I have some good news to report out of my crazy state of Florida today: average Florida citizens have successfully fought back against Gov. Scott's horrific plan to pave over more of Florida paradise. Scott and the crony head of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (Protection -ha!) tried to rush through a plan to turn over portions of up to 56 state parks - including beloved honeymoon island - to private corporations to build camping and RV sites. You heard right, Scott literally wants to pave paradise to put up a parking lot - for RVs. But guess what happened? Average citizens got wind of the proposal - thanks in large part to the St. Petersburg Times - rose up to protest the privatization plan and today Scott backed down. Chalk up one victory for the little guy.
Scott and the crony he hired to run the Department of Environmental Protection (Protection -ha!), Herschel T. Vinyard Jr., hatched up a plan, under the cover of night, to pave over paradise in Florida:
Earlier this month, the division won approval, 7-2, from DEP's Acquisition and Restoration Council, a little-noticed advisory group, to expedite the planning process to create more private concessions at the 56 state parks. But this is more than privatizing snack bars, canoe rentals or gift shops. It's about turning over portions of state parks to private enterprises to build and run campgrounds, often in environmentally sensitive locations that are already being heavily utilized by day visitors.
The first four parks targeted by Scott and Vinyard for being turned into RV parks included Honeymoon Island - Florida's most popular park. Despite what outsiders may think, there are still some beautiful and pristine areas of Florida left, and Floridians cherish them. Honeymoon Island is one such special place.
Today, visitors can drive across Dunedin Causeway to enjoy the sun - drenched Gulf beaches, mangrove swamps, and tidal flats. Nature lovers will find osprey nests, a wide variety of shorebirds, and one of the few remaining virgin slash pine forests in South Florida. The park boasts several nature trails and bird observation areas. Visitors can swim, fish, and snorkel in the warm waters of the Gulf or picnic while they enjoy the beautiful scenery. Shelling is particularly good here, as the Gulf currents deposit an incredible variety of seashells on the shore.
And what did Scott want to do to the island?
At Honeymoon Island, for example, the plan for 45 campsites on 17.5 acres - including electric and water hookups for RVs in an area now designated for picnicking - would add an estimated 300 more people to the park's daily 5,326 visitors. The plan will likely require the relocation of gopher tortoises, the division's proposal acknowledges, and selective cutting of trees, the building of stormwater basins and an archaeological study to ensure no cultural resources are lost. Wastewater from bathhouses and an RV "dump station" will be carted offsite to a treatment facility.
Scott and Vinyard hoped to push through these plans without anyone noticing - standard Republican governor operating procedure these days.
Good luck finding that plan on the division's website. Scant mention of the scheme can be found there even as public hearings begin next week for Honeymoon Island and three others: De Leon Springs, Edward Ball Wakulla Springs and Fanning Springs. It appears the parks division has issued three times as many press releases or advisories about Florida first lady Ann Scott's literacy tour than it has about its plan to privatize portions of up to 56 state parks.
But thanks in large part to the St. Petersburg Times and other local media outlets, people got wind of the proposals before the public hearings and an outcry quickly swept through the state. The plan was so unpopular that even some prominent Republicans in the Legislature spoke out against it.
Last week, more than 400 people turned out at the public hearing on turning Honeymoon Island into an RV park - it was standing room only.
As the meeting was called to order, hundreds more people were still clamoring to get in, despite an order by the fire marshal saying the room could not hold any more.
"I've been doing this for three decades and I haven't seen a group like this," said Albert Gregory, bureau chief of the state's Division of Recreation and Parks, who led the meeting organized by the Department of Environmental Protection.
People in the crowd waved signs and banners that said, "Save the Park," "Don't Pave Paradise," and "If the Honeymoon Is Over, I Want a Divorce." Before the hearing, the crowd was chanting, "Save our park!"
There were tastefully dressed ladies with League of Women Voters buttons, men with long gray hair and Hawaiian shirts, birdwatchers galore and dedicated shell scavengers, as well as enough current and former elected officials to fill a dugout at the Toronto Blue Jays spring training stadium across the street.
People booed DEP officials, promised to more a human barricade against bulldozers, told state officials to "get the dollar signs out of your eyes." They got a similar reaction at public hearings for three other state parks at the top of Scott's hit list: Wakulla Springs, DeLeon Springs and Fanning Springs.
As late as July 1 Scott vowed to plow ahead with his plan to line the pockets o his private contractor friends, despite mounting opposition. But on Friday Scott quickly reversed course and scrapped his plan to pave over Honeymoon Island
In a news release sent to reporters Friday night, Scott said: "After seeing the public's reaction, it is clear that this is not the right time to expand camping at Honeymoon Island State Park. . . These natural treasures belong to all the tax-paying citizens of this state and it would be unfair to proceed with a plan that so many Floridians are so adamantly opposed to."
I should point out, however, that this is one small victory. You'll note that Scott said "not the right time," which to me implies that he'll try again later. And the DEP has not promised to totally scrap their plans for paving over Wakulla Springs, DeLeon Springs and Fanning Springs, just that they will "reconsider and possibly revamp similar plans" for those three parks. And there's still the 50+ other parks that are still on Scott's list to turn into RV parks.
Nevertheless, let's celebrate this victory. Even in Florida, the little guys can sometimes win if we just let our voices be heard.