Southwest Ranches is located just east of the Florida Everglades, 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Fort Lauderdale and approximately 20 miles north of Miami. SouthWest Ranches is bordered by Weston to the North, the Town of Davie and Cooper City to East and Pembroke Pines to the South.
The city is Broward county’s 30th incorporated city, having incorporated in the year 2000 to avoid annexation by the City of Pembroke Pines and to preserve its semi-rural lifestyle.
Because the area has many horse ranches and is located in the southwestern part of Broward County, residents chose “Southwest Ranches” over many other potential town names.
The population as of the 2000 census was 7,203. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau was 7,342. The town includes the 2000 U.S. Census census-designated places of Country Estates, Green Meadow, Ivanhoe Estates, Rolling Oaks, and Sunshine Ranches. Recently included to the communities: Landmark Ranch Estates and Sterling Ranch Estates.
To support its rural-equestrian lifestyle the Town has designated and developed dozens of miles of greenways multi-use trails.
SouthWest Ranches Real Estate is primarily residential, with most lots of 1 acre or more. There are some small farms and equestrian ranches. The town has laws that keep homes from being built on lots of less than 1-acre. They also generally stop streetlights and sidewalks from being built, in order to conserve and keep the town rural.
To support its rural-equestrian lifestyle the Town has designated and developed dozens of miles of greenways, multi-use trails. On most days, people can be seen riding horses, bicycles or walking the trails that thread throughout the town. Since incorporation, the town has also acquire seven open-space parks within its borders. The parks are: Trailside Park, Sunshine Ranches Equestrian Park, Southwest Meadows Sanctuary, Southwest Meadows Sanctuary/Calusa Corners, Rolling Oaks Passive Park. Country Estates Fishing Hole and Frontier Trails. To date only Sunshine Ranches Equestrian Park has been developed.
