POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Statewide criticism and protest from activists, locals and politicians over proposed developments at several Florida state parks appear to be making an impact.
Gov. Ron DeSantis will instruct the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to restart the process and go back to the drawing board on initial proposals that called for lodging, pickleball courts and more, an administration official told 10 Tampa Bay.
The governor, speaking during a news conference Wednesday in Polk County, said "he'd rather not spend any money" on the proposed developments. He also claimed, without evidence, that the plans were "intentionally leaked to a left-wing group to stir up a narrative."
Gov. DeSantis' remarks come just days before public hearings were expected to take place. He added the department won't pursue any plans until next year and after hearing more from the public.
"They're not doing anything this year. They're gonna go back and basically listen to folks. A lot of that stuff was just half-baked, and it was not ready for prime time," DeSantis said.
Environmental groups are calling the governor's actions a win.
"After eight days of public outrage, DeSantis was forced to back off plans to develop Florida state parks — a huge credit to all the people who united in opposition. That said, we won't rest easy until the so-called Great Outdoors Initiative is completely dead," Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, said.
The DEP announced the "Great Outdoors Initiative" in a press release on Aug. 19 that said, in part: "In addition to increasing the number of campsites, cabins and lodges on park property, the initiative will increase the number of outdoor recreation opportunities available at Florida’s state parks, including pickleball, disc golf, golf and paddling."
Two state parks, Honeymoon Island State Park and Hillsborough River State Park, are among those slated for the proposed developments. Public hearings were postponed and tentatively scheduled for next week but no locations or times were announced.
The Honeymoon Island proposal called for the construction of up to four pickleball courts near existing amenities and a parking lot. It would occupy about 7,200 square feet.
"This was done intentionally, given to a very left-wing group, to try and create a narrative that somehow, 'the state park's going to become a big parking lot," DeSantis said. "That's obviously a phony narrative that was never true to begin with."
DeSantis ended the conference by saying as governor, he's "totally fine to just do nothing and do no improvements if that's what the general public wants."