HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners is planning to send a letter to Florida state leaders to try and exclude Hillsborough River State Park from its "Great Outdoors Initiative" plan.
Commissioners made mention of the letter in its latest agenda Wednesday morning. Discussions surrounding the letter are scheduled for 10 a.m.
Leaked by a whistleblower with Florida's Department of Environmental Protection earlier this year, the "Great Outdoors Initiative" is aimed at expanding public access and recreation opportunities across the state. That whistleblower was fired for leaking the information, according to multiple reports.
The proposals for new developments, including lodging, glamping sites, golf courses, and pickleball courts across several Florida State Parks, faced criticism from locals, environmentalists and bipartisan lawmakers.
Hillsborough River State Park would see four new pickleball courts and a disc golf course if the "Great Outdoors Initiative" goes through.
Here are some other changes Florida parks may experience:
- Anastasia State Park (St. Johns County) would see a 350-room lodge constructed.
- Camp Helen State Park (Bay County) would see 10 cabins constructed for lodging and “glamping.”
- Grayton Beach State Park (Walton County) would see an additional 10 cabins constructed plus a beach-access restroom
- Honeymoon Island State Park (Pinellas County) would see four new pickleball courts.
- Oleta River State Park (Miami-Dade County) would see construction of new cabins, pickleball courts and disc golf courses.
- Topsail Hill Preserve State Park (Walton County) would see construction of a 350 room lodge, pickleball courts and a disc golf course.
- Dr. Von Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park (Broward County) would see 4 new pickleball courts.
