ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The popular Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine offers everything from camping to kayaking.
The state of Florida wants it to offer more, including a lodge with up to 350 rooms, a disc golf course and pickleball courts. Anastasia State Park is one of nine parks that are part of the “Great Outdoors” initiative the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced this week.
READ: Conceptual plans for Anastasia State Park
The department released a map of where each new addition would go in Anastasia. The lodge would be east of the campground and south of the beach. The disc golf course and up to four pickleball courts would be east of the main park drive.
Officials with the city of St. Augustine said that the announcement from the state was the first they heard of any planned changes to the park.
The city released a statement Thursday (read below) about the proposed changes, which will be discussed at a meeting at 3 p.m. Tuesday at First Coast Technical College in St. Augustine.
Anastasia State Park is a state-owned recreation area inside the city limits of the City of St. Augustine. The City of St. Augustine has been made aware of a project to construct a 350-room lodge, pickleball courts and a disc golf course inside Anastasia State Park.
The City has not been contacted by the State of Florida with any details of this project. The project will require a review by city staff for compliance with the city’s Comprehensive Plan and various sections of the Municipal Code of Ordinances. If the State of Florida is required to obtain approval for aspects of this project by the city’s Planning and Zoning Board, City Commission, or any other city board, then the State of Florida will apply to the necessary board to obtain these permits. The City of St. Augustine respects a fair and transparent process and does not pre-judge this development proposal before the State has the opportunity to present this project to the community during the defined public hearing process. To do so may jeopardize the integrity of the process and result in unintended consequences.
We ask for the patience of the community while we discover exactly what the State of Florida is proposing and how that project will move through the local review process. Thank you. #CityStAug
While city officials are withholding judgment (for now), it seems many people who enjoy the park regularly are not.
One group is planning a protest from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday in front of the state park to “Say No to the Lodge.”
There’s also a petition against the changes from the Florida Wildlife Federation conservation group.
Robert Hendrick considers Anastasia State Park his favorite state park on the east coast and said absolutely not to the idea of the changes.
“It is perfect the way it is,” he said. “It has the campground for however many sites. You have the beach. You have the parking. I don’t think you need all of that other stuff to make it more crowded.”
Sarah Gledhill, president of the Florida Wildlife Federation, called the proposals inappropriate.
“Our state parks, especially with Anastasia, is built on its historical and conservation value,” Gledhill said. “We come here to recreate in a passive way. These are our public lands. They are not here for private enterprises to come in and exploit and make profits off of.”
Our News4JAX Insiders also weighed in, posting comments like the following in our initial story about the proposal:
WerWill Win: This is a horrible idea. The park does not need this. Public lands set aside or donated for conservation should not be used for development. Construction and massive tourist traffic will destroy this park. Development like this is exactly what is spoiling Saint Johns County. And the Dept. of Environmental Protection should be opposing the destruction of the environment, not coming up with ways to trash it.
Tonto: About time Florida’s state parks upped their game. Georgia’s parks, with lodges, cabins and other amenities, puts Florida’s parks to shame.
Captain Bob: Anastasia Park was the reason my wife and I moved to the area. A 350 room resort will be the reason we move out.
Anastasia State Park is not alone. The state is proposing similar changes at eight other state parks across Florida, and criticism of the proposals is stretching across the state
Some lawmakers shared strong words ahead of the scheduled public meetings about the plans.
“I would recommend you plan two or three days because I think you’re probably going to hear from thousands of people,” Rep. Brian Mast told WPTV.
Mast sent a letter to the governor, FDEP and each of the seven members of the Acquisition and Restoration Council, which is the board that would vote on the proposed changes.
None of them are scheduled to be at the meetings on Tuesday around the state.