Post # 339, Bob McKnight's Florida Commentary
Governor DeSantis wants to build golf courses in Florida State Parks. We already have more than any state per capita and almost 1,500 now.
Largely unnoticed in the Florida press has been a public notice that the state is going to have a public hearing on authorizing building golf courses and housing lodges within the state parks. The proposal comes from the DeSantis Administration, just off a sound beating at the polls on their education recommendations.
Florida, as a peninsula, has been long blessed with water oriented state parks.
The state has a diversity of deep blue springs in the North, vast Lake Okeechobee in the Central, and the diverse Everglades in the South. Probably the best state parks are adjacent as right a way to Florida's 16 inlets, like Hillsborough, Sebastian and Cape Canaveral. There are 175 public parks in Florida and none with golf courses.
The proposal is to build an 18-hole and a 9-hole executive course in the popular Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County. There are already 28 golf courses in Martin County and about twice that number in adjacent Palm Beach County.
Governor DeSantis is following the actions of former Governor and now U.S. Senator Rick Scott in proposing development with the state parks. As Governor, Scott tried to change the law to build public facilities like roads and utilities for recreational vehicles in Honeymoon Park, Wakulla Springs, DeLeon Springs, and Fanning Springs. Protests from the public sidetracked Scott's plan.
Governor DeSantis has attempted to win favor with environmentalists by siding with them against the sugar cane growers and polluters around Lake Okeechobee. All that goodwill has now been flushed down the drain, Governor.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park is the home of the late legendary squatter Trapper Nelson. I had the pleasure of visiting him at his rustic camp in the '50s. Governor Trapper Nelson would not like what you are proposing to do to his home.
Comments