Parks or Playgrounds? Florida’s Fight for Green Spaces 🌲🏨 - #YCMTSU

Resort hotels and pickleball courts in your favorite Florida State park. Let's go N/A N/A Hello. Welcome back. I'm Sidrah and he's David your favorite host. Always. Yeah. So let's get start, with our today's topic. So that is, that is related to the Florida's, park issue that, Florida's beloved state parks could see golf courses and hotels popping up if a new initiative goes through with public meetings. Has this scheduled? Will Floridians have enough time to defend their parks from turning into commercial playgrounds? Okay, join us as we break down what's at stake. All right. Yes David So we have topic that's a very important topic today. And, I have some concerns on this topic, like as, as we have the news, it's, meeting is on 20, August 27th. So basically it's, they they give the public only a week's notice to attend and share feedback on it. But, you know, it's a very short time. And, we have concerned about this, but they're why we don't want this. Why we don't want, changes in our parks. So there are four reasons why we don't want. The first is the environmental impact. You know, that the large development can harm our local ecosystem, wildlife habitats and the natural landscape that Floridians want. And now Florida people will focus only on their food instead of focus on the health exercise, social interaction and why we go to the park. We go to the park because we want to release our stress. We want to focus on more, more physical activities there. But here is its opposite. Opposite. Like you, you basically don't want to give, give relief to Florida people. You are caring about your revenue money. So you want just a cash from. You want to own the cash from the parks. The second thing we don't want, like it's we don't want is not a I think the correct term for this is basically a conflict with law. So, so these plans conflict with existing laws that protects powers for excessive development. And these changes are concerning because they go against it. Its tates laws that protect Florida's park state statute. So that is the FS 258.037. If I'm not wrong. Yeah. And the third concern is that loss of natural beauty. So basically people enjoy the parks for their untouched nature. And building resorts or golf, courses could ruin that experience. As earlier I told you about the environmental, impact point. The last one. The last the fourth one is the lack of transparency. So if only a one week notice, no opportunity for questions is in the in the meeting. Make it feel rushed and not fully transparent. to the public. So these are the concerns we have. What's your opinion David on this. So, you know, this information came out. And thank you, Sidrah for, sending this to me and, making it a topic, for discussion on, our flagship podcast. so when I did a little bit more research, I know there are specific state parks that have been identified for these changes. And, yes, you're right, the park system, the Florida parks system is not giving much public notice. Yeah. To everyone to prepare for this meeting in about a week. And I understand that there are going to be time limits for individuals to speak in regards to these proposed changes. Now for one of the parks, and I'll pull up the information for one, the parks, they're talking about using space that is already available because it's not being used to put a pickleball court, install a pickleball court, pickleball being one, the fastest growing participatory sports in the nation, they believe that they can capitalize on this opportunity, not just for tourism, but also for native Floridians. So residents of Florida. So I kind of get that. I'll I know that the, park system and I can pull up the information. but I interrupt you, David. There. Look, we have to separate the park concept and the other the the golf resorts or the the restaurants or everything. Why? Why you are getting like a into, in the into a trouble. But by doing these two things together, don't do it. Park is a different thing. It's not a it's not a kind of a restaurant. It means. And if you will open the restaurant here and, in a in parks even, it's a tiny restaurant, but you will provide the alcohol and other stuff there. So it means that people will ruin their health. So why they are going in park? We are going in part for the for our health, for our, our like the the with the with your dogs, with your cats. So we you you want to spend your time with your with your loved ones and your animals. They're your pets with with your pets. They're not with the the other people and other food stuff. In response to that, the argument, for instance, in regards to the lodging, facilities, the parks that have been identified, according to the Florida DEP news on Twitter, Kent Helen State Park, for instance, doesn't currently offer any overnight accommodations at Anastasia State Park. They're looking for opportunities to provide more overnight accommodations, also similar to where cooler, cooler Springs Lodge and other lodges at National parks. So what the state is saying with the park, Department of Parks and Recreation is saying is that they want to offer more amenities to be able to stay overnight at these parks and take in the beauty, the resources, the opportunity to be at these parts and just expanding. Of course, you know, the revenue base, for the parks system. if people are asking for that particular service of having the accommodations to stay overnight, that's available at national parks, and if they are built similar to the national park, overnight facilities respecting the environment, respecting the area, respecting surrounding communities. But that's, you know, just seeing the proposal. But that's not a park concept. It it's the something else concept. It means you are providing, meaning hotel mini, space for restaurant and everything on a one place. But but there is no point of these things in a in a park. Yeah. No, I think it's it makes no sense. And I see this as an opportunity for, improving revenue and improving, visitation to the park system. