WESLEY CHAPEL – The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board approved the purchase of Kirkland Ranch in Pasco County.
The 974-acre parcel in Wesley Chapel has primarily been used for cattle grazing and tree farming. The Kirkland family has owned this property since 1956.
The Kirkland Ranch property is approximately 59% uplands and 41% wetlands. The areas surrounding the property are predominantly residential single-family homes and are being developed around the west and south of the property as part of Epperson Ranch and Watergrass developments.
This acquisition meets all four of the district’s areas of responsibility, which are water supply, water quality, flood protection and natural systems and is consistent with the district’s Florida Forever Workplan.
The parcel is being purchased for approximately $30.8 million, with money appropriated from the Florida Legislature to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The state funds are being provided to the district by DEP for the purpose of acquiring the property.
“We appreciate Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature’s commitment to preserving this conservation land in one of the fastest-growing areas in Pasco County,” said Brian Armstrong, the district’s executive director. “This important purchase will help preserve the region’s lands and water resources for future generations.”
Kirkland Ranch is located east of Curley Road and just south of Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation in Wesley Chapel.
