to continue business enterprises to maintain the publicly owned land as a nature reserve with accommodations for recreation, including hunting, camping and hiking.External links
- Official site
- Babcock Ranch Florida YouTube channel
26°52′28.22"N 81°43′8.29"W