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Miami Herald
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
After golf course debacle, Florida's state park legislation needs to be stronger
After the uproar created last summer by Gov. Ron DeSantis' proposal to pave over parts of Florida's beloved state parks with golf courses, pickleball courts and lodges, it's good to hear that a bill has been filed in Tallahassee aiming to put a stop to any more of that park development nonsense in the future. Sen. Gayle Harrell from Stuart, has filed Senate Bill 80 — the 'State Park Preservation Act' — to stop construction of sporting facilities at state parks. Harrell is a Republican; one of the most notable things about the fierce opposition to DeSantis' idea last year is that it came from both environmentalists and from within his own party, including from Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. But her bill, which passed the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee unanimously on Tuesday, doesn't go far enough to fully safeguard our parks. A group of 60 environmental groups called on Harrell and House bill sponsor Rep. John Snyder, R-Stuart, to add more specifics to the bill to tighten it. Gil Smart, a director of Friends of the Everglades, told the Miami Herald Editorial Board that although the organizations know they can't list every inappropriate use of the parks, the bill still should add safeguards in the form of 'specific language that prohibits any proposal that is going have material impacts on the resources of the parks.' The proposed legislation would take basic but important steps, starting with preventing the construction of development that could 'cause significant harm to the resources of the state park.' That's critical. Parks would have to prioritize 'conservation-based activities, such as fishing, camping, biking, hiking, nature study and more,' which sounds like the right idea. It would also allow construction of 'camping cabins with a maximum occupancy of six people.' Florida already has plenty of golf courses and resort accommodations. What sets the state apart are its wild spaces — from the icy waters of Wakulla Springs in North Florida to the mangroves at Oleta River State Park in Miami-Dade, where the DeSantis administration wanted to build pickleball courts and cabins to the chagrin of frequent park goers. The state's 175 parks are key to Florida's identity — and an enormous tourist draw. They also provide affordable recreation and environmental education opportunities for Florida families. The environmental and long-term economic benefits of preservation far outweigh the short-term gains from developing golf courses or more recreational facilities. In 2024, Florida parks attracted over 30 million visitors, with an estimated economic impact of more than $3.9 billion. These natural spaces attract all those visitors in part because they are home to a variety of animal species, including alligators, manatees and over 300 types of birds. Florida's state parks also play a key role in protecting the environment. They act as natural shields against rising sea levels and stronger storms. Wetlands absorb excess rainfall, while maritime forests help protect inland areas from storm surge. During Tuesday's hearing, Harrell — whose district includes Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County, where three golf courses were proposed under DeSantis' initial development plan — said that 'we are preserving our state parks for what they were originally intended for' and the legislation 'clearly defines conservation-based public outdoor recreational uses.' Past decisions highlight stronger protections are needed. Last June, the Florida Cabinet quietly approved the transfer of 324 acres of state forest land to a private golf course company in exchange for less valuable, isolated timberland. This pattern of undermining conservation efforts cannot continue. While Harrell's bill is a very good start, it needs to go the whole way. The proposal that the DeSantis administration shelved last year had big ambitions for developing our public parks: 50-room luxury lodges at Anastasia State Park in St. Johns County and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County, a flying disc course at the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park in Tallahassee, pickleball courts at Miami's Oleta River State Park. To combat such over-the-top proposals, lawmakers should nail down this legislation with great specificity. Florida's unique environmental heritage is worth it. Click here to send the letter.
CBS News
11-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Florida lawmakers target golf course, lodges in state parks
TALLAHASSEE - After a bipartisan uproar last year about a proposal dubbed the "Great Outdoors Initiative," the Florida Senate on Tuesday began moving forward with a bill that would prevent building such things as golf courses, pickleball courts and hotel-style lodges in state parks. The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved the bill (SB 80), sponsored by Sen. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart. "Our state parks are so unique, and we want to make sure that they are there for the enjoyment and the conservation of our natural resources in our state of Florida," Harrell said. Florida park plans received heavy backlast The uproar came last year after the Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a news release about the "Great Outdoors Initiative" and later used social-media posts to briefly outline plans for nine parks. Perhaps the biggest target of opponents was a proposal to add three golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County, which is in Harrell's district. Other parts of the initiative that drew heavy criticism included proposals to construct lodges with up to 350 rooms at Anastasia State Park in St. Johns County and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County. Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration paused the proposal after the uproar, but Harrell and Rep. John Snyder, R-Stuart, filed bills to try to block the possibility of such development in the future. The bills are filed for the legislative session that will start March 4. "I think we were all dismayed last summer when suddenly out of nowhere these plans were revealed to pave over our state parks with pickleball courts and golf courses and hotels and lodges," Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, said during Tuesday's committee meeting. "You (Harrell) are right when you say that is not the purpose of our state parks." The bill would allow construction of cabins with maximum capacities of six people at state parks. Environmental groups backed the bill Tuesday, but some urged revisions to make sure the measure would cover other potential types of development. For example, Gil Smart, policy director of Friends of the Everglades, raised a concern that the bill could leave open the possibility of building a large marina in a state park. "We just don't want to be back here again next year, the year after, fighting the same battle," Eugene Kelly, president of the Florida Natural Plant Society, told the Senate committee. "We just suggest that there should be a much-clearer statement on prohibitions of incompatible uses."
