TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, along with the state’s environmental agency, has encountered significant bipartisan criticism regarding a proposal aimed at creating golf courses, pickleball courts, and hotels within state parks. In response to this backlash, a Republican legislator is taking steps to ensure that these proposals are effectively halted.
Senator Gayle Harrell introduced a bill on Wednesday that emphasizes the development of recreational opportunities in state parks focused on trails instead of sports courts and cabins in lieu of hotels. Additionally, her bill would mandate greater public notifications and the opportunity for community feedback on park projects, following an incident in August where the Department of Environmental Protection attempted to advance the “Great Outdoors Initiative” with minimal public involvement.
The initial plan included only a single hour for public hearings at each of the nine parks that would be impacted. This initiative faced scrutiny from both sides of the political spectrum, as key Republican legislative figures alongside U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott expressed concerns. Furthermore, environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club and the Cleo Institute, joined Democrats in voicing their opposition.
Harrell’s proposed legislation seeks to prohibit the establishment of golf courses, tennis courts, pickleball courts, and similar sporting areas at state parks, promoting instead “conservation-based public outdoor recreational uses” such as hiking, boating, camping, swimming, kayaking, and bird-watching. The bill would also limit the construction of overnight accommodations to facilities no larger than cabins that can accommodate six individuals.
Ultimately, DeSantis has reconsidered his previous stance on the development of state parks, leading to a pause on the proposed initiatives.
