Florida's state parks are now protected from developments after Gov. DeSantis signs new law
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — After months of protests, the future of Florida's state parks has been decided.
Gov. DeSantis signed a new law, unanimously passed by state lawmakers, preventing any projects on protected lands.
The State Park Preservation Act will protect all 175 of the state parks by preventing developers from building golf courses, hotels or other commercial projects on state park land.
The newly signed law comes after widespread outrage toward a proposed plan from the state last year to develop nine state parks.
'I don't think that they're going to stop at a single pickleball court, or one little trail, or one little glamping site. I think that once that door is opened, it's going to continue on until there's no more wild Florida left,' Gia Medina said.
The bill does not ban all developments, but any future proposals will have to be conservation-based, and support activities like hiking, kayaking and camping.
Lawmakers said they've heard the concerns over development loud and clear and insist preservation of the parks will be protected.
'What we have in our landscape is irreplaceable and once it's gone, we're never going to get it back,' Medina said.
Now that the bill has been signed into law, it will take effect in July.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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