St. Augustine community protests against proposed major land development at Anastasia State Park

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Community members gathered at the entrance of Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine on Sunday morning to protest and make a stand against the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP) statewide “Great Outdoors Initiative.” The proposed plan, which includes the construction of a 350-room lodge, a disc golf course, and pickleball courts within the park, has sparked considerable public outcry.

Related: Florida unveils 2024-2025 Great Outdoors Initiative amid concerns over environmental impacts to state parks

David Strickland, a vocal protester criticized the FDEP, stating, “Why would the Florida Department of Environmental Protection become the Department of Environmental Destruction?”

The message from those in attendance was clear: they are closely watching how the “Great Outdoor Initiative” proposal unfolds and are prepared to take action.

“Voters like myself, I vote every election, we are paying attention,” Greta Boniface declared, highlighting the importance of the upcoming November election. “And we will not go down without a fight on this.”

The FDEP responded on social media, justifying the initiative by pointing out the rising popularity of pickleball, which they referred to as “the fastest growing sport in the US,” and the need for more overnight accommodations within Anastasia State Park. However, Desiree Sanders, the protest organizer, dismissed these claims, arguing that the people of St. Augustine aren’t buying it.

“There’s absolutely no need for a hotel at all in this park. You can throw a rock and find a hotel within any, any area in St. Augustine, especially from the park,” Sanders stated.

According to the website Pickleheads, Florida tops the nation with the largest selection of pickleball locations with over 1,160. Jacksonville, Tampa, and Orlando feature the highest number of courts in the state.

Action News Jax sought an interview with the FDEP, but they declined to comment at the time of publication. Additionally, the state has postponed the first public meeting on the project, originally scheduled for Tuesday, to a yet-to-be-determined date, likely during the week of September 2nd.

St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners Chair Sarah Arnold released a statement on Sunday morning on the proposed land development:

“The State of Florida has not contacted St. Johns County with any details of this project. Parks are for people and not about projects for profit. Our Board of County Commissioners has been consistent in our views on natural resource conservation and protection. This proposed project is absolutely contrary to our County Board’s vision and priorities. As a Board, we will seriously address this proposed project with all available recourse. Anastasia State Park is a state-owned recreation area inside the city limits of the City of St. Augustine. It may involve a review by its staff and its City Commission.”

The full Unit Management Plan Amendment can be found HERE.

A survey has been released to ask for the community’s input on the changes to the state parks, which you can fill out HERE.

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