Deer Lake State Park [update - not closing]

[scooterbug44]

While I wouldn't put anything past St. Joe, this isn't an isolated incident.

Parks & historic sites across the country are being closed or having reduced hours and services due to budget cuts.

Personally I could find FAR better places to cut items out of the budget - starting w/ perks, travel, and per diems for politicians.

 

[BeachSiO2]

Has anyone else out here noticed that the Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Board is influenced by St. Joe through Mary Rosenheim? At about the same time of her installation to the Board, The St. Joe Company purchased a controlling interest in Wild Heron and its frontage on Lake Powell. It has been rumored for some time that Lake Powell is under consideration for a more permanent opening to the Gulf through a gulf/lake pass. Again, coincidentally, JOE purchased the Bay Point Marina in an effort to have a more complete series of points of conection to the waterways of North West Florida.

Trivia questions: 1. Does the Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Board have the authority to open connections to the gulf? 2. Who else has the same permission? 3. How many JOE communities front on Coastal Dune Lakes? 4. How many CDL's are there in the world? 5. Who has more present influence over openings of CDL's to the Gulf than JOE? 6. Is Deer Lake State Park the planned access to the Gulf for any of JOE's competitors?

Others are likely more well versed in your answers but I think I am right on a few of them as I was a technical advisor many years ago when the baord was first established. Also, I have numbered your original questions in hope of keeping them straight (for me).

First MR is no longer on the advisory board. As for your questions:

1. No the CDL does not have the authority to open connections.

2. In Walton County, only the County has the ability to get a permit for the opening.

3. Three St. Joe communities have property fronting the CDL, as do a number of other private owners.

4. There is no good accounting of how many CDL's exist in the world although a number of locations are frequently mentioned. There are extremely rare, but no one truly knows exactly how rare.

5. The most frequently opened lake in Walton County is Eastern Lake in which St. Joe owns no property so I don't see how they have "more influence" than anyone else.

6. I don't know.

 

[AAbsolute]

While I wouldn't put anything past St. Joe, this isn't an isolated incident.

Parks & historic sites across the country are being closed or having reduced hours and services due to budget cuts.

Personally I could find FAR better places to cut items out of the budget - starting w/ perks, travel, and per diems for politicians.

I wouldn't mind a bit to see all these parks sold off for development in private hands and the proceeds of sale going to pay off government debt. Further, at least an equal amount of government programs and offices should be closed immediately too.

 

[scooterbug44]

I wouldn't mind a bit to see all these parks sold off for development in private hands and the proceeds of sale going to pay off government debt. Further, at least an equal amount of government programs and offices should be closed immediately too.

NO! Our parks, nature preserves, forests etc. should NOT be privatized!

Budget cuts can be made MANY other places that do not reduce our quality of life. Closing a park or selling it off affects thousands and is irrevocable - taking away an excessive government perk or looking for increased efficiency is a far better idea.

 

[AAbsolute]

Others are likely more well versed in your answers but I think I am right on a few of them as I was a technical advisor many years ago when the baord was first established. Also, I have numbered your original questions in hope of keeping them straight (for me).

First MR is no longer on the advisory board. As for your questions:

1. No the CDL does not have the authority to open connections.

2. In Walton County, only the County has the ability to get a permit for the opening.

3. Three St. Joe communities have property fronting the CDL, as do a number of other private owners.

4. There is no good accounting of how many CDL's exist in the world although a number of locations are frequently mentioned. There are extremely rare, but no one truly knows exactly how rare.

5. The most frequently opened lake in Walton County is Eastern Lake in which St. Joe owns no property so I don't see how they have "more influence" than anyone else.

6. I don't know.

When Did Mary leave the post?

Does anyone from JOE sit on the Advisory Board at this time?

I'm counting The Retreat/Draper....Watercolor/Western......Watersound West Beach/Deer Lake.....Watersound Beach/Camp Creek......Watersound(North)/Lake Powell so far.

I understand that it is on the advice of the CDL Board that the lakes are opened.

What would you estimate the increase in Real Estate valuation would be for JOE's holdings on Lake Powell if a more regularly navigable pass were openend and maintained? My guess......$600,000,000

 

[GoodWitch58]

FYI for anyone who is interested:

I emailed Governor Crist this morning and asked that he reconsider the closing of Deer Lake. I received a reply from one of his aides in the Legislative Office and she indicated that my concern would be added to the information they had on park closing; she also suggested I contact my local legislative delegation, which I have done.

I know from my years in the Governor's office that information from the local community counts more than most other information, so if anyone else wants to add to the emails, you can reach the Governor via: Charlie.Crist@myFlorida.com.

