Campground proposal for Honeymoon Island draws crowd

An overflow crowd Tuesday night didn't keep their opinions to themselves on whether to allow a private business to run recreational vehicle and tent camping at Honeymoon State Park in Dunedin.

George Richards, who attended the meeting at Hale Senior Center, objected to the proposal. The hearing was hosted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Recreation and Parks.

"There's too many construction problems," said Richards of Dunedin. "There's too much lowland area. There's too much hostile environmental sentiment about it."

"It's just not going to work," Richards said. "It is going to cost the people more money in the end."

But Dunedin resident George Metzger said people opposed to the plan have the facts wrong. He said he has camped at a number of state parks and it isn't concrete, noise and lights on all night.

"If there is an environmental issue then why didn't they stop it in the Keys a long time ago?" Metzger asked.

"They don't want something new that they don't understand," Metzger said.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has presented a plan to build 45 campsites on 17 acres of Honeymoon Island that could accommodate overnight stays for recreational vehicles and tents. It's part of a plan to offer camping at more parks across the state.

The suggested campsite, east of a parking lot on Honeymoon Island adjacent to beach access "will not directly affect shorebird or sea turtle habitat supported by the park," according to a DEP land management plan. "Relocation of gopher tortoises may be necessary for the development of both the proposed camping and picnic areas."

DEP officials are pushing a plan to let private contractors design, build and operate new camp sites in 56 state parks, including Skyway Fishing Pier in St. Petersburg, Weeki Wachee Springs in Hernando County and Crystal River Preserve in Citrus County.

The DEP may ask for a share of the revenue from the overnight fees, which would go back to the budget for parks, according to a DEP official.

Gov. Rick Scott, who was at a bill-signing event in Largo Tuesday, said he is taking a wait and see approach.

"We are going through and having a discussion about what money we should be spending, how we should spend it, what things we should do in our state parks,' Scott said. "We are very committed to have the best state parks in the country."