By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix
A proposal to limit development in state parks and ensure maximum public scrutiny of changes to their management plans won unanimous approval in a Florida House committee Tuesday.
The development gave hope to environmentalists and those who enjoy state public parks that this legislation can become law this year.
The bill (HB 209), sponsored by Ocala Republican John Snyder, is called the “State Park Preservation Act.” It represents a legislative response to the stunning plan that surfaced seemingly out of nowhere last summer by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to construct lodges, golf courses, pickleball courts and disc golf courses in nine state parks.
That proposal ignited mass protests throughout the state and quickly went away.
The bill would require all state parks or preserves to be managed in a manner “that provides the greatest combination of benefits to the public and the land’s natural resources.”
In addition, it explicitly says that state parks or preserves must be managed for conservation-based recreational uses; public access and related amenities, including roads, parking areas, walkways and visitor centers; and scientific research, including archeology.
“Such uses must be managed in a manner that is compatible with and that ensures the conservation of the state’s natural resources by minimizing impacts to undisturbed habitat and using disturbed upland regions to the maximum extent practical,” the bill says.
“To ensure the protection of state park resources, the bill prohibits sporting facilities that cause substantial harm to the natural resources, native habitats, or archeological or historical sites within state parks, including, but not limited to, golf courses, tennis courts, pickleball courts, ball fields, or other similar facilities from being constructed in state parks.”
Amendment
Dozens of organizations and businesses had registered concerns about certain provisions of the legislation, including language that environmentalists said would create loopholes that could be allow unintended development.
In response, Snyder amended his bill on Tuesday, with language that now says the state Division of Recreation and Parks “may not authorize uses or construction activities, including the building or alteration of structures, within a state park which may cause significant harm to the resources of the state park. Any use or any construction activity must be conducted in a manner that avoids impacts to a state park’s critical habitat and natural and historical resources.”
The changes drew support from members of those same environmental groups who earlier expressed concerns about the bill’s direction.
Chadwick Leonard of 1000 Friends of Florida said the amendment “addresses several concerns of about 70 organizations who signed on to a letter earlier on in this session.”
“Floridians love state parks. They love the access to nature that they provide. They love the solitude,” said Eve Samples of Friends of the Everglades. “They did not love the proposals that emerged last summer to develop our state parks with harmful development like golf courses and lodges.”
Pinellas County Democratic Rep. Lindsay Cross called the bill is a rare instance when the public shifted the Legislature to effect positive change.
“We don’t always see that,” she said. “When you’re an environmentalist and you love conservation, you’re often on the losing end and you have to continue to fight over and over again.”
Momentum
Miami-Dade County Democrat Ashley Gantt gave praise to Rep. Snyder.
“You served our country as a Marine, so you protected us as Americans, and now you’re protecting our state parks.”
In addition to some of the bill’s language, environmental groups over the past week made public concerns about whether the measure would pass at all this session.
The Senate companion (SB 80) was heard and passed unanimously in its one and only committee nearly two months ago during a pre-session committee week, and has not moved since.
Snyder’s bill in the House hadn’t been heard in a committee since the first week of session more than a month ago — but it is now headed to the House for a final vote.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Banner photo: A protest at Honeymoon Park in Dunedin on Aug. 27, 2024 (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix).
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