TALHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — What began last year with a leaked proposal to build a golf course and pickle ball court in a state park has brought laws aimed at protecting natural grounds from these actions.
Efforts to protect Florida’s natural basis have been a partisan hit with many supporters rallied in the summer, but with no further movement in the past few weeks at the Capitol, what holdup is to push forward the “State Park Preservation Act” across the finish line?
Gov. Desantis proposes a $1k rebate check to cover property taxes for homeowners in Florida
Last summer, hundreds of people protest plans that could potentially develop more wild spaces, and the fight to protect Florida’s state parks continues at the state capitol.
“I think we all were disappointed last summer when these plans were revealed to be paved over the state park,” state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) said.
Senate Bill 80, led by both Republicans and Democrats, and its House peers, are aiming to not only preserve the state’s land, but also introduce an advisory committee that calls for public hearings and reports to Congress for future park plans.
While lawmakers and supporters support those efforts, there may be some gaps in language.
“We cannot improperly list all uses, but we can cover the base. What we explicitly states is that we do not allow state park resources to be disrupted or harmed.”
When asked if the bill had luck in the Senate, President Ben Albritton (R-Wautura) said, “We’ll see what happens.”
“We’ll see where it goes. We’re definitely supportive of protecting the state’s parks and making sure we see Florida showing that this natural space is important. But this is like a lot of the problem, it’s about achieving balance,” says Albritton.
