Treasure Coast Sun

HOBE SOUND, Fla. - Congressman Brian Mast (FL-21), Florida Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, along with state and local elected officials from the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach County, have sent a letter to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and its Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) objecting to the expedited development proposal for Jonathan Dickinson State Park.

“The communities around Jonathan Dickinson State Park are owed a public comment meeting in good faith with members of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC). It is the ARC that will actually vote on whether golf courses and hotels will be built in our park, and the public deserves the ability to make their voice heard,” they wrote. “Currently, FDEP is proposing to hold an hour-long public comment period between 3 pm and 4 pm on Tuesday, August 27, 2024. This is absolutely ridiculous, especially as not one of the seven voting ARC members will be in attendance to engage with the public. We believe every voting member of ARC must attend a public comment meeting before taking any action regarding the proposal.”

“It is also imperative that FDEP give the citizens of Palm Beach and Martin counties every opportunity to have their voices heard on the topic. An hour-long meeting on a weekday afternoon when most people are at work will not suffice. Instead, the communities of Martin and Palm Beach counties are prepared to offer ARC and FDEP venues that can accommodate significantly more people. It is the expectation of the community, and the government officials signed onto this letter that all comments are heard, and questions be answered. We propose one meeting in Stuart and one in Jupiter, both for as long as it takes to hear all concerns."

The lawmakers also encouraged FDEP and ARC to “postpone any public comment or vote to move forward with the project until after Thanksgiving” to give every member of the community proper opportunity to make their voices heard.

The full text of the letter is available here.