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scooterbug44

SoWal Expert
May 8, 2007
16,732
3,330
Sowal
Even the biggest freight train has brakes. There is absolutely no reason why Deer Lake State Park (or any park) needs to be developed or privatized.
 

Zebraspots

Beach Fanatic
May 15, 2008
840
247
Santa Rosa Beach
If they want camping there, why can't it be run by the park service? Topsail and Grayton both seem to do well with running it themselves.
 

Andy A

Beach Fanatic
Feb 28, 2007
4,389
1,738
Blue Mountain Beach
Even the biggest freight train has brakes. There is absolutely no reason why Deer Lake State Park (or any park) needs to be developed or privatized.
On this one, you are exactly right. I have not heard one planning official say anything about changing the land use code regarding state parks (there is no zoning in Walton County, dammit). In fact, though it may be so, I know of no land use code pertaining to state parks. Let's be a little real, here. While there will be progress and development in our area, land code usage and zoning is not meant to destroy our recreational and leisure area in the furtherment of development. In addition, they are STATE PARKS and would not be subject to the land use code of Walton County without significant changes.
 

gardening1970

Beach Fanatic
Jan 8, 2006
459
62
53
Atlanta
I am completely against the idea of developing Deer Lake any further than it is now; however, St. Joe peninsula state park (tip of Cape San Blas) has wonderful camping facilities run by the park system. The campground spaces (tent and RV) and cottages stay booked. I have to believe they at least break even. But I also think they have substantially more land (bay side and gulf side) with which to work. I'm out there several times a year and can say that the state did a fine job of preserving natural surroundings and dunes. I don't know how Deer Lake could accommodate camping and preserve the surroundings.
 

beachmouse

Beach Fanatic
Dec 5, 2004
3,504
741
Bluewater Bay, FL
While there may be no zoning restrictions on land use in state parks, there are deed restrictions in many cases attached to them- lots of park land was donated or purchased at a discount with part of that low aquisition cost coming with restrictions stating that if the land was no longer used for that specific purpose, then it would revert to the original owners or their heirs. (This is actually turning into a big deal in Okie-Dokie right now over land donated for a courthouse annex, and since the county has plans to no longer use the land for county services as the terms of the land donation state, the heirs of the donors want it back to thetune of a couple million dollars of prime Eglin Parkway frontage.)
 

scooterbug44

SoWal Expert
May 8, 2007
16,732
3,330
Sowal
I love that idea - though my guess is the heirs then can't afford the taxes so the companies that want the land can still get it.

Was Deer Lake donated?
 

NotDeadYet

Beach Fanatic
Jul 7, 2007
1,422
489
Was Deer Lake donated?

No. It was acquired by the State in a legal settlement, a complicated case having to do with St Joe. It's in the public records somewhere. But that is not to say that the State, especially with this governor, might not decide to sell it.
 
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