Session 13
Evaluating a New Solar Community
Texts
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); (You will Babcock Ranch Hydrological Assessment; State Babcock Ranch Purchse; Babcock Ranch Purchase; Babcock Ranch Website; Sustainable Community Development Guidelines
Glossary
Slides
Babcock Ranch History; Babcock Ranch Development Plan;
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
- 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.
- Review pertinent impact studies and site development plans. Summarize the major environmental concerns associated with this development.
- 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.
- Identify best practices in sustainable community development associated with (a) land use planning, (b) site development and (c) enrgy efficiency.
- Identify the "aspirational" goals of the Babcock Ranch developers as found in the regional impact report.
- Compare what Babcock Ranch developers are doing in terms of how effectively the developers are engaging in best "sustainable community" practices.
- 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).
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