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The Florida Department of
Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service is in the process of updating
the Unit Management Plan for St. Andrews State Park. Citizens are invited to
attend a public hearing to learn more about the proposed plans for the state
park and to share their comments.
The public notice, agenda and draft plan are available online here. Copies may also be obtained by emailing Brian.Addison@dep.state.fl.us
or calling 850-233-5141. In addition to sharing input at the public hearing,
the public is invited to review and submit comments to the Division of
Recreation and Parks at FL_StateParkPlanning@dep.state.fl.us through
March 30, 2016.
WHAT: St.
Andrews State Park Public Hearing
WHEN:
March 16, 2016
5 - 8 p.m. (CDT)
Presentation at 6 p.m.
WHERE:
J.R. Arnold High School
Auditorium Building
550 Alf Coleman Road
Panama City Beach, FL 32407
The following improvements are
proposed for the updated St. Andrews State Park management plan:
- Redesign park entrance area for improved access.
- Resurface park road and develop new tram stops, and a
bicycle and pedestrian path.
- Add a shuttle-waiting shelter with interpretive panels
at the Gulf Pier Use Area.
- Add a pavilion at the Jetty Use Area.
- Construct restrooms, picnic pavilions and a paddling
launch at the Lagoon Use Area to improve ADA compliance and accessibility.
- Relocate the environmental interpretive center from its
current location near the ranger station to the Lagoon Use Area.
- Add a 1.2-mile loop walking trail along the perimeter
of Buttonbush Marsh.
- Improve landscaping to mitigate shoreline erosion in
the campground.
- Designate a wilderness preserve within a portion of
Shell Island to recognize and interpret the unique barrier island
resources.
- Construct a boardwalk at a popular site within the park
on Shell Island where visitors arrive by ferry boat. A boardwalk will
facilitate access between St. Andrew Bay and the Gulf on Shell Island.
- Construct two small primitive restrooms at popular
sites within the park on Shell Island where visitors arrive by ferry boat.
Last year, more than one million
people visited St. Andrews State Park in Panama City Beach. The park is
consistently one of the top 10 most-visited parks in the state. The park’s
campground boasts 176 campsites and maintains a 65-percent occupancy rate, with
a busy season from March to October.
Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any
person requiring special accommodations to participate in this hearing/meeting
is asked to advise the agency at least 48 hours before the hearing by emailing Brian.Addison@dep.state.fl.us
or calling 850-233-5141. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact
the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 800-955-8771 (TDD) or 800-955-8770
(Voice).
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