Martin County's Bar-B Ranch being preserved forever from development
By Keith Burbank
Treasure Coast Newspapers
MARTIN COUNTY — A $17 million, 1,700-acre deal was approved Sept. 30 that would keep developers' hands off a central Martin County ranch forever.
State and Martin County officials are buying the rights to develop Bar-B Ranch.. The cost to Martin County is $5 million, which will come from the proceeds of a sales tax passed by voters in 2024.
"Yesterday, was kind of a momentous occasion at the governor and Cabinet meeting," said Martin County environmental resource administrator John Maehl, speaking about the deal.
The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund — consisting of Gov. Ron DeSantis and his Cabinet — approved the purchase. The state is contributing about $12 million toward the deal.
Martin County passed a ½-cent sales tax in November 2024, the proceeds of which are earmarked for the preservation of sensitive land. Proceeds can be used to buy development rights or the land outright. Either way, once the land is purchased, it is conserved forever and no group, government or person can reverse that.
Character of Bar-B Ranch
Bar-B Ranch, located at 15860 Southwest Citrus Blvd. in unincorporated Martin County, is owned by the Troup family, which is retaining ownership and could continue using the land as a working ranch. The ranch is about 1,900 acres. The state and county are buying the development rights to about 1,700 acres for conservation. The Troup family is keeping the remaining 200 acres for their home.
"It was a win for the family and for all of the citizens of Martin County and (for) preserving our way of life," said Jim Snedeker, chair of Martin County's Environmental Lands Oversight Committee, which helped secure the deal. "It's an excellent piece of property."
The Troup's "have done an incredible job of managing exotics and preserving large tracts of land that look as good as parts of Jonathan Dickinson State Park," Maehl said.
"Bar-B Ranch is characterized by improved and semi-improved pasture with some mesic and hydric pine flatwoods, wet prairies, and depression marshes," Jennifer Reynolds, division director for ecosystem restoration with the South Florida Water Management District, wrote in a letter to the Division of State Lands, which is the lead agency for managing and stewarding Florida's environment.
"Rare species documented or reported on the subject property include common wild-pine, wood stork, little blue heron, tricolored heron, and roseate spoonbill," Reynolds added.
Everglades restoration
Protecting Bar-B Ranch will also help restore the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee, according to a report by the Division of State Lands.
Other reasons, too, were put forth for protecting the ranch from development.
"Bar-B Ranch project will protect a critical part of the hydrologic connection between the St. John’s River and the Everglades watershed, provide valuable wildlife habitat and support the protection of a wildlife corridor extending from western Palm Beach County to Central Florida," the report says.
The group Martin County Forever was behind the sales tax increase to preserve land like Bar-B Ranch for future generations. The state and Martin County have about 120 days to close on the deal.
"Martin County citizens get a remarkable addition to their conservation inventory," Maehl said.
Keith Burbank is TCPalm's watchdog reporter covering Martin County. He can be reached at keith.burbank@tcpalm.com and at 720-288-6882.