PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Florida State Sen. Gayle Harrell opposes Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration’s controversial proposal to develop hotels, golf courses, and other amenities at state parks.
Harrell said there was bipartisan opposition because of a desire to preserve and protect the state parks’ natural habitat and historical sites. She said she was working on new legislation.
“Golf courses do not belong in state parks, and we are going to make that very clear on statute,” Herrell said on Sunday during This Week In South Florida.
The proposal included developments at Oleta River State Park in Miami-Dade County, Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Broward County. and seven other state parks. There were protests statewide.
DeSantis said Wednesday that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection was “going back to the drawing board” and “not doing anything this year” to the nine state parks in the “Great Outdoors Initiative.” He also added he had not approved the proposal.
Harrell said the new legislation will define the appropriate uses at state parks as “nature-based” to prevent future development efforts. She said State Rep. John Snyder will likely co-sponsor the bill.
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