Many conservation groups were standing on Tuesday with state Sen. Gail Harrell. She introduced legislation to protect Florida award-winning state parks from developments such as golf courses, tennis courts and luxury lodges.
The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee cleared the measure with a unanimous vote. The bill (SB 80, State Parks Preservation Act) has two more committees before it is introduced on the Senate floor.
Harrell, a Stuart Republican, introduced the bill in response to the Great Outdoors Initiative, announced by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) last summer. After protests against the plan erupted statewide in August, Gov. Ron DeSantis shelved it.
Harrell’s law came last year as a stunning GOP responsibilities for the idea of the DeSantis administration of conservation-based recreation.
We proposed a golf course at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County, a 350-room luxury lodge in Anastasia State Park in St. John’s County and a top-selling Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County, and an Alfred B flying disc course. Gardens State Park in Tallahassee.
They were all banned in state parks under the Harrell bill. Desantis said the plan was “leaked. It was never approved by me. I’ve never seen it… if people don’t want improvement, don’t do it.”
Her measure told fellow lawmakers that Harrell “preserves state parks for what they originally intended,” and that “clearly defines the use of outdoor recreation based on conservation. I’m doing it,” he said.
R-Stuart State Assemblyman John Snyder introduced the same bill (HB 209) to the House. So it is assigned to the Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee and the State Affairs Committee. That hasn’t been heard yet.
The Act sets out DEP management duties for 175 state parks and creates restraint jackets for park management that can only promote traditional recreational activities and amenities as defined by the department.
Also, every ten years, you need to get feedback from a local advisory group or written management plan. At least two public hearings will be held during the development of the management plan.
The plan includes the components that the Park Manager needs to develop. Habitat restoration, hydrological conservation, cultural and historical resource audits, and strengthening habitat for ordered species.
The conservation group (now part of Everglades National Park), who was representative of Audubon, Florida, that helped create the first state park in 1916, said the measure had updated the guardrails and management practices of park management, and said, “transparency.” and said it would provide guardrails to ensure opportunities (public) for participation.”
“We draw a bright line between suitable and inappropriate uses for these vulnerable lands,” Beth Alvi said.
The only objection raised during Tuesday’s meeting comes from supporters who said the bill wasn’t advanced enough to protect the state’s parks. In fact, more than 60 environmental groups have called on Harrell and Snyder to strengthen their proposals.
Gil Smart, director of Everglades Friends, said he fears that if Congress tries to list all prohibited uses, it could create a loophole for the park to be exploited. . By expressly stating, we do not allow for any use that interferes with or harms the resources of state parks,” Smart said.
What’s next?
James Cole is a member of the USA Today Network-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be contacted at jcall @tallahassee.com and is on x as @caltallahassee.
