Pickleball Courts and Lodges in Florida’s State Parks: Last month, Floridians and politicians from all sides voiced strong opposition when the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) proposed adding new amenities — including golf courses, 350-room lodges, and pickleball courts — to nine state parks. The public outcry was so intense that Governor Ron DeSantis announced the plans would be put “back to the drawing board” for at least the rest of the year.
The two-page document, titled “Florida State Parks with Additional Capacity for New Recreational Opportunities,” outlines parks from Key Biscayne up to the Georgia border that could host new facilities. These potential additions ranged from a lodge at North Peninsula State Park in Volusia County to a disc golf course at Highland Hammocks State Park, home to some of Florida’s rarest species and ecosystems.
The document is undated, leaving unclear when these parks were considered or if the ideas were later abandoned. DEP spokesperson Alex Kuchta reiterated that “the department has gone back to the drawing board and has no plans to move forward.” This comes after the agency’s official proposals for nine parks, released on August 21, were retracted a week later by DeSantis.
Notably, the document lists 24 parks but does not include two parks for which plans were ultimately filed, suggesting at least 26 parks have been considered or formally included in this development push. Florida has 175 state parks, trails, and historic sites.
One of the parks potentially facing changes is North Peninsula State Park, home to a rare maritime hammock ecosystem. Clay Henderson, a former Volusia County Council member and author on Florida’s land conservation history, criticized the proposal, highlighting environmental concerns. “It just makes absolutely no sense,” Henderson said, noting that nearby Daytona Beach already has over 200 hotels.
Other parks on the list included Silver Springs State Park near Ocala, known as “America’s largest spring,” considered for pickleball courts and disc golf. Local officials, like Sen. Keith Perry, said they were unaware of such plans but expressed hope for future public debate.
The controversy over these proposals also stems from the way the DEP handled public engagement, scheduling simultaneous, one-hour hearings that some believe limited public input. The agency postponed these meetings due to “overwhelming interest.”
Presentations prepared for specific parks, such as Jonathan Dickinson State Park and Honeymoon Island State Park, outlined potential developments like golf courses covering 11% of Jonathan Dickinson’s land, necessitating the removal of park offices and other structures.
Sen. Travis Hutson, whose district includes North Peninsula, stated his opposition to building any lodging within state parks, aligning with the broader sentiment of those advocating for conservation over development.
As Floridians await further updates, questions remain: Will the proposals resurface next year, and will the public get a chance to weigh in on the future of their state parks? For now, it appears the plans are paused, but not necessarily abandoned, leaving room for a potentially heated debate in the coming months.
News in Brief: Pickleball Courts and Lodges in Florida’s State Parks
Last month, Floridians and politicians opposed a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) proposal to add golf courses, lodges, and pickleball courts to nine state parks, prompting Governor Ron DeSantis to delay the plans.
Environmental concerns arose, particularly for North Peninsula State Park, home to a rare ecosystem. Critics also pointed to insufficient public engagement. While the DEP claims no current plans to move forward, the proposals could resurface, leaving room for future debate over park conservation versus development.
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