Rotonda, Florida
Encyclopedia
Rotonda West is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Charlotte County, Florida
, United States. The population was 6,574 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Punta Gorda
Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was developed and named Rotonda West by Cavanagh Communities Corporation, the developers of a projected but now defunct community named Rotonda in southern Martin County
and northern Palm Beach County
.
, deed-restricted community situated in west Charlotte County, Florida. It was originally developed by the Cavanagh Communities Corporation, which sold the entire Rotonda complex in 1980 after several years of financial difficulties. It is an unusual subdivision
, in that it is shaped like an incomplete wagon wheel. A closed, fresh-water canal system surrounds the outside of the "wheel" and travels inside each of the pie-shaped wedges forming the subdivisions of the development. A protected wetland to the south prevents development of that area. Alligator
s, bald eagles, great blue herons, egrets, and many other birds and animals inhabit the area.
The oldest and most-developed subdivision
, Oakland Hills, once sported Ed McMahon
as a home owner. In 1973, the inaugural edition of a television special called Superstars
, featuring athletes from different sports competing in various events, was filmed in Rotonda. What is now the community center was a bowling alley. A local track was where the track and field events were held.
As conceptualized, each subdivision was supposed to have its own golf course
. The theory was the developers could draw residents by offering "a course a day to play." But beleaguered GDC wasn't able to carry through with their promises, and many developers took turns building out the area.
Although the area struggled for a while during the real estate bust period of the 1980s, in 2005 it was one of the hottest areas to build in, with development escalating in nearly all of the sections and several new golf courses.
Many of the homeowners are seasonal snowbirds
from northern states and only live in the area part-time during the winter.
While the area is at risk of flooding from storm surge, it is located towards the center of the Cape Haze peninsula and hasn't flooded in recent memory. During Hurricane Charley
in 2004, it was located on the left front quadrant of the storm, and although the eyewall came within a couple of miles of the area, most homes escaped major damage. Several large trees were downed, and many shingle roofs were damaged by winds. Quite a few pool cages and screened-in porches were blown down or damaged, but few houses sustained more than relatively minor damage. After Charley, most of the area had power back on in 13 hours, due in no small part to the fact that utilities such as power, phone, and cable are all run underground. Several overhead main feeder lines supply power to transformers in the area, but they were quickly repaired.
In 2005 Hurricane Wilma
travelled south of the development, and because of the underground utilities, the area never lost power, even though many surrounding areas did.
The Rotonda West Association is the organization in charge of managing and enforcing deed restrictions.
Homeowners pay a modest annual association fee that is used for canal and vacant lot maintenance, among other things.
The Community is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors with help from over 100 volunteers on various committees.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 11.2 square miles (29 km²), of which, 11 square miles (28.5 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (1.61%) is water.
. Two schools are found inside the Rotonda West area: L.A. Ainger Middle School and Vineland Elementary School. Both schools have received an A from the state more than five years in a row.
There is also a designated area where people can pay to park boats, trailers, and RVs.
A church is being built on the outer part of Parade Circle, where there is zoned commercial property for sale.
on the Gulf Coast, the weather usually stays relatively mild. In the summer, it's not uncommon for temperatures to get into the mid-90's, but this is tempered by sea breezes from the Gulf. At night in the summer, temperatures quickly drop to the low to mid 70's. In the winter, hard freezes are rare, but occasionally occur. It's more common to have frost on the ground briefly in pre-dawn hours, but it melts shortly after sunrise. This usually only happens 2 or 3 times during the winter. Temperatures average 50 - 70 degrees during the winter. On a sunny winter day, it's rare for the temperature to stay below 50 degrees for long.
Summer thunderstorms are not uncommon. Florida
is known as the lightning capital of the world. The dry season is in the spring.
, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.
There were 3,181 households out of which 11.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.3% were married couples living together, 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.39.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 11.0% under the age of 18, 2.9% from 18 to 24, 12.3% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 44.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 63 years. For every 100 females there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $38,636, and the median income for a family was $43,844. Males had a median income of $28,046 versus $18,616 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $21,437. About 1.7% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Charlotte County, Florida
Charlotte County, Florida
Charlotte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 141,627. In 2005, the population of the MSA was 154,030.The U.S. Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county was 152,814...
, United States. The population was 6,574 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda, Florida
Punta Gorda is a city in Charlotte County, Florida, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of 2007, the city had a population of 16,762. It is the county seat of Charlotte County and the only incorporated municipality in the county...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was developed and named Rotonda West by Cavanagh Communities Corporation, the developers of a projected but now defunct community named Rotonda in southern Martin County
Martin County, Florida
Martin County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 126,731. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county is 138,660. Its county seat is Stuart, Florida.- History :...
and northern Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County, Florida
Palm Beach County is the largest county in the state of Florida in total area, and third in population. As of 2010, the county's estimated population was 1,320,134, making it the twenty-eighth most populous in the United States...
.
History
Rotonda West is an unincorporatedUnincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
, deed-restricted community situated in west Charlotte County, Florida. It was originally developed by the Cavanagh Communities Corporation, which sold the entire Rotonda complex in 1980 after several years of financial difficulties. It is an unusual subdivision
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
, in that it is shaped like an incomplete wagon wheel. A closed, fresh-water canal system surrounds the outside of the "wheel" and travels inside each of the pie-shaped wedges forming the subdivisions of the development. A protected wetland to the south prevents development of that area. Alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
s, bald eagles, great blue herons, egrets, and many other birds and animals inhabit the area.
