Florida State Park Protection Act proposed following outcry

St. Augustine: A new bill has been introduced to protect Florida’s state parks from development. This comes after a lot of people voiced their concerns about plans that could have changed the parks forever.

Rep. John Snyder, a Republican from Stuart, filed House Bill 209, which is similar to a Senate proposal. Together, they’re known as the “State Park Protection Act.”

Last year, the Department of Environmental Protection’s “Great Outdoors Initiative” sparked a huge public outcry. The initiative included plans for projects at nine parks, including Anastasia State Park. They wanted to build things like pickleball courts and a big lodge, which didn’t sit well with locals.

After hearing the backlash, Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration decided to pause those plans. Now, the new bill will be discussed when the Florida legislative session kicks off on March 4th.

While the bill aims to stop large developments, it does allow for some small cabins, as long as they don’t harm the park’s natural resources. It’s a step towards keeping Florida’s beautiful parks safe for everyone to enjoy.