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has had is not Florida does offer, great opportunities to, to visit, you know, the parks, the springs, etc., etc. and with the increased traffic, the increase, construction on these particular sites, be detrimental to the environment. I don't know, I really don't know. are these parks? And I've never been to these parks identified in this particular proposal. I haven't, for these parts. Do they have the capacity for increased growth, increased visits by the public? That's something to be concerned about, too. Especially if you're offering overnight accommodations. Yeah, I know, no. Looks like. Okay, fine. On one side, you're saying that revenue, they want revenue. Basically they want money from them. They don't want they don't want to focus on public health. They don't don't want to focus on the the, nature's beauty and true as you Again, when you were talking about when you were talking about the place to go to relax, to explore nature, part of relaxing is recreation. And if that means, you know, pickleball, if that means flying the kite, or having a disc golf course. That's one of the proposals, particularly at his Hillsborough River State Park. They're talking about installing more cabins. They're talking about installing, you know, pickleball courts and a disc golf course. Not a, not a nine course golf course that a lot of men who are in the favor of, of the the though I'm not necessarily in favor of the proposal, I don't like how it's given a short, time frame for public comment. I think given enough time to look at the full proposal, we're seeing a lot of, reaction on social media to what we know already. But to kind of draw this out a little bit more, I like the idea of, you know, the National park system. I like the idea of the state parks spark, excuse me, parks system. And if there's the capacity to add more lodging in a economically and, environmentally appropriate manner, why not? And if it brings additional revenue and recreation for Floridians and tourists, I think that's a great idea. But still, I am totally against, more construction and more, like, okay, For example, they will start, working on one park. Then what will happen? They will close that park for months because they want to, construct things there. So it means that where that, that where people will go for the, for the relaxation for their pets and everything. Great. Because you need time to build the new things in the park. That's that's a valid point. You make a valid point Sidrah And that's why these questions need the time to be answered. First of all, they need the time to be asked at the hearing next week and the time to answer appropriately. I'm hoping that people who do attend the hearing have the opportunity to ask the questions that are necessary, like the ones that you have, and draw this out and let and get information that will kind of push back against, some of the, social media hysteria that this, particular announcement has caused. But I think the most important thing is right now is that they have to increase their time like it's a very short time, 27 today is 20 22nd. So it means that you don't and don't have enough time to think about it, to convince your public, about your ideas, about your decision. So it means that they have to figure out that they need to increase more time. They have to at least give the the one month notice. So I think it's a I don't know why they're doing, you know, like in a hurry situation. Then what's the reason behind it. There is no need to rush in. So like if it means that you are not giving enough time to public to think about it, that's it. You just want to impose your decision on public. That's it. I agree the timeframes are questionable and, it is suspect. And, I would think that that would be one of the questions asked or several question asked about why the short time frame to for question and answers, comments by the public. these are our tax dollars, at work and, accountability. And transparency is, what people are asking for in these particular, public comment sessions. I, I agree, more time should be spent, allowing, people on either side of the issue to formulate their questions, as this particular issue, being rushed because there's developers in the, background ready to get to the work of developing, these particular initiatives and the identified, state parks, maybe, however, yes, yes, I agree with you. let's spend a little bit more time, looking at this, even if it means, bumping up to the next, what is it? legislative session? Yeah, you're right, you're right. I agree with you. So. Yeah, this is what we have for today, and I hope you will like this, topic and kindly, give us your, feedback on it, because your feedback matters a lot for us. And, try to comment on our post, especially on this post, because we need we need your response before the 27. So it will helpful for us to understand what actually our audience, think about this thing. So thank you so much, David for for this episode and yes. Audience, please like share, comment, follow and give us hard time. We are ready for your hard time. Thank you so much. Thank you Sidrah Thank you everyone. N/A