Hold Your Horses

As president of the Babcock Preservation Partnership, I'm convinced it's too soon to make concessions to develop Babcock Ranch. Since the announcement that developer Kitson & Partners plans to buy the massive property, the conversation seems to have shifted from preserving it to minimizing its development. That might be the focus soon, but I'm not convinced that we're there. The fat lady might be putting on her costume, but she hasn't even started to sing.At this point, we have only hints at what kind of development Kitson & Partners might propose for the property. There has been discussion of selling some 70,000 acres of the property to the state for preservation, which will leave the remaining 20,000 to the developer.

We don't know the sale price that Kitson & Partners has negotiated with Babcock Florida, but we do know it's something more than the $455 million the state last offered, plus another $120 million to cover the taxes. Syd Kitson has said he wants to preserve as much as possible, but a lot of houses would have to be built to make it financially feasible.

My goal remains to preserve the entire property. The rate at which population is growing in Southwest Florida only intensifies the need to protect open space, wildlife habitat, water resources and outdoor recreation areas. Properties like Babcock Ranch simply don't exist anymore in Southwest Florida. Allowing its development would be not only a tragic loss of a unique resource; it would be an additional burden on Lee and Charlotte county residents.

The fact is, despite continual effort to make growth pay for growth, it doesn't. Allowing the development of what amounts to a small town out there flies in the face of all principles of good managed growth. Someone would have to provide the infrastructure to support that development-adequate roadways, schools, water and sewer facilities-and it's a pretty good guess that taxpayers would end up footing at least part of that bill.

Kitson faces some mighty big obstacles to developing that area and not much incentive from the counties to make it any easier. For the past several years, Lee County's board of county commissioners has unanimously opposed development in the roughly 9,000 acres of Babcock Ranch in Lee County, which abut both the Telegraph Swamp and the county's Caloosahatchee Regional Park. At least three commissioners would have to be persuaded that development there is a wise move.

Lee County's Comprehensive Land Use Plan-the blueprint of future development that guides long-range planning by the county-allows one home per 10 acres to be built in that area. If the development plan exceeds that, the developer would have to apply for an amendment to the comp plan, and that's a complex process with no guaranteed outcome.

The proposal undergoes scrutiny on a number of levels-by county staff, the board of county commissioners, the local planning agency (a citizen advisory committee to the board of county commissioners) as well as the public. It's vetted for any and all potential impacts, including roads, schools, sewer systems and other infrastructure as well as water resources, environment and wildlife.

If it gets through that process-and it does need approval by the board of county commissioners to move forward-it then goes to the state, where it faces more scrutiny by a half-dozen or so agencies as well as other independent organizations like Audubon and Florida Wildlife Federation. They all weigh in with their comments and critiques, which are compiled into a report and reviewed by the Department of Community Affairs. The developer would have to go through the same process to amend Charlotte County's comprehensive plan if his plans for development exceed what the plan allows.

Depending upon the proposal, it might also face rezoning hearings and a Development of Regional Impact review by the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council. There's been discussion that another approach might be taken, through the Rural Land Stewardship Areas Program, which would entail its own process of review and permitting. The developer has been meeting with state agencies on zoning issues and to determine what kind of development is possible.

We are at a critical juncture, and the Babcock Ranch Preservation Partnership is still hard at work to preserve the property in its entirety. If that turns out to not be possible, then the partnership must at least have a meaningful role in managing the segments set aside for preservation. But it's still too early to negotiate or give up. It's more important than ever now that citizens speak up. Communicate with the governor and cabinet as much as possible and let them know that property must be acquired and preserved in its entirety. Notify county commissioners and state legislators that changes to the county comprehensive plans cannot be allowed.

This potential sale does not automatically mean the property will be developed. Continue speaking out, attend public hearings, voice your position and remind your elected officials just how strong support is for preserving Babcock Ranch.

Bob Janes is a Lee County commissioner

and former mayor of Sanibel Island.