Public Meeting Scheduled for August 27 in Stuart
(West Palm Beach, FL – August 22, 2024) The Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society (PBCC FNPS), dedicated to promoting the preservation, conservation and restoration of native plants and native plant communities of Florida, is strongly opposed to plans that would replace large stretches of Florida’s majestic Jonathan Dickinson State Park at Hobe Sound with three new golf courses.
The nonprofit organization encourages opponents to this effort to attend a public meeting on Tuesday, August 27, 3:00 to 4:00 pm, at the River Room, 201 SW Flagler Avenue in Stuart, for a presentation by the Department of Environmental Protection regarding the proposed amendment to the Jonathan Dickinson State Park unit management plan to authorize the sale of 1,000 acres of park property to a developer to construct two 18-hole golf courses and one 9-hole golf course, removing the observation tower and boardwalk now used by many visitors to observe native vegetation and wildlife in the park.
Allegedly, people can obtain a copy of the agenda from the Department of Environmental Protection by e-mailing a request to: [email protected].
This magnificent State Park was established in 1950, and encompasses endangered Atlantic Coastal Scrub forests, home to the southernmost remaining population of Florida Scrub Jay and a large population of the Four-petal Pawpaw, both Federally listed species. The site also protects the Loxahatchee Wild and Scenic River, freshwater and saltwater wetlands, all original native habitats of “Real Florida.” Whatever decisions were made in recent months or years were only announced recently, with a one-week notice for a public meeting, followed two days later by a final advisory group session.
In early August, the Office of Park Planning was directed by the Executive Office of the Governor to compose nine amendments to existing management plans for nine state parks. The office was directed to drop/hold other tasks and compose these amendments as quickly as possible.
Traditionally, management plans and management plan amendments require general public meetings and advisory group meetings. To fulfill these requirements, presumably as quickly as possible, eight public meetings across eight counties are going to be scheduled for August 27, and one advisory group session is going to be held on Thursday, August 29. The advisory group session will be held via Teams, where all 9 amendments are to be discussed.
The Office of Park Planning has been directed to play pre-recorded presentations, then receive and record feedback at these meetings without answering questions.
Following this public engagement phase, the Office of Park Planning will be submitting these documents to the Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) for approval, which would allow DEP to begin seeking funding and laying the groundwork for construction. The Office of Park Planning is to have these documents submitted to ARC in time for presumed approval in September.
The amendments propose the following, listed below in order of severity regarding pending habitat loss:
Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Martin County):
+ An 18-hole and 9-hole golf course in the Atlantic Ridge scrub community east of the Brightline, encompassing roughly 550 acres
+ An 18-hole golf course in the Atlantic Ridge scrub west of the Brightline, encompassing roughly 500 acres
Anastasia State Park (St. Johns County):
+ A park lodge with up to 350 rooms in the maritime hammock
+ A disc golf course in the maritime hammock
+ Pickleball courts in the maritime hammock
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park (Walton County):
+ A park lodge with up to 350 rooms
+ A disc golf course in the scrubby flatwoods south of the cabin area
+ Pickleball courts
Camp Helen State Park (Bay County):
+ New cabins and/or glamping at the northern end of the park on Lake Powell, within Panhandle Coastal scrub
Grayton Beach State Park (Walton County):
+ A new restroom at the beach access area near the cabins
+ 10 new cabins
+ A disc golf course
+ Pickleball courts
Hillsborough River State Park (Hillsborough County):
+ A disc golf course
+ Pickleball courts
Honeymoon Island State Park (Pinellas County):
+ Pickleball courts
Dr. Von Mizell – Eula Johnson State Park (Broward County)
+ Pickleball courts
Oleta River State Park:
+ Disc golf course
+ Pickleball court
About the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society
Established in 1981, the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society is a not-for-profit organization. Monthly meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 pm in the auditorium at Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach. Individual membership is $35 yearly. For more information about the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, please visit http://palmbeach.fnpschapters.org and www.facebook.com/PBCC.FNPS.