The LDS church is planning to build a small city in florida

[Average Joe 241]

In Florida, the church owns what Orlando broker Trevor Hall says "may be the state's largest piece of privately owned undeveloped real estate."

 

The 315,000-acre Deseret Ranches, bought in the 1950s, is home to orange groves and cattle. But its location, about five miles southeast of booming Orlando, has caused its value to jump. The church is planning to build a community with 5,000 homes and 4,200 apartments, plus schools, offices and stores.

 

Source

 

So, wanna live near the city of Enoch one day?   

 

It was noted that this source was from 1991 

 

Here's an update 

Edited July 13, 2015 by Average Joe

[EarlJibbs 241]

That article was published in 1991. I can't imagine what has happened since then. 

[Daybreak79 25]

The Church also owns the Shoal Creek Development where the Kansas City, Missouri Temple is located.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City_Missouri_Temple

[Guest]

That's where we go for Girl's Camp, Youth Camp, Father-son camp, etc... they have really nice camp facilities there with air-conditioned cabins that have 10 bunk beds each and loads of nature walks and such.

[Average Joe 241]

That article was published in 1991. I can't imagine what has happened since then. 

 

posted an updated (July 2015) link. Apparently, the church is still trying to nail down all the necessary bureaucratic paperwork...perhaps by the second coming  

[Average Joe 241]

That's where we go for Girl's Camp, Youth Camp, Father-son camp, etc... they have really nice camp facilities there with air-conditioned cabins that have 10 bunk beds each and loads of nature walks and such.

 

Sounds like a great resource :)

[Average Joe 241]

The Church also owns the Shoal Creek Development where the Kansas City, Missouri Temple is located.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City_Missouri_Temple

 

that says 8 acres. there are over 300,000 acres in Florida of which roughly 133,000 acres are meant for use to build a city of about 500,000.

[Windseeker 626]

The Church is the largest private land-owner in Florida now. 

[Average Joe 241]

The Church is the largest private land-owner in Florida now. 

 

yeah...I wish they'd buy up some land in S.C.  :)

[Windseeker 626]

yeah...I wish they'd buy up some land in S.C.  :)

 

Was thinking about moving up to S.C. Is that where you live?

[Floridagal 28]

This isn't terribly far from where we live. (we are right between tampa and orlando in the woods).

I hate seeing what has been done to Florida-once I could drive down hwy 50 and see nothing between clermont and orlando but orange groves and pastureland. Now there is absolutely NO break between clermont and orlando and the groves and pastures are gone. And yes, I hate Disney and Universal for what they have turned FL into.

Now because of developers the area and surroudning towns where I live has been or is in the process of being rezoned NON agricultural. Understand that this used to be the green bean capital of the world out here-more peppers and peas and cuckes and melons came out of this area and shipped out of the packing houses on trains into the early 90's. No longer since developers moved in.

 

Now, my family on my dad's side have been farmers and ranchers since before FL was a state-and now the lands out here are being bought up because the farmers and ranchers can no longer afford the taxes because everything was re calssified non agricultural...and subsequently there is more housing developments. THere is a big housing boom going on here now...really big, and very few can afford to farm.

That being said-if this boom has to happen I at least am glad the Church will be a strong presence. I am holding on to the hope that the Church will continue the ranching and groves and such and treat the land and aquifer with respect as they build the city that is planned.

I guess I just liked the old swampy and woodsy Florida best. :)

[Windseeker 626]

Here an article on it. - http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/corporate/st-joe-co-selling-382834-acres-in-northwest-florida/2151305

 

I think they will be good stewards.

[Average Joe 241]

Was thinking about moving up to S.C. Is that where you live?

 

Yup. I live in the Upstate between Anderson and Greenville. 

[Windseeker 626]

Yup. I live in the Upstate between Anderson and Greenville. 

 

I've heard good things about that area. 

 

We are considering SC as it might be a good option for us after my wife finishes her fellowship as it's a tort reform state.

Was thinking about Charleston or Beaufort. Any thoughts on those areas?

[Average Joe 241]

see post below

Edited July 14, 2015 by Average Joe

[Average Joe 241]

I've heard good things about that area. 

 

We are considering SC as it might be a good option for us after my wife finishes her fellowship as it's a tort reform state.

Was thinking about Charleston or Beaufort. Any thoughts on those areas?

My youngest brother graduated (how, I don't know) from the college of Charleston and really liked the city even though he finally settled down in the upstate. I'm not much for cities myself but here's what I think I know.

 

1. in the summer the humidity in the low country...  

2. They have excellent medical facilities at the Medical University of S.C. (MUSC).

3. Its rich in history and tradition 

4. Charleston sits on a major fault line and in was hit by hurricane Hugo in 1989. 

5. Not too far from Myrtle Beach 

 

Is there something more specific you want to know?

[Windseeker 626]

Are there allot of eastcoasters there???...lol

 

I mean NJ, NY types or are they all down here in SE Florida.

[Average Joe 241]

Are there allot of eastcoasters there???...lol

 

I mean NJ, NY types or are they all down here in SE Florida.

I can't speak for Charleston but around the upstate we're not so heavy on the "youse guys" types...but there may be more around Hilton Head and the other resort islands. We do have our share of snow birds in the winter but nothing like Florida. You folks have us beat by a country mile in that category. 

[Capitalist_Oinker 350]

That being said-if this boom has to happen I at least am glad the Church will be a strong presence. I am holding on to the hope that the Church will continue the ranching and groves and such and treat the land and aquifer with respect as they build the city that is planned.

 

The Church has been wrestling with this decision for at least a decade because it was an almost certainty that the State would eventually, either through collusion or coercion, acquire the land and develop it.

When I visited the ranch in 2008, Erik (the ranch manager) took me on a tour of the land now in question. He explained that the land had little value as far as ranching or farming (in fact there wasn't any of either going on at the time), but that it had tremendous value as far as residential and commercial development. He said the State was determined to see it developed one way or the other, and the Church was determined to maintain some level of control so as to minimize the impact to its ranching and farming operations. 

As he said in the recent Tribune article: 

"Population estimates for central Florida through 2080 project expansive growth — and that growth will likely include ranch property and resources. As ranchers, we know how important it is to plan ahead. We're not developers, but we expect to be fully involved in what the ranch will look like over the next 50-60 years.”

“Our plan is to maintain our agricultural operation for the long term. Generations from now, Deseret Ranches will still be doing what we love – growing food and caring for the land. But, as a major property owner in this region, we also feel a responsibility to work with local governments and other stakeholders in the area to understand and shape how the property will fit into the larger context of expected growth. As growth heads our way, it's important we identify and deal with forces that will impact the property to ensure the ranch can meet its long-term objectives, while assisting the region in dealing with pressure on resources like land and water."

 

 

In other words he was just reiterating what he told me seven years ago. 

We see the writing on the wall; 

The State will eventually win out;

Since development is inevitable we plan on being a player so as to minimize any adverse impacts to our ranching operations.

 

It was a gorgeous chunk of land supporting a tremendous amount of wildlife, and I find it extremely sad that it will all be lost to concrete and asphalt.

But that's the world we live in. 

Edited July 17, 2015 by Capitalist_Oinker