Session 13

Evaluating a New Solar Community

Readings:

Babcock Ranch Solar Plan; Edward Helmore of The Guardian (2016) "The Solar-Powered Town: A Dream for the Environment or a Wildlife Nightmare?" Environmental Overview: Babcock Ranch; Natallie Geiling of Think Progress (2016) "This Florida Town Wants to Become the Most Sustainable Community in America," Babcock Ranch (Kitson) v. Sierra Club and Petitioners Settlement; Regional Impact Report: Babcock Ranch (2006); Babcock Ranch History (slides); Babcock Ranch Development Plan (You will need to rotate these slides to read them); Babcock Ranch Preserve Ten Year Management Plan; Babcock Ranch Hydrological Assessment; State Babcock Ranch Purchse; Babcock Ranch Purchase; Babcock Ranch Website; Sustainable Community Development Guidelines;

Topics:

• Environmental concerns of opening a solar community
• Stakeholder identification in new start-up community development
• Sustainable community guidelines
• Babcock Preserve management plan and hydrology assessment
• Elements of a court supervised settlement agreement
• Aspirational goals in community development
• Babcock Ranch history
• Babcock Ranch solar plan
• Assessing development outcomes in terms of sustainability goals

Homework:

1. Familiairize yourself with the Babcock Ranch website and news articles on this new "solar" community. Summarize what is proposed as being uique about Babcock Ranch.
2. Review pertinent impact studies and site development plans. Summarize the major environmental concerns associated with this development.
3. Summarize the history of Babcock Ranch to include its purchase by the State of Florida, development by the Kitson Group, and subsequent Sierra Club settlement agreemnt.
4. Identify best practices in sustainable community development associated with (a) land use planning, (b) site development and (c) enrgy efficiency.
5. Identify the "aspirational" goals of the Babcock Ranch developers as found in the regional impact report.
6. Compare what Babcock Ranch developers are doing in terms of how effectively the developers are engaging in best "sustainable community" practices.
7. Describe the solar plan for Babcock Ranch.

NOTE: Submit your assigned homework in Word format as an attachment to Canvas email and submit this homework - complete with APA citations and references - to the instructor by no later than 5 pm on the last day of Session 13 (as designated on the course schedule page that is linked above).