Northeast Florida leaders speak out against Anastasia State Park development plans

ST. COUNTY JOHNS, Florida. – Northeast Florida leaders took a stand Wednesday against plans to develop Anastasia State Park and eight other state parks around Florida.

The response has been overwhelming since the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FLDEP) announced the proposed changes last week, prompting protests, online petitions and a letter-writing campaign.

People disagree on many things these days, but opposition to the state parks development plan spans partisan lines.

FURTHER: Gov. DeSantis says Florida state parks development plans were not approved by him and FDEP will go back to the drawing board

READ: Conceptual plans for Anastasia State Park

Nearly a dozen state leaders, including state lawmakers and several mayors, publicly opposed the “Great Outdoors Initiative” at a news conference Wednesday with the state park as a backdrop.

They said they have not heard directly from the governor about his stance and want to know what he thinks about it. We have also reached out to his office for comment.

There has been a public outcry since FLDEP revealed plans to develop a 350-room lodge, disc golf course, pickleball courts and more at the park.

Leaders at Wednesday’s news conference said it would be entirely inappropriate to make such changes to Anastasia State Parks because they would not preserve the park’s nature and wildlife and would not protect vulnerable lands subject to erosion.

“I don’t see anything good coming out of this. I don’t see anything good for the state of Florida. I don’t see anything good for my grandchildren or great-grandchildren. Nothing,” said Jimmy Wilcox, 78.

“The proposed hotel threatens more than just our landscape. Anastasia State Park is a treasured refuge that is home to diverse wildlife and provides vital recreational space,” said St. Augustine Beach Mayor Dylan Rumrell. “A project of this scale could impact our local resources and cause irreversible damage.”

Rumrell and Florida Rep. Cyndi Stevenson said future actions could include reviewing regulations to allow stopping the proposed plan and possibly even lawsuits.

They said the governor and the FLDEP’s “Great Outdoors Initiative” caught them by surprise.

“This is a wake-up call. Ultimately, additional laws need to be enacted. Sometimes, that means constitutional amendments,” Stevenson said.

Jacksonville City Councilman Rory Diamond said he is introducing a resolution publicly opposing the proposed changes. He said several other jurisdictions plan to do the same, including all beaches, St. Augustine and the St. Johns County Commission.

St. Johns County Commissioner Chairwoman Sarah Arnold also expressed concern.

“This is a serious overreach by the state government, a plan that did not seek any local input,” he said.

Protesters at the public beach access near the news conference held signs and could be heard chanting “Save our parks.”

“Just being here and getting support from everyone is so exciting. We want our wildlife to stay where it is,” said organizer Desiree Sanders.

“This land is ours. It’s not there for political gain. It’s not there for development. Leave it for the people,” said protester LeighAnn Koch.

RELATED: ‘Construction and destruction’: More than 100 protesters voice opposition to proposed changes at Anastasia State Park | Proposed cabin and pickleball court at Anastasia State Park sparks community outrage amid Great Outdoors initiative

Hundreds of people gathered outside the park on Sunday holding signs saying they did not agree with the changes.

And on Monday, dozens of people took part in a letter-writing and poster campaign to flood the mailboxes of state leaders in Tallahassee.

Opposition has been so strong that the state postponed public hearings on the proposed changes that were supposed to take place Tuesday.

Those meetings are, for now, scheduled for next week, but the state is still looking for a venue large enough.

St. Johns County commissioners issued a statement saying they were never contacted and that the project is contrary to the county board’s vision.

In a social media post Friday, FLDEP appeared to defend the plan for Anastasia State Park, saying that building a new lodge at the park “will provide a new community space and offer an opportunity to rehabilitate a borrow pit left over from an old road construction project before the park was acquired.”

FLDEP also made comparisons to other parks with lodges such as the much larger Zion National Park in Utah and Yosemite National Park in California.

News4JAX reached out to FLDEP this week and asked:

1. If the plan goes ahead, how would the state decide who would build the hotel?

2. How long was the work done on these proposals before they were made public last week?

3. Where and to whom would the revenue generated go if the new plans for the park were implemented?

They never answered us.

Next week, everyone will have the opportunity to make their voices heard at a public meeting in downtown St. Augustine.