The oldest and most-developed subdivision
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
, Oakland Hills, once sported Ed McMahon
Ed McMahon
Edward Peter "Ed" McMahon, Jr. was an American comedian, game show host and announcer. He is most famous for his work on television as Johnny Carson's sidekick and announcer on The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992. He also hosted the original version of the talent show Star Search from 1983 to 1995...
as a home owner. In 1973, the inaugural edition of a television special called Superstars
Superstars
Superstars is an all-around sports competition that pits elite athletes from different sports against one another in a series of athletic events resembling a decathlon....
, featuring athletes from different sports competing in various events, was filmed in Rotonda. What is now the community center was a bowling alley. A local track was where the track and field events were held.
As conceptualized, each subdivision was supposed to have its own golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
. The theory was the developers could draw residents by offering "a course a day to play." But beleaguered GDC wasn't able to carry through with their promises, and many developers took turns building out the area.
Although the area struggled for a while during the real estate bust period of the 1980s, in 2005 it was one of the hottest areas to build in, with development escalating in nearly all of the sections and several new golf courses.
Many of the homeowners are seasonal snowbirds
Snowbird (people)
The term snowbird is used to describe people from the U.S. Northeast, U.S. Midwest, or Canada who spend a large portion of winter in warmer locales such as California, Arizona, Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, or elsewhere along the Sun Belt region of the southern and southwest United States,...
from northern states and only live in the area part-time during the winter.
While the area is at risk of flooding from storm surge, it is located towards the center of the Cape Haze peninsula and hasn't flooded in recent memory. During Hurricane Charley
Hurricane Charley
Hurricane Charley was the third named storm, the second hurricane, and the second major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. Charley lasted from August 9 to August 15, and at its peak intensity it attained 150 mph winds, making it a strong Category 4 hurricane on the...
in 2004, it was located on the left front quadrant of the storm, and although the eyewall came within a couple of miles of the area, most homes escaped major damage. Several large trees were downed, and many shingle roofs were damaged by winds. Quite a few pool cages and screened-in porches were blown down or damaged, but few houses sustained more than relatively minor damage. After Charley, most of the area had power back on in 13 hours, due in no small part to the fact that utilities such as power, phone, and cable are all run underground. Several overhead main feeder lines supply power to transformers in the area, but they were quickly repaired.
In 2005 Hurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma was the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Wilma was the twenty-second storm , thirteenth hurricane, sixth major hurricane, and fourth Category 5 hurricane of the record-breaking 2005 season...
travelled south of the development, and because of the underground utilities, the area never lost power, even though many surrounding areas did.
The Rotonda West Association is the organization in charge of managing and enforcing deed restrictions.
Homeowners pay a modest annual association fee that is used for canal and vacant lot maintenance, among other things.
The Community is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors with help from over 100 volunteers on various committees.
Geography
Rotonda is located at 26°53′16"N 82°16′17"W (26.887875, -82.271262).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 11.2 square miles (29 km²), of which, 11 square miles (28.5 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (1.61%) is water.
Public schools
Rotonda West falls within the Charlotte County Public School districtCharlotte County Public Schools
Charlotte County Public Schools operates all public K12 schools in Charlotte County, Florida . It covers Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Englewood, Rotonda West, Babcock Ranch and surrounding areas...
. Two schools are found inside the Rotonda West area: L.A. Ainger Middle School and Vineland Elementary School. Both schools have received an A from the state more than five years in a row.
Center of Rotonda
There is a large park inside the center of Rotonda West with a playground, tennis courts, and a walking path.There is also a designated area where people can pay to park boats, trailers, and RVs.
A church is being built on the outer part of Parade Circle, where there is zoned commercial property for sale.
Weather
Located in southwest FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
on the Gulf Coast, the weather usually stays relatively mild. In the summer, it's not uncommon for temperatures to get into the mid-90's, but this is tempered by sea breezes from the Gulf. At night in the summer, temperatures quickly drop to the low to mid 70's. In the winter, hard freezes are rare, but occasionally occur. It's more common to have frost on the ground briefly in pre-dawn hours, but it melts shortly after sunrise. This usually only happens 2 or 3 times during the winter. Temperatures average 50 - 70 degrees during the winter. On a sunny winter day, it's rare for the temperature to stay below 50 degrees for long.
Summer thunderstorms are not uncommon. Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
is known as the lightning capital of the world. The dry season is in the spring.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,574 people, 3,181 households, and 2,287 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 597.4 people per square mile (230.7/km²). There were 3,961 housing units at an average density of 359.9/sq mi (139.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.16% White, 0.44% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.32% from other racesRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.
There were 3,181 households out of which 11.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.3% were married couples living together, 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.39.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 11.0% under the age of 18, 2.9% from 18 to 24, 12.3% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 44.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 63 years. For every 100 females there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $38,636, and the median income for a family was $43,844. Males had a median income of $28,046 versus $18,616 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $21,437. About 1.7% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.