FAQ's

Environment

General

Real Estate

Who can live at Babcock Ranch?

Kitson & Partners plans to offer a variety of homes at all price levels. We are committed to ensuring that those who serve this community – teachers, police officers, firefighters – all of those who play such a vital role in ensuring the communities safety and growth – can afford to live here.

How and when will these schools be built?

The final determination of how and when all public schools are to be built is the ultimate responsibility of the county school districts. Babcock Ranch will generate hundreds of millions of dollars in property taxes, sales taxes and impact fees that will be collected by the local governments to cover the cost of providing public services including schools. Education will be a vital part of this community and we want schools to be the focal point that draws the community together.

What is Kitson & Partners vision for Babcock Ranch?

Kitson & Partners’s vision for Babcock Ranch is one that incorporates the priorities of a broad spectrum of stakeholders - from the Babcock family to members of the community, from lawmakers to environmentalists. Kitson & Partners envisions a community where residents can live, learn work and play. We want Babcock Ranch to be a model for Florida and the nation, namely a sustainable community of homes, businesses, schools and shops that is environmentally friendly.

Environment

What are the environmental impacts?

Everything we do at Babcock Ranch must meet the highest standards of environmental stewardship and maintain the character of this outstanding piece of Florida. From the beginning we have consulted with leaders in the environmental community to ensure the pristine land, animals and natural resources are protected. Through the charrette process we will continue our dialogue with environmentalists and explore green building techniques, efficient, low impact construction and include expansive greenways and trails throughout Babcock Ranch.

Will the community be able to sustain a hurricane?

Yes. The past few years have taught us how important it is to be ready for the forces of nature. We are a hurricane-prone state and our communities need to be ready. That’s why we are consulting the foremost experts from around the state and nation to build a resilient community that can weather storms with as little damage as possible and is prepared for quick recovery after the storm has passed.

What will be the impact on the numerous listed species living on and around Babcock Ranch?

The Babcock Ranch community is a place where people can live in harmony with nature. Babcock Ranch is part of a vast wildlife corridor, one that will remain untouched through the preservation of more than 80 percent of the ranch. This preservation ensures that vital wildlife corridors remain undisturbed. The community will be designed responsibly and without impacting the wildlife that call Babcock Ranch home.

General

How much of the property will be preserved and how much will be developed?

In November, the Florida Cabinet approved a contract with Kitson & Partners that would allow the state to purchase 74,000 acres of the Ranch for permanent preservation. Kitson & Partners will develop a residential community complete with vast greenways and trails for all of the community to enjoy on a 17,806-acre footprint in the southwest corner of the ranch property.

Will the community have input on the preservation and development of Babcock Ranch?

Absolutely. Kitson & Partners has scheduled a series of “charrettes” which are intensive, focused workshops where our planning professionals will receive input from a wide array of community planning experts as well as members of the local community. Additionally we will be holding town hall meetings in the community so that the public can share their ideas for Babcock Ranch or address any of their concerns.

Who is Kitson & Partners?

Kitson & Partners is a Florida company headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens that develops and manages master-planned communities. The company has an established record of conscientious community planning and development in Florida.

Our Florida projects include Ibis Golf & Country Club, in West Palm Beach -- which neighbors the Grassy Waters Nature Preserve, Grande Champion in Daytona Beach, and Posner Park in Polk County.

You can learn more about the company at www.kitsonpartners.com.

Why did Kitson & Partners undertake the Babcock Ranch project?

Kitson & Partners believes that preservation and responsible growth can work hand in hand. The Babcock Family was seeking a buyer who could maintain their stewardship of the ranch property they had maintained for generations. We are that company. Other prospective buyers remain watchfully in the wings hoping we will fail. They would divide the property into ranchettes and sell them off under existing zoning. That would result in the classic case of sprawl. Kitson & Partners is proposing a cure for sprawl.

What will happen to the existing businesses on Babcock Ranch?

The contract with the state of Florida includes a management agreement that ensures the existing businesses will continue to operate.

Real Estate

What type of homes will be at Babcock Ranch?

The Babcock Ranch community will provide a full range of single family and mutli-family housing. Workforce housing is a top priority. We are committed to assuring that the people who serve this community can afford to live here, and we will be exploring a number of innovative approaches during our planning charrettes. We are not planning a community of cookie-cutter homes nor one with gates to keep people out.

How many homes are you planning to build?

Kitson & Partners is seeking to build 19,500 units on the Babcock Ranch property, clustered among extensive greenways and recreational areas. Starting with a blank sheet of paper allows us to provide open spaces and trails throughout the community. It’s a way to connect neighborhoods and neighbors in an unprecedented way.

What kind of commercial development will there be at Babcock Ranch?

The community must provide extensive employment opportunities and accessible services as well as shopping and education facilities if it is to be truly sustainable. That’s why we are planning to allow up to six million square feet of nonresidential, commercial space as part of the Babcock Ranch community.