Please read and help. We need as much support as possible. Thank you!
People- I need you to show up to oppose the Anclote River Park proposed development on Indigenous sacred land. It is currently a small county park and beach, quiet, and idyllic. We must continue to speak out to oppose the development.
All our voices as one does matter. I’ll be there this Tuesday. Come and speak under public comment for 3 min. Sign in and they will call your name to step up. Tuesday Jan 9th at 10am in Dade City at the Courthouse 2nd floor Boardroom. 37918 Meridian Ave. The development is not on the agenda but that doesn’t matter. Your comments go into the minutes. Or attend online via WebEx. Here are the links. https://pascocofl.portal.civicclerk.com/event/1372/files
Here’s the update on Anclote River Park in Holiday—
The last time we spoke with Park officials on 11/9/23— no marina facility, only updating docks, need for a jetty due to difficult navigable currents, kayaks, extra road access for boaters, 100+ parking spaces. Spoke with County planner last week— 10yr lease up for 3yr renewal— will hear very soon since new terms proposed to developer.
The County Park officials have been telling us for months— they now want a low impact restaurant— not what Keith Overton wants -22k sf restaurant with live entertainment. Indigenous representatives have attended and are opposed to the disturbance a development would cause and excavation— calling the county grave robbers. We are opposed due to the risk to the habitats of manatee, dolphins, gopher turtles, and bald eagles. Many trees will be cut down. The beach will be extended southward, which then it’ll be directly west of the Indigenous Mound, which will increase the footprint of disturbance to it. People already are throwing trash, walking and biking over the Mound.
The County’s position— the Mound is not a burial mound. However it’s never been excavated. The Florida Master file reveals there were 3 mounds once, and one file suggests a burial mound. The County Cultural Resource Assessment Survey (CRAS) March 2023 states 2 mounds were destroyed in the 50’s by unidentified people. It also states no human remains were found when they excavated the area surrounding the Mound, not the Mound itself. Other archaeologists state there’s no certainty as to the Mound’s significance or whether there are human remains. But the County continues to state- no remains despite this possibility.
They state public hearings are “down the road”, that’s a done deal by that time.
The Tampa Bay Times ran 2 articles this past week. One describes how Pinellas County recently made important decisions respecting and honoring indigenous peoples by closing the shelter and playground that sit on a burial mound. We intend to point this out to Park officials and the BOCC.
People need to email and call to voice your opposition. The Park officials and BOCC and PC emails/phone’s are here—https://saveanclotepark.org/
Sign the petition to oppose—
We have currently over 4300 signatures—https://www.change.org/p/keep-anclote-river-park-environmentally-safe
And go to the next BOCC and PC meetings next Tuesday Jan 9th in Dade City at 10:00am (BOCC) to speak out under public comment in person (sign in at arrival) or on WebEx (register before 5pm day before) and Thursday Jan 18 at 1:30pm (PC) in NPR. Here’s the link. Hope to see there to oppose the development. https://www.pascocountyfl.net/government/agendas___minutes_.php