Protesters in Anastasia State Park cheer for the stance of Representative Stevenson
State Rep. Cyndi Stevenson shares her objections to the plan for a lodge in Anastasia State Park, drawing applause from residents who oppose the plan.
Anastasia State Park is located off Florida A1A and across from the cities of the Beaches in Duval County, but the fight against a proposed 350-room lodge in Anastasia brought Beaches elected officials and St. Johns County politicians to the table Wednesday morning.
Standing together, with miles of coastline behind Anastasia, the people demonstrated how the fight for the park in St. Augustine has brought together coastal mayors to collectively draw a clear line on what level of development is acceptable in parks.
Atlantic Beach Mayor Curtis Ford noted that Dylan Rumrell, the mayor of St. Augustine and a leading figure in the opposition to the state’s plans for Anastasia, grew up in Atlantic Beach, where residents have enjoyed nearby Jacksonville’s oceanfront Hanna Park for generations.
“So you can imagine that what’s happening here at Anastasia State Park is really important to us because the same thing could happen at Hanna Park if we’re not vigilant,” Ford said. “As mayors, we are absolutely united on this.”
St. Johns County Commissioner Sarah Arnold said the opposition is following all district and party lines.
“I have never seen an issue that has moved a community, a region or an entire state like this one,” Arnold said.
The press conference took place Wednesday morning before Governor Ron DeSantis said later in the day that the state would “reconsider” the Great Outdoors Initiative’s proposals for Anastasia State Park and other state parks.
Jacksonville City Council member Rory Diamond, who organized the press conference next to Anastasia State Park, had predicted that the state would ultimately abandon plans for Anastasia.
“I firmly believe that’s not going to happen,” Diamond said. “That’s just my opinion. But it’s a fight. This is the beginning of the fight, not the end. So until the motion is withdrawn, we have to keep going.”
Diamond represents a district that includes Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach. On a larger scale, Duval County has worked with the state and federal governments over the years on the Timucuan Preserve, which encompasses thousands of acres.
The city is working to open larger portions of the preserve to hiking and paddling, but the focus of these plans remains on creating space to enjoy nature.
Neptune Beach Mayor Elaine Brown said the proposal to build a 350-room lodge in Anastasia State Park is the wrong way to introduce people to Florida’s natural attractions.
“This is about the future,” Brown said. “People need to stand up now to protect what we are going to do for future generations.”
She said the development of a state park “that is so pristine and has been a part of the lives of so many families for so long is absolutely ridiculous.”
State Rep. Cyndi Stevenson, who represents part of St. Johns County, said if the state built the lodge in Anastasia State Park, it would set a disturbing precedent for other parks and would disadvantage future generations.
“These are the family jewels of the state of Florida, and if we allow this to happen here, I assure you it will happen in other places in Florida,” she said.
She said it was troubling that the state Department of Environmental Protection did not consult with local authorities when developing the plan, and she warned that residents would need to be cautious about undertaking major projects in state parks in the future.
“It could happen in 20 years,” she said. “It could happen in 10 years. It could happen in five years.”
U.S. Representatives Mike Walz and John Rutherford also spoke out against the Anastasia Park plan in statements read during the press conference. Jacksonville Beach Mayor Chris Hoffman was not present at the event but also opposes the plan.
The event was held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort, overlooking Anastasia Park. Diamond called the Embassy Suites resort “a good example of the private sector doing its work on private land, rather than the government over there building a hotel on people’s land.”
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The Great Outdoors Initiative’s biggest changes to overnight accommodations would have been the proposed construction of 350-room lodges at Anastasia State Park and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach in northwest Florida. The plan also called for the construction of new pickleball courts and a disc golf course at each of those parks.
The Department of Environmental Protection says there is a constant demand for more overnight accommodations and that the lodge at Anastasia would be similar to the lodge at Wakulla Springs in the state park south of Tallahassee and the lodges in national parks.
The state summary does not include information about which organization would have owned and operated the proposed lodge for Anastasia State Park. It would have been built at the south end of the park, where an “absorption pit excavated prior to park acquisition” is a “potentially suitable location” for part of the lodge, a summary of the proposal states.
The state has set up a website at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7983173/Great-Outdoors-Initiative where people can review the proposals for each park and provide comments.
Diamond said he will introduce a resolution calling on the Jacksonville City Council to take a stand on Anastasia State Park, and the three beach cities, the St. Johns County Commission and St. Augustine Beach will also introduce similar resolutions.
