Controversial Florida state parks plans delayed

jonathan dickinson state park protest — Protesters mobbed the entrance to Jonathan Dickinson State Park last week over state plans to convert environmentally sensitive lands into a resort hotel with three golf courses. (Photo courtesy Third Day Sentinel Photography)

In the wake of widespread protests, the DeSantis administration has postponed until next year public hearings on plans to build hotels, golf courses and pickleball courts in Florida State Parks.

The plans were postponed, but not scrapped. At least not yet.

Gov. Ron DeSantis says the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which oversees state parks, is “going back to the drawing board” to review the proposals and come back with a plan next year.

Details of the controversial plans were hidden as supplementary amendments to the DEP’s Great Outdoor Initiative for 2024-25, and were leaked to the Tampa Bay Times on August 20, when it was also learned that the state had quietly scheduled “public” hearings to take place a week later. But there was no formal notice of the hearings to the public.

Perhaps the most egregious plans called for the construction of three golf courses at Jonathon Dickinson State Park in Martin County and 350-room hotels at Dickinson, Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine and Topsail Hill Preserve in Walton County.

Hundreds of protesters started showing up at the affected state parks over the following days, and online petition drives drew hundreds of thousands opponents. Elected state officials of both parties, including cabinet members and U.S. senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, also voiced their opposition.

After the outcry, the DEP postponed the public hearings due to the “overwhelming response.” A previously unknown veterans foundation claimed responsibility for the golf courses and withdrew its plans.

DeSantis would later call the plans “half-baked” and said the DEP would undertake further review.

The governor went as far to say that he had not approved the plans, even though his office had issued a statement a week earlier defending them.

Both the Florida Wildlife Federation and Audubon Florida said they will monitor developments.

“This backtracking could not have been accomplished without the rapid and overwhelming response from the public, community groups, Florida businesses, and bipartisan unity from state elected officials who opposed these plans.”

— Florida Wildlife Federation

“You wrote letters, shared updates, and called your elected officials – and it worked!” said Julie Wraithmell, executive director of Audubon Florida.

“We promise to remain vigilant at Audubon Florida and alert you when you can use your voice to protect Florida state parks,” she added.

It’s worth noting that DEP secretary Shawn Hamilton is a DeSantis appointee, and Hamilton appointed Doug Hatcher to head Florida State Parks. Both have been silent since the story first emerged, and DeSantis declared this week: “It was not approved by me, I never saw that.”

DeSantis blamed the leak on a “very left-wing group,” although he did not identify the group.

In reality, the leaker was a whistleblower, a state employee who came forward last week after receiving a letter notifying him that he is being fired.

jonathan dickinson — Scrub habitat at Jonathan Dickinson State Park would be destroyed to make way for a resort hotel and golf courses under the DEP plans. Concerns are also being raised about golf-course runoff impacting the wild and scenic Loxahatchee River, which runs through the park. (Photo by Bonnie Gross)

anastasia state park beach mouse — Habitat of the Anastasia beach mouse would be disrupted by construction of a hotel behind the dunes in the main beach area at Anastasia State Park. (Florida State Parks photo)

florida state parks Topsail cyclists on paved trail Controversial Florida state parks plans on hold for now — The state’s proposal for the 350-room hotel at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park places the lodge in the middle of (or adjacent to) the campground, near the paved multi-use trail (above). A disc-golf course would straddle the trail. (Florida State Parks photo)

Florida has the most golf courses of any U.S. state with 1,250, according to Travel Magazine. Florida already tops the nation in pickleball courts with 1,162, according to Pickleheads.com.

‘Great Outdoors Initiative’

Florida state parks development plans

In the wake of the protests, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has posted a survey soliciting your opinion on its Great Outdoors Initiative, the details of which are below.

New public hearings are expected in 2025.

Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Martin County)

florida state parks jdsp golfcoursemap Controversial Florida state parks plans on hold for now — The pink areas show where the golf courses will be built at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. (Source: Florida Department of Environmental Protection)

DEP Development Plans: Resort hotel, three golf courses and pickleball courts, requiring the removal of the Hobe Mountain observation tower and destruction of important wildlife habitat. Read the plan at floridadep.gov. Click on the above map to download PDF of the full version.

Public hearing: Postponed until 2025. We will update this information as soon as it becomes available. Bookmark this page.

Sign the petition to oppose the Jonathan Dickinson State Park plan at Change.org

Anastasia State Park (St. Johns County)

DEP Development Plans: 350-room hotel, pickleball courts, a disc golf course. Read the plan at floridadep.gov. Click on the above map to download PDF of the full version.

Public hearing: Postponed until 2025. We will update this information as soon as it becomes available. Bookmark this page.

Sign the petition to oppose hotel construction at Anastasia State Park at change.org

Topsail Hill Preserve (Walton County)

florida state parks topsail hill hotels Controversial Florida state parks plans on hold for now — The DEP plan calls for the hotel to be built adjacent to or in the middle of the campground. (Source: Florida Department of Environmental Protection)

DEP Development Plans: Topsail Hill plan calls for 350-room lodge, pickleball courts, disc golf course. Read the plans at floridadep.gov. Click on the above map to download PDF of the full version.

Public hearing: Postponed until 2025. We will update this information as soon as it becomes available. Bookmark this page.

Sign the petition to oppose development of Topsail Hill Preserve at Change.org

Commentary by author and environmentalist Craig Pittman: Our Duffer-in-Chief loves golf more than our environmental wonders so he repeats Rick Scott’s worst mistakes as governor (Republished from Florida Phoenix)

Grayton Beach State Park (Walton County)

florida state parks Grayton Beach Conceptual Land Use Map Controversial Florida state parks plans on hold for now — Controversial Florida state parks plans on hold for now 15

DEP Development Plan: Grayton Beach plan adds 10 cabins, pickleball courts, disc golf course. Read the plan at floridadep.gov. Click on the above map to download PDF of the full version.