 

[BeachSiO2]

When Did Mary leave the post?

Does anyone from JOE sit on the Advisory Board at this time?

I'm counting The Retreat/Draper....Watercolor/Western......Watersound West Beach/Deer Lake.....Watersound Beach/Camp Creek......Watersound(North)/Lake Powell so far.

I understand that it is on the advice of the CDL Board that the lakes are opened.

What would you estimate the increase in Real Estate valuation would be for JOE's holdings on Lake Powell if a more regularly navigable pass were openend and maintained? My guess......$600,000,000

I will check on Mary as I may be wrong but it was my understanding that she had left the CDL Board, but she is still on the County's CDL website. I don't remember who would have filled that position but will try to find that out also.

I was thinking of the Retreat, Watercolor and Watersound as the three communities not the distinct pieces. Please be aware that Deer Lake, Camp Creek, or Draper have never been opened "officially" by anyone, unless DuneLaker knows of a time way back, and in today's permitting climate it is not getting any easier to get permits for new lake openings.

The opening of the lakes are due to emergency conditions and impacts to structures on upland properties that would lisk health and safety. Not docks and accesory structures, but septic tanks and major habitable structures. To that point, I am unaware of any St. Joe property that would meet those conditions as they are set back from the wtaer's edge far enough that the triggering event would be a single family residence outside the property boundries of a St. Joe community.

As for Lake Powell, I do not believe that they would ever get the state and/or federal permits to open and maintain an opening. Furthermore, if they did I am very confident that Walton County would stringently object due to the downdrift impacts caused from the opening of the channel. it would most likely lead to downdrift erosion of the Camp Helen/Inlet Beach area (which is already deemed "critically eroded" by the state), and impacts might be observed in the Rosemary Beach area. Moreover, the actual pass would be unable to maintained without structures leading to even more permitting and impacts. I guess my point is that on the state and federal levels the likelihood of this occurring is extremely slim.

 

[AAbsolute]

I will check on Mary as I may be wrong but it was my understanding that she had left the CDL Board, but she is still on the County's CDL website. I don't remember who would have filled that position but will try to find that out also.

I was thinking of the Retreat, Watercolor and Watersound as the three communities not the distinct pieces. Please be aware that Deer Lake, Camp Creek, or Draper have never been opened "officially" by anyone, unless DuneLaker knows of a time way back, and in today's permitting climate it is not getting any easier to get permits for new lake openings.

The opening of the lakes are due to emergency conditions and impacts to structures on upland properties that would lisk health and safety. Not docks and accesory structures, but septic tanks and major habitable structures. To that point, I am unaware of any St. Joe property that would meet those conditions as they are set back from the wtaer's edge far enough that the triggering event would be a single family residence outside the property boundries of a St. Joe community.

As for Lake Powell, I do not believe that they would ever get the state and/or federal permits to open and maintain an opening. Furthermore, if they did I am very confident that Walton County would stringently object due to the downdrift impacts caused from the opening of the channel. it would most likely lead to downdrift erosion of the Camp Helen/Inlet Beach area (which is already deemed "critically eroded" by the state), and impacts might be observed in the Rosemary Beach area. Moreover, the actual pass would be unable to maintained without structures leading to even more permitting and impacts. I guess my point is that on the state and federal levels the likelihood of this occurring is extremely slim.

I have traversed th pass at Lake Powell several times by boat when conditions are favorable. The CDL Board has the ability to recommend the opening to the permitting authority at any time it should choose to. If anyone has the clout and motivation to have a pass maintained at Lake Powell it is JOE. I just thought it coincidental that a igh ranking JOE exec with civil engineering expertise fond her position at the Board.

 

[Matt J]

Draper lake was opened officially if I remember correctly and it was pretty recently.

AAbsolute, St. Joe can use all the influence they like, however the "land" that exists where an opening could be installed is owned by Pinnacle Port and the next land owner to the west would be the State of Florida and Camp Helen state park. I seriously doubt that St. Joe is going to try and open a permanent pass as Wild Heron doesn't really have an area to install a marina nor would the DEP allow such construction on a CDL. To go thru this effort doesn't make sense considering the amount of land that Joe owns on the intercoastal.

 

[Matt J]

I have traversed th pass at Lake Powell several times by boat when conditions are favorable. The CDL Board has the ability to recommend the opening to the permitting authority at any time it should choose to. If anyone has the clout and motivation to have a pass maintained at Lake Powell it is JOE. I just thought it coincidental that a igh ranking JOE exec with civil engineering expertise fond her position at the Board.

It could be less conspiracy and more local involvement by Joe employees as it is one of their